WOK cooking, what temp are you guys running and what oil are you using?

ringkingpin

Hey guys,

Do any of you  measure the temp of your wok before tossing ingredients in?  If so, what temps are you guys running?  I use a little infrared thermometer and have cooked (only about five times) with the wok preheated to 650-950.  950 DID seem a little hot, lol. 

What oils are you guys using?  I've tried almost everything from Advocado, Almond, Veggie, Peanut and what I think is my favorite, refined seasame oil.  Just curious.  

Cheers!

Mickey

For frying just south of 400 for the oil temp. Oysters.

ringkingpin

Hey Mickey, what temp do you do stirfry at, if you do stirfry?

Mickey

ringkingpin said:

Hey Mickey, what temp do you do stirfry at, if you do stirfry?

I just fry, oysters,shrimp, onions, boudin balls. Sorry. We have some of the very best stir fry cooks anywhere on this forum. Just not my thing.

RRP

Personally I wok at 350 max and the trick to maintaining that temp that works for me is once I stabilize at 350 I close my bottom vent completely. That keeps the fire from going to blast stage while the dome is open and I am woking. BTW at nuke temp you mentioned you run the risk of a dangerous explosive fire if that oil catches on fire! Be careful!!!

ringkingpin

no worries man, thanks for replying!  Looks tasty for sure but I don't do much deep frying.  

Village Idiot

Several responders above are using their woks for deep frying.  I don't deep fry on a BGE.  Too dangerous, and the benefits are negligible. I have three deep fryers for that.  To me, woks are for stir frying. 

Professional Asian Chefs cook at 20 times hotter than a gas stove will go, according to Grace Young - author of Breath Of A Wok.  I cook at about 850 to 900.  There are many more things to consider other than temperature to achieve wok hai, but in short, your food should sizzle at all times when stir frying.

When choosing an oil, look for one with a high smoke point.  If you cook below 400 or so, it doesn't matter, but at higher temps, it does.  Peanut and grapeseed oils are good at high temps.  I use peanut oil.  I try to stay away from oils with a flavor, like olive or sesame.

BTW, when stir frying, you are only using a tablespoon or two of oil so there is no risk of an explosive fire.

fishlessman

canola, veg, and peanut. save the sesame for the last toss of food for flavoring, its not for stir frying. bring the egg to 600, open it, shut lower vent and use that for the first few cooks till you get up to speed, then you cant get it hot enough. the quickness of the cook with different foods being added at different times is mind boggling for the first few cooks so just do a few at the 600 degrees to slow it down a little

vidalia1

I use Cottonseed Oil. I buy it at Bass Pro. My wok is usually 500 or so and the oil is between 350-375 for frying. I have an infared thermometer that I use to keep an eye on the oil...

Skiddymarker

I admire those who stir fry on an egg, much better skill than I have. I use a propane burner, it is very hot or very cool - in seconds. Like VI says, some dishes need to sizzle all the time. But there are others that need a gentler touch and i can't get that on the egg. 

+1 on the peanut and grapeseed oil. Sesame is a finishing flavour oil to me so it never sees much heat. 

ringkingpin

Thanks guys,

I'm using refined seasame oil.  It has nothing to do with the flavored oil you're talking about which I use sometimes at the end when making a sauce and seasoning.  Here is a link to a chart showing the smoke temps of various oils.  They don't have a refined seasame oil, just semi refined whatever that is.  I have found that the advocado oil and the refined seasame oil are good up to well over 500 degrees.  http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/collectedinfo/oilsmokepoints.htm

Fishlessman, you're right, it DOES go quickly! lol  I get all of my "mis en place" together and organized and then go to town.  So far, what I've been doing is one ingredient at a time and then at the end, mix it all together.  I do this for a couple reasons, to ensure that the temp of the wok doesn't drop too far and not sizzle, it gives me a break from the fast paced cooking and I'm usually cooking for a pretty good crowd that is larger than the capacity of cooking everything in a 16" wok at one time.  So far, so good, I think I'm going on number 7, maybe 6 of wok sessions. 

