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Cast Iron Woks

ByRasa Malaysia

Published May 10, 2019

Updated Nov 05, 2024

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Cast Iron Woks - complete guide about wok, best wok to buy, carbon steels woks, wok cooking, menu, recipes and the best oil to use in a wok.

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Cast Iron Woks

Wok is the most important cook ware in China, and most woks are Made in China wok. I get a lot of emails about it. How to season as wok? How to use a wok and the basic tips and techniques on wok cooking, how to control the heat in the wok, etc.

Top 12 Cast Iron Wok Tips

Wok Star – Eleanor Hoh is a China wok enthusiast, cooking teacher and creator of a Wok Star Kit.

To avoid common mistakes people make in wok cooking, here are the tips:

1. Cooking in a wok requires the right technique, the right heat, the right seasonings.
2. Declutter your kitchen: use your wok for stir frying, steaming, stewing, deep frying, smoking and soups.
3. Leave your China wok out at all times so it’s convenient. If you don’t see it, you don’t use it.
4. Getting the wrong wok and not seasoning it right can set you up for failure.
5. A lightweight cast iron wok is BEST wok made in China. Who wants to lift a 15 lb. wok every night?
6. One handle woks tip over when you have food in it plus the handle gets in the way.
7. Round bottom woks need direct flames, i.e. gas for maximum contact to control your heat.
8. Flat bottom woks do not give you a natural stir fry motion, uses more oil and were made for electric stoves.
9. Non-stick woks cannot be used above medium heat according to manufacturer’s warning but high heat is ESSENTIAL to sear meat and for crunchy veggies.
10. Gas stove owners: use the smallest burner so heat is focused for your wok.
11. Electric stove owners: a portable butane gas stove solves the problem of cooking with your wok!
12. A Wok Star is someone who develops their own cooking style and thinks outside the box.

The best oil to use for wok is avocado oil, ghee or coconut oil.