Carbon steel wok , keep having to re-season

[jambonsambo]

Hi ,


Just thought I would try asking here if anyone has experience using a carbon steel wok ?, one of those woks that you have to season with a layer of burned on oil before you use it.


The thing is I hopr that have seasoned it correctly watching you tube videos so that it is gunmetal black all over . I used a gas cooker and applied oil with a kitchen paper wad until the oil stopped smoking.It looks good but most times when I cook anything with a sauce in it ir a fried rice dish the black oil coating comes off in the food and I end up having to re-season.


Is this normal or are sauces and fried rice/egg dishes not supposed to be used in a wok like this ? It cooks vegetables great but anything at all sticky like an egg or a stir fry sauce seems to pull off the seasoned layer .Am I using too high a heat maybe or should I not let the sauces cook so much in the wok ?

 

[Andy M.]

The seasoning should not come off. If you can't cook fried rice in a wok, all of China would starve.

How you are seasoning the wok is probably the issue. Do you have an oven. The best way is to clean off the wok (remove all seasoning). Wipe a thin coating of cooking oil on all carbon steel surfaces including inside and outside. Place the wok upside down in a 350ºF oven and let it bake for an hour. Turn off the oven and leave the wok in there to cool along with the oven. When the oven and wok are cool, reheat the oven and apply another thin coat of oil on the wok and repeat the heating and cooling process. Do this all again a third time.

You should end up with a dark, smooth, not sticky surface that stays put.

 

[jambonsambo]

Hi thanks for that reply.


Unfortunately My wok has a non removable wooden handle so I can't use the oven method.


Can I achieve the same result with a camping gas stove ?


J

 

[Andy M.]

My wok has a wooden handle and a wooden helper handle. I used the oven. All that will happen is that the wood will darken some.

 

[jambonsambo]

Thanks Andy I am going to try that.


Do you recommend any particular oil ? would vegetable or sunflower work ?


I assume I should put on a very high heat 225 - 250 CC


Thanks

 

[CWS4322]

What's the difference between this type and CI? I usually heat my CI wok on very high, rubbed with oil inside first, for about 10 minutes before I use it. Not sure if that would work.

 

[Andy M.]

Thanks Andy I am going to try that.


Do you recommend any particular oil ? would vegetable or sunflower work ?


I assume I should put on a very high heat 225 - 250 CC


Thanks

Just about any oil will do. I use corn oil because it's inexpensive.

Set you over to 350ºF/177ºC No higher!

 

[Cooking Goddess]

...Unfortunately My wok has a non removable wooden handle so I can't use the oven method...

Hi, jambon, and welcome to DC.

You could wrap the wooden handle and helper handle with aluminum foil. It does insulate the wood some from the heat. I use that method when popping a soft-grip saute pan under the broiler and have not had any problem keeping the handle safe. Good luck with your wok.

 

[Janet H]

I season my woks on a camping stove out doors. The oil smokes but the camping stove is nice and hot and the seasoning goes quick.

here are the best instructions I've ever found and while they use an indoor burner, I would do this outside to avoid fumes...

https://thewoksoflife.com/how-to-season-a-wok/

 

[Andy M.]

I season my woks on a camping stove out doors. The oil smokes but the camping stove is nice and hot and the seasoning goes quick.

here are the best instructions I've ever found and while they use an indoor burner, I would do this outside to avoid fumes...

https://thewoksoflife.com/how-to-season-a-wok/

I've seen this method before. I don't care for it because it involves too much standing there tilting and turning he wok over an open flame to ensure you get proper coverage.