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Best wok for LBGE?

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jbates67
jbates67 Posts: 168
edited March 2012 in EggHead Forum
After reading some posts and watching videos, I have the bug. I am ready to plunk down the money on a spider and wok. A few questions though.

Do I get a pre seasoned or unseasoned wok? 

Cast Iron I presume?

Handles, wood, metal, none (but the small hoop)?

Is the wokshop the best place to order? I know where to get the spider.

Thanks to all the great advice and a great forum.
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
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    16" carbon steel with steel helper handles and round bottom from wok shop. No wooden handles. The high temps from the egg will burn them if you are not careful.
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
    edited March 2012
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    What Chubbs said.

    The Wok Shop in San Francisco will season your wok for $5.00, and do a great job.  The electricity in your stove for the seasoning process would cost more than that.

    Tell Ms. Tane Chan that Gary Willson and Mickey Rawls sent you.
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


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  • billyray
    billyray Posts: 1,275
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    @ VI;

    Thanks again for the great video, I got the bug and will be getting one from the Wok Shop. I'm thinking of trying to do some wokking with a Mexican flair. Have you ever tried it? I think I'll call the procedure "Wokking Murrietta"

    =))
    Felton, Ca. 2-LBGE, 1-Small, PBC, PK360, Genesis Summit, Camp Chef Flattop, Smokefire 24, Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet with a Smoke Daddy insert, Gateway 55 Gal. drum, SNS Kettle w/acc.
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
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    Oh, and definitely worth getting a wok spatula. Makes wokkin a lot easier...
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
    edited March 2012
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    What Chubbs said (again  :)  )

    @Billyray.  I haven't done any Mexican stuff, but that's certainly fair game.  Anytime you see the word , sauté, you could use a wok.  That's French, ain't it?

    In Salado, I'll also be doing some deep frying (wontons and crab rangoon).  I'm a little nervous about that.  I'll need to keep people away, especially children, when I'm doing that.
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


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  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
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    Sure, cblii,

    I got it off the internet somewhere.  But, I'm going to be tweaking the recipe this next week for Salado.  I think I'll make a higher crab to cream cheese ratio and add more worchestershire and soy to give it more of a zing taste.  I'm going to fix them two ways.  One way, I will bake them in filo shells, and the other way, I've put them in wonton wrappers and will deep fry them.  I'm going to serve them both with a sweet and sour sauce.

    8 ounces Cream cheese, softened
    8 ounces Crab meat
    ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    ½ teaspoon Soy Sauce
    ½ teaspoon Ginger, grated
    ½ teaspoon Lemon juice
    2 Green onions , Sliced paper thin
    Pepper , to taste
    1.Combine ingredients
    2.Deep fry
    3.Serve with sweet & sour sauce or hot mustard

    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


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  • jbates67
    jbates67 Posts: 168
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    Ms. Tane Chen told me to let Mr. Rawls know that she no longer will season wok's and did this as a favor for him until it went, (as she put it) viral. She asked that I kindly let him know. Had me cracking up, even when I said please, I got the same answer.

    I'll be seasoning my own wok soon, just ordered.
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  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
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    Ms. Tane Chen told me to let Mr. Rawls know that she no longer will season wok's and did this as a favor for him until it went, (as she put it) viral. She asked that I kindly let him know. Had me cracking up, even when I said please, I got the same answer.

    I'll be seasoning my own wok soon, just ordered.

    =))  I think I just had an accident in my pants.
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
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    Mickey, did you invite Ms. Tane Chen to Salado?
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,674
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    Mickey, did you invite Ms. Tane Chen to Salado?
    Are you really Gary posting under the name Chubbs
    :-\"
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

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  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,674
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    Ms. Tane Chen told me to let Mr. Rawls know that she no longer will season wok's and did this as a favor for him until it went, (as she put it) viral. She asked that I kindly let him know. Had me cracking up, even when I said please, I got the same answer.

    I'll be seasoning my own wok soon, just ordered.
    When I talked to her yesterday she said "too many woks to season". Hell, thought she was kidding. Guess not... I ordered 3 seasoned and Gary ordered one and I bet a few others...... So she is not going to season yours? But she sure did what I think was a very good job, want Gary to inspect it. I think she felt sorry for me as I had just tossed the 16" I had ordered from her and screwed it up and it rusted. I am not a handy man.
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

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  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
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    An initial seasoning doesn't make a wok non-stick like teflon.  That comes after quite a few cooks (even then, you can screw it up).  But, it gives a good start, and also gets out the metal taste that is inherent in a steel vessel.  I could have seasoned mine, but in looking at Mickey's picture, it looked incredibly uniform, so I wanted to inspect one myself, and for $5.00, what the heck.
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


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  • NightwingXP
    NightwingXP Posts: 448
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    Well I ordered one too! She is making a lot of business off of the ole forum here! Cannot wait till I get mine! Gary you are an inspiration!!
    Only 3 things in life matter. Family, Steelers and my BGE!!
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  • scooter759
    scooter759 Posts: 257
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    I ordered mine yesterday. I forgot to include a stand though in case I use elsewhere. So I called to edit my order and couldn't get anyone to answer. Bet she was inundated with calls!

    Extra Large, 2 Large, Medium, Mini Max, Weber Summit gasser, Weber Q. Mankato, MN
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
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    :-\"

    I wish I was Gary. I also wish I could come to Salado. Sounds like you guys will/do have a blast.

