What does seasoning a wok do

Preheat the oven to F with a rack in the center position. Then wrap it in foil. Repeat if you have another handle. This protects the parts during baking.

Preheat the oven F with a rack in the center position. If your wok has metal handles, preheat the oven to F with a rack in the center position. Regardless of wok handle type, use paper towel to rub about 2 teaspoons of virgin flaxseed oil or canola oil on the interior and exterior metal surface.

Then invert the wok and place it on the oven rack. Bake it for 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and let things gradually cool for 15 to 30 minutes. This continues the seasoning process and allows the wok to cool so you can retrieve it with few hassles. Remove the wok from the oven, then let it cool for about 45 minutes before carefully unwrapping the foil and removing the damp cloth.

Now, heat the wok over medium, add 2 tablespoons of oil canola, peanut, grapeseed and 1 large sliced onion. Stir-fry the onion, pressing it all over the interior.

Discard the onions, wash the wok without dish soap and use the softer side of the sponge. Heat the wok over low for about 2 minutes, until the wok is dry. During the first month or two, try to use your wok at least three times a week. You can fry an egg in it, for example. Shallow-fry, pan-fry, deep-fry, stir-fry in the wok. I do not steam in the wok because that removes the patina.

Repeated usage allows the wok to further develop its seasoning. Expect the wok to change color during its youth.

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Advertisements also enable ongoing content creation. Thanks for visiting and contributing to good food knowledge! Hi Andrea, I have never seen or heard of anyone in my family or acquaintances seasoning a wok!

I guess I don't quite understand the rationale - can't just heating up your wok and then just doing all the standard cooking in it suffice? When did this kind of practice start?

Is this from a certain region? I have so many questions, but I guess that just means I'll have to do some research, haha. Can you recommend which method would work best for other kids of food? I'm still in surprise that this is a legitimate practice and that I've never heard of this. I have a few woks myself and I've never felt inclined that they needed prep beforehand like a baking pan.

Thanks again for all your insights and advice, per usual, you're one of my favorites and I'm so upset I cannot go up to Portland to meet you!! The seasoning is for a brand new wok. That's the standard approach that goes way back. I didn't invent this. Seasoning a wok is not required for each dish cooked. Once a wok is seasoned, it's ready for cooking. But know that it's the old school kind -- made of carbon steel and cast iron, that require an initial seasoning.

You've mentioned that soap should not be used when washing wok whilecseasoning it. What about washing after cooking, are we not supposed to use dish soap also?

I often wash a dirty wok without soap but I let it cool for a minute before taking the warm wok to the sink to scrub. Wok superstar and guru Grace Young says you can use a drop of dish soap when washing the wok. Sometimes there's soap leftover in my scrubby sponge so I don't feel like so bad.

A touch of soap is Grace approved. Hi Andrea--firstly, thanks for all of the knowledge you share not just on woks. I really enjoy following your work!

Secondly, I got around to seasoning my new carbon steel wok did a combo of the oven and potato peels, because I had the time and thought it made sense in a completely unfounded "more is better" approach. The surface is relatively nonstick and I understand it will continue to develop over time.

I first tested with chicken, which did not leave residue after cleaning. Next, I fried a few eggs, Thai style, and they lifted pretty easily, but I was left with a very thin, small, patchy layer of caked on whites. The kind that's not so noticeable unless it's under a light. I washed with the soft side of a sponge and no soap I did my best, dried it, and put another thin layer of oil on top and re-seasoned.

I suppose my question is twofold:. Should a pan always be impeccably spotless when done cleaning? Or will a little residue not really affect the ongoing seasoning? What would you do in this instance? Sometimes I don't clean my wok out and when I reheat it to use, I have to wipe it out with a paper towel as it's heating. Otherwise, there's blackened bits in my next wokked dish! Or, I'll add a drop of soap to the wok and clean it, then reheat and wipe it with a smidgen of oil to do a quick reseasoning.

Woks are forgiving and I've mistreated mine many times. It always comes back to be my friend in the kitchen. Thanks for the reply! Most shop-bought woks are layered with an anti-rust film to protect them while sitting on the shelf - so the first step is to scrub this off.

Use a metal scourer, a small amount of detergent and a lot of elbow grease to really scrub hard at every edge of your wok, and then wash the detergent bubbles away. Burn, baby, burn! No matter what type of hob you have, turn it on to its highest heat and place your wok on top. Watch how this first burn takes your wok through a rainbow of colours, leaving a matte grey behind, and make sure to tilt and turn your wok as needed to ensure every side is heated thoroughly and coloured evenly.

Once your wok has been burnt, allow it to cool before then coating the inside with a thin layer of a high heating oil, such as vegetable or sunflower oil. Back to the burn! In this final step, place your now-oiled wok back onto a high heat, and allow the oil to reach smoking point. When the oil stops smoking, that part of the wok is seasoned - tilt and turn your wok once more until all sides have had their oil burnt off and your wok has its final matte finish.

Hint: tight for time? Use a blowtorch for faster results! So remember, the secret to seasoning a wok is to scrub, burn, oil , and smoke. Happy wokking, folks. Begin your journey to wok stardom with a custom-made School of Wok wok!