In Grace Youngs book, when she says 20 times hotter than home kitchen equipment, I'm sure she's referring to BTUs and recovery time.  Any kitchen burner will easily get a wok to 200 degrees.  200x20=4000   I did learn something interesting while reading about professional wok ranges, the chef constantly adjusts the flame with two valves by using his knees!  One controls the gas and the other (we all know about this because of egg burping) is oxygen.  There are so many crazy BTU's with the professional rigs that when the chef tosses an ingredient in, he can crank the gas and let some oxygen rip so that the surface temp isn't cooled at all by the new, raw ingredients.  Something which we can't do on our eggs. 

I haven't been shy, so far, I've done every cook with the egg wide open.  I notice when the wok is around 800 and you have a very good fire in the egg that just touching the food will cause the oil to vaporize and you get a fantastic fireball  I'm still a neophyte when it comes to this cooking but I'm coming along pretty well.

Here is a video from my 3rd cook before I had my 20" wok spatula.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smcgKV0Rj1Q

Village Idiot

@ringkingpin So do you have some pictures of your finished dishes?

It looks to me like you're killing yourself with a wok too small for your Egg and your chuan too short.

ringkingpin

Village Idiot said:

@ringkingpin So do you have some pictures of your finished dishes?

It looks to me like you're killing yourself with a wok too small for your Egg and your chuan too short.

I think I have a couple pics, I'll dig some up and post.  The chuan I have there was just a kitchen tool I had before I opened this chapter of my culinary adventures.  I bought the longest chaun i could find and it's a lot easier, something like 20 or 22 inches long  The wok I'm using is a 16" which I read was the perfect size for a L bge.  I wish I had my tripod at home and not work, otherwise I'd just film the process

ringkingpin

here is a pretty lousy pic from my cell phone of the second to last meal I did in my wok.  I'll make sure to get some tonight. 

Village Idiot

Looks good.  Thanks !  I also have 16" woks for my Large.  In the movie, your's looked smaller.

ringkingpin

Hey V.I. do you cook your ingredients seperate the way I have been doing or are you doing them all at the same time?

Thanks!

ringkingpin

btw, under all of that stirfry is some fried rice too, you just can't see it in that pic. 

Village Idiot

ringkingpin said:

Hey V.I. do you cook your ingredients seperate the way I have been doing or are you doing them all at the same time?

Thanks!

RKP,

I usually do it in stages.  Usually, garlic and onion first, then meat (depending on how much, 1 to 3 batches), offload to plate.  Stir fry veggies, add back the meat, then add sauce.  All dishes are different, but that seems to be the norm.

Richard Fl

Some thoughts that may help!

http://www.greeneggers.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=1277637&catid=1

caliking

@ringkingpin - so... do you miss your arm hair? Just kidding As usual, an enlightening discussion on this forum. The info about the pro wok ranges is neat.

Oh and great looking grub! I wouldn't mind a plate like that anytime.

jpuckett

Is there a special kind of wok. Where would you get one online?

R2Egg2Q

Here's a couple of wok vendors:
http://wokshop.stores.yahoo.net
http://shop.ceramicgrillstore.com/categories/Accessories/

And to the original post, I use grapeseed or peanut oil and try to keep the temps just below their ignition point.

Spring Chicken

I love Wok-Talk.  And since this thread will probably be visited by a lot of Eggheads who haven't wok'd yet but are looking for an excuse to start, I thought I would throw in the link to the video I assembled from previous wok cooks done by our Egghead Friends.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vzMLwKizF4

Once you do it once or twice, it becomes more fun than work, and it is a really great way to expand your culinary repertoire.  Plus, wok'd food can be as healthy as you like or as decadent as you wish.  Even shopping for the ingredients is fun.

I hope you enjoy and are inspired by the video.

 

Spring "Wok Away Wok Away Wok Away Egghead Land" Chicken

Spring Texas USA