    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
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    Mine wasn't pre-seasoned. I seasoned it myself.
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • MaskedMarvel
    MaskedMarvel Posts: 3,142
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    Season your wok forever:

    Scrub the hell out of your new wok with soap, hot water, and a green scrubbie.

    Fire egg to lava.  Grate at natural level.

    Heat wok on grate, no oil or anything.  Get a "motorcycle exhaust" colour going as best you can over all surfaces.

    Cool wok lightly, then add at least a cup of rock salt.  

    Dry "fry" rock salt until it's popping over big heat; try to hit all the surfaces of the inside of the wok.

    Wipe wok clean with a paper towel once salt is brownish.

    PEANUT oil, about a half cup.  Coat all interior surfaces and heat until wok starts to smoke.

    Char green onion (chives or whatever) using wok spatula to drag oil over all the interior surfaces.

    Wipe dry after charred.  Repeat another time.  I do three total chive rotations.

    Green scrubbie - hot water, no soap.  Never ever use soap again.

    Thin coat, inside and out, of peanut oil.  Enjoy more seasoning the more you use your wok!





    Large BGE and Medium BGE
    36" Blackstone - Greensboro!


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  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
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    I don't see any pre-seasoned 16" round bottom woks from the wok shop.  Am I missing something.

    Any other tools you would suggest?
    Thanks!
    Tweeve,

    No, they don't preseason.  Mickey smooth talked her into seasoning his for a fee, and then she had several other requests (including me).  She sent a note back making it clear that she will NOT season any more woks.  By the way, it's not hard to do at all.

    Definitely get a long spatula from her also.
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,754
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    I saw the video on seasoning. It is easy. I may just see if I can find a nice one local. We have a large Asia-ville.
    thats the best way, i went to bostons china town, double parked, was in and out of the store with a 16 inch hand hammerd hooped handled and a 14 inch steel long handle wok for a whopping 22 bucks total. i like the long handled one better in the large even though its smaller. get a wok shovel, get the aluminum dome cover to fit, the wire scoop for deep frying. they also had a stiff pot brusk that i like better than the bamboo stick thing. if you have gas on the stove, get a wok ring as well
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • jbates67
    jbates67 Posts: 168
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    She did send me a link to a video they produced.


    She was as nice as could be, I actually ordered a long spachula and ladle with it and a bamboo scrubber. I ordered the spider from the ceramicgrill store so I should be good to go next week when everything arrives. The part where she told me I would bond with my wok by seasoning it made me realize I was really talking to someone in San Francisco...

    I'm sure it will got well, I've seasoned cast iron skillets many times so this shouldn't be too bad. Can't wait to give some stir fry on the egg a shot.

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  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
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    I went tochina town today and found an 18" wok for $19. It looked pretty crappy so I took a pass. The search continues.
    Yeah, it was probably "Made in China".    =))
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


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  • NDG
    NDG Posts: 2,431
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    I just Ordered the chubbs special (16" carbon steel with steel helper handles and round bottom from wok shop.) and also 17" wok spatula and 17" wok ladle . . Let the wok recipes fly !!
    Columbus, OH

    “There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as if everything is” 
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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,471
    edited March 2012
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    She did send me a link to a video they produced.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNPe5-swL-k



    All this talk of wokking, and VI's video mentioned above, got me to order Grace Young's The Breath of a Wok, (another of her books is featured in the video above).  Definitely for the hardcore, it has SEVEN recipes for seasoning a wok alone!  
    I was going to type out Tane Chen's technique from the book, but the above video is easier; although in the book she repeats the oven step three or four times.  
     
    I've been cooking in a wok since college, its a great way to cook healthy when you live alone (one steak is 3 to 4 meals) and just by varying the seasonings I'll get four completely different meals, with no leftovers.  But, I've always used a flat-bottomed non-stick wok; I'm wondering if going with a carbon steel wok on the Hot Egg will be as much of a revelation as cooking on my Egg vs. my gas Weber was... 
     
    EDIT:  also wanted to recommend my favorite chinese cookbook: How to Wok your Dog, by Fei Dok Ris Pei... :)
    _____________

    Remember when teachers used to say 'You won't have a calculator everywhere you go'?  Well, we showed them.


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  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
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    I'm wondering if going with a carbon steel wok on the Hot Egg will be as much of a revelation as cooking on my Egg vs. my gas Weber was... 


    If you read Grace Young's book, you'll read that you cannot achieve wok hei unless you use a carbon steel wok.  Not sure if it's in her "Breath Of a Wok", or "Stir Frying To The Sky's Edge".

    Wok hei is the essence of wok cooking, much like umami is to recipes.  It's the difference between good Chinese food and great Chinese food.
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,471
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    Not sure if it's in her "Breath Of a Wok", or "Stir Frying To The Sky's Edge".

    Wok hei is the essence of wok cooking, much like umami is to recipes.  It's the difference between good Chinese food and great Chinese food.
    Its definitely in Breath, probably in both.  I don't go to Chinese "buffets" anymore, having something cooked in a wok and brought straight to you is definitely the way to go; anxious to see what a hot steel wok will do to my own home cooking!  
    _____________

    Remember when teachers used to say 'You won't have a calculator everywhere you go'?  Well, we showed them.


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