Seasoning a wok

Little Steven · April 2012

I know this was discussed recently. Was it grapeseed or flaxseed oil that is supposed to be the best now?

stike · April 2012

flax

Village Idiot · April 2012

I'm certainly not a scientist or an expert, but I think seasoning is far overrated. Sure, you need to scrub the wok with soap and water to get the manufacturing oils out. Then, it's a good idea to put some heat to it with a thin coat of oil. Ms. Chan of the Wok Shop taught me to stir fry some green onions for awhile to get the metal taste out of it (never noticed a metal taste before though).

The real seasoning will come with each cook that you do.

If you google "wok flaxseed" you will read some very scientific people discounting the flaxseed oil seasoning. I use Crisco or manteca on the wok, upside down, in the oven for an hour. Then, start cooking. Always heat your wok very hot first, then add cold oil (I use peanut oil) and swirl it around. That will fill the pores up and help it to not stick the food.

I bet grandma never seasoned her CI skillets. She just started cooking on them. Years and years of use made them perfectly smooth and black as night.

Little Steven · April 2012

Thanks guys! I'll try the flaxseed if I can find it. This is a hammered steel wok I bought a while ago and I'd like to give it a good start. Just got a Woo

Hungry in Lilburn · April 2012

I'm certainly not a scientist or an expert, but I think seasoning is far overrated. Sure, you need to scrub the wok with soap and water to get the manufacturing oils out. Then, it's a good idea to put some heat to it with a thin coat of oil. Ms. Chan of the Wok Shop taught me to stir fry some green onions for awhile to get the metal taste out of it (never noticed a metal taste before though).

The real seasoning will come with each cook that you do.

If you google "wok flaxseed" you will read some very scientific people discounting the flaxseed oil seasoning. I use Crisco or manteca on the wok, upside down, in the oven for an hour. Then, start cooking. Always heat your wok very hot first, then add cold oil (I use peanut oil) and swirl it around. That will fill the pores up and help it to not stick the food.

I bet grandma never seasoned her CI skillets. She just started cooking on them. Years and years of use made them perfectly smooth and black as night.

VI, you are the Oracle of Wok. I bought one after seeing your earlier posts. I set it up yesterday just like you said, except I forgot to turn it upside-down in the oven. Turned a nice brown color too, I seasoned it with green onion tops just like Ms Chan on the you-tube video showed us. My only problem is just like Tim the Tool Man Taylor I had to fill my egg up to the top of the fire ring and then put my spider right over the flaming hot coals, I turned it a nice blue hot steel color and then pour in oil and threw the onions in and begin to stir them, Boom! Fireball! Nice grease fire! Took a little bit to get the fire out and cool my egg down. I had it running about 900 degrees when the fire started. Started again about 500 degrees and it was much tamer, We still had issues with food sticking when we added cornstarch to the teriyaki chicken. Cooked it a little too long. Now I have to scrub wok to get it clean and then season it again. Not real sure I will do the onions again however, mainly because I don't want to go buy more. Will make sure coals are only at top of firebox and not fire ring and keep the fire under 600 degrees. And I need to cut back on oil. I think I put way to much oil as well, Ms. Chan said to use only 1 table spoon, I put in a splash of oil out of gallon jug, I think I probably had 1/4 cup. Way to much! Thanks for your help, this is opening up a whole new interest in the EGG

stike · April 2012

steven. i just wanted to give you the answer to your question, which was that flaxseed was the oil the guy was talking about. whether it's true or not i don't know, and what i use myself doesn't enter into it

Little Steven · April 2012

I used canola.

stike · April 2012

after the initial seasoning, it is the use that seasons it anyway. the 'science' may be all there for a perfect initial seasoning of flaxseed, but it ignores the practical nature of the thing. people actually use the things, and the flax seed hoo hah science is irrelevant soon after you start using it. i guess that's unless you laboriously (and unnecessarily) reseasoned it each time again with flax seed after each use. something no one who actually USES their equipment regularly would ever actually do.

Little Steven · April 2012

I used canola

bigguy136 · April 2012

Per Grace Young's Stir-Frying To The Sky's Edge, Peanut oil (or vegetable oil) followed with scallions and ginger.

thebtls · April 2012

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Seasoning a wok

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