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What are the best brands to buy stainless steel woks?
There is no best known brand of stainless steel wok. The only factor in buying a good wok is that it should be a carbon steel wok that will conduct the heat evenly.
Where can I purchase a quality stainless steel wok in Spokane, Washington?
The best place to purchase a quality stainless steel wok anywhere is online at sites like www.amazon.com. You dont have to pay sales tax on amazon, and they frequently have ship for free deals. Other online sites are good as well so that you can have more of a variety.
Why do professional chefs prefer to do their cooking in a plain carbon steel wok?
A carbon steel wok, once it is seasoned, requires very little maintenance. A quick swish in hot soapy water is all that is required to clean it. Stainless steel woks never acquire this "seasoning" and so tend to stick when cooking.
How do you season a wok?
If you have an electric wok or a non-stick wok, you do not season it.If you have a traditional carbon steel wok or cast iron wok, then you need to season it.The best way to season a carbon steel wok or a cast iron wok is to use the so-called 'salt seasoning method'. It is discussed in detail (along with other ways to season or re-season a wok) at:http://wok.cooking.foodlywise.com/wok_cooking_equipment_wok_care/wok_care_how_to_care_for_a_wok/wok_care_seasoning_a_wok_how_to_season_a_wok/If you do not season a new carbon steel or cast iron wok food will stick to it and you won't be able to cook in it.
What is the difference between cast iron wok and carbon steel wok?
The difference between cast iron and carbon is steel is the percentage of carbon which is present in the alloy. For cast iron this is between 2.5%-6.67% and for steel this is generally lower than 1.9%. Due to these properties the cast iron wok generally spreads the heat more equally and maintains this temperature much easier than the carbon steel wok. Because of this, it takes a bit longer to heat up. The carbon steel wok heats up very fast and is preferably used when a dish does not need to cook very long.
Does a teflon wok need to be seasoned?
No. Teflon takes the place of the seasoning process for steel or iron woks.
What materials make up the coating of a nonstick wok?
A "nonstick" wok is typically a stainless or aluminum wok coated with Teflon or a Teflon derivative such as "TFAL." They are not suitable for houses with pet birds. Even slight overheating of a Teflon coating produces fumes that kill birds.
Why do professional chefs avoid stainless woks and use carbon steel ones instead?
The carbon steel cooking components are better performers under high heat, and result in less items sticking. Stainless steel cookware, while it will not rust or stain as per the name, radiates heat more direct through the material. A professional chef using a wok correctly, generally uses very high heat, and is looking to reduce foods rather than burn them.
Where can one buy a carbon steel wok?
Carbon steel woks can be purchased from Amazon, Ebay, Bed Bath and beyond, Walmart, Target, Chow Hound, Wok Shop, Import Food, City Chef and The Paupered Chef.
What is an electric wok?
It's much like an electric skillet or an electric teapot, you can plug it in. Most woks use heat from a gas stove or an electric sotve and they have a ring to balance to wok on. An electric was has a built in heating unit and doesn't need an external heating source. Electric woks are usually stainless steel and are seasoned like convential woks. If you are planning and doing a lot of cooking in a wok then go convential and get a good one. Learn the proper way to season, cook and care for the metal and it will be the only wok you need. Plus it is a showy way to cook for entertaining. If you just want to cook with it occasionally than a good electric one is all you need. For images of the two use a search engine like Google and type in wok. An electric wok is an instrument used to stir-fry vegetables, meat, and other items. It resembles a large shallow bowl and has a lid. When you plug it in, the bowl becomes hot enough to cook food.
What is the temperature range of an electric wok?
Most basic electric Woks temperature ranges are 150-400 degrees F. Electric woks are a very convenient means of cooking foods at high temperatures. The range of methods of cooking that can be employed is simply staggering from baking, deep frying, stewing, roasting and steaming. This is all due to the wok electric an electric hotplate which can be finely tuned to the right temperature. The high sides of a wok make boiling extremely easy. Electric Woks come in 2 different types; non stick and stainless steel.Electric woks manufactured from stainless steel are extremely easy to clean if you use the right amount of oil in the cleaning process. Most will come with instructions on how to "season" your wok which will make your electric wok last a life time. A slight drawback to non stick is the in ability to use anthing metal while cooking.
Which is better hard-anodized or stainless?
Stainless Steel I personally prefer cast iron, or wrought iron (my wok) it retains a stable temperature. Most of your anodized coatings are coated onto either a thin steel substrate, Like enamelware, or onto an inexpensive aluminum substrate. The reason is to reduce cost. However this doesn't evenly spread the heat if you cook on a gas stove, resulting in "burn rings" inside the pot or pan. Stainless steel especially SS with a copper core, spreads the heat almost as well as Iron or copper pans do. This even heat prevents burning foods. Burning food is what usually makes it stick to the pan, well seasoned and properly washed Stainless, and Iron cookware will not stick at the correct cooking temperatures.
