Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Ordering a wok

MrCookingNurse
MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
edited March 2013 in EggHead Forum
So all you kings of the wok, is the CGS wok and spider the best bang for my buck?


_______________________________________________

XLBGE 

Comments

  • hapster
    hapster Posts: 7,503
    I have that set up for my large. Got the 16" carbon steel and I'm very happy with it so far... Plus love having the spider for searing with the CI 13" grid
  • Solson005
    Solson005 Posts: 1,911
    edited March 2013
    I really like the "helper handle" and wish I had gone that route with the 12" one for my small.

    Mine is the wok shop 12"
    Large & Small BGE, CGW Two-Tier Swing Rack for BOTH EGGS, Spider for the Wok, eggCARTen & and Cedar Pergola my Eggs call home in Edmond, OK. 
  • Springram
    Springram Posts: 430
    So all you kings of the wok, is the CGS wok and spider the best bang for my buck?
    Works like a charm. Go for it!

    Springram
    LBGE and Mini
  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
    Also, look at the Wok Shop in San Francisco.  http://www.wokshop.com/
    Talk to Ms. Trane Chan.  She is very familiar with Eggheads.  Tell her you know Mickey.  I think she has a crush on him.


    Not trying to talk you out of CGS.  Tom has an excellent wok too.
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • Wolfpack
    Wolfpack Posts: 3,551
    I just ordered one from the wok shop- got the hand hammered 16". It should arrive next week- cant wait to use it. Very good customer service- turns out I ordered the wrong utensils to go with it and they called and advised me to change. Saved me $10 too.
    Greensboro, NC
  • six_egg
    six_egg Posts: 1,110
    Also, look at the Wok Shop in San Francisco.  http://www.wokshop.com/
    Talk to Ms. Trane Chan.  She is very familiar with Eggheads.  Tell her you know Mickey.  I think she has a crush on him.


    Not trying to talk you out of CGS.  Tom has an excellent wok too.
    Just bought my 16" CI Wok from here last week. I love it. 

    XLBGE, LBGE 

    Fernandina Beach, FL

  • Black_Badger
    Black_Badger Posts: 1,182
    I've also been in the market for a wok, but I heard from CGS recently that they're out fo stock and it will take a couple weeks to get them back in. D'oh!

    On the plus side, sounds like they're relocating to a bigger facility so I wish them well on the new digs and the growing business.

    Thanks for the tip VI, I've been on the wok shop website several times but it's unclear how to actullay place an order on their site...


    Cheers all -
    B_B
    Finally back in the Badger State!

    Middleton, WI
  • You'll love it. We did our 3rd wok cook last night and finally "nailed it". We did Monglian beef and finally got the fire, timing, ingredients, texture just right. It was a blast. We want to do it again tonight but we are doing pizza. Gotta love the egg!
    Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • I did CGS spider and Wok shop wok FWIW. Tom's are the same and will probably save you some freight if you can order together. Wok Shop was great though, service, quality, etc. Great folks too.


    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Solson005
    Solson005 Posts: 1,911
    The Wok shop is fantastic to work with and I highly recommend buying from them. As I said above I wish that I had gotten the "helper handle" when I got the 12" wok a couple months ago to use with my woo on my small egg. I have a 30+ year old carbon steel wok that is 16" that I use on my large and it has the "helper handle" and I did not like cooking with welding gloves the entire time. So I usually use my large egg and spider or my Tao Charcoal Burner instead of my small egg. When I did order my wok I thought it would be best to get the chuan with a longer handle since I would be cooking over a flame and placed my order one night after they had closed, I recieved a phone call the next day asking if the chuan was intended for my 12" wok (which it was) and told me I needed the smaller one to fit the curve of the smaller wok. So I changed my order and got $5 back. I don't know of very many companies that would make sure a internet buyer was getting the proper utensil to use and call the next day to verify and save the customer money. 

    Stir-frying to the Skys Edge and Breath of a Wok by Grace Young are great reads (Sky's Edge has more recipes) and the Chinese Trinidadian Stir-fried Shrimp with Rum is the best stir-fry meals I have ever had in my life, not just one I have made but ever had. With daylight savings I can finally get good pictures of my stir-frys and I will make a post soon. 
    Large & Small BGE, CGW Two-Tier Swing Rack for BOTH EGGS, Spider for the Wok, eggCARTen & and Cedar Pergola my Eggs call home in Edmond, OK. 
  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    @solson005

    Now you've got my hamster running!! How many people can you feed out of your small wok? Since I got the small to travel, it would be awesome to wok on the road.


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • Solson005
    Solson005 Posts: 1,911
    The thing about wok cooking is in order to do it right you cannot overcrowd the wok. It turns into steaming instead of stir-frying, so its best to make it in batches and just kinda eat as your making it or get a three compartment slow cooker to keep the food warm like @jfm0830 uses. It is a very fast cook so you cook make all the food and mix it all together and serve it hot to each person by portioning it out and just warm it up have people bring bowls or plates to you. You can make a good amount of food with the 12" wok obviously the bigger the wok the more you can cook on it. I'll get both of them out and make a post sometime next week. You want a round bottom woks too, I don't think that has been mentioned.
    Large & Small BGE, CGW Two-Tier Swing Rack for BOTH EGGS, Spider for the Wok, eggCARTen & and Cedar Pergola my Eggs call home in Edmond, OK. 
  • Aviator
    Aviator Posts: 1,757
    You'll love it. We did our 3rd wok cook last night and finally "nailed it". We did Monglian beef and finally got the fire, timing, ingredients, texture just right. It was a blast. We want to do it again tonight but we are doing pizza. Gotta love the egg! Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos
    We make it all the time. Add some dried red chillie pods next time or did you?

    ______________________________________________ 

    Large and Small BGE, Blackstone 36 and a baby black Kub.

    Chattanooga, TN.

     

  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    am i doing something wrong?  I have searched wok, stir fry, stirfry, stir-fry, woking and don't really get much.  maybe there aren't too many threads.  I will check out those books you said @solson005  

    @the cen-tex smoker  that looks amazing man


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • Solson005
    Solson005 Posts: 1,911
    edited March 2013
    Village IdiotRichard Fljfm0830R2Egg2Q

    This post has Richards tips for woking on the egg Quick Question for Wok Eggsperts

    Maybe just search for Wok since they may not say woking or stir-fry in the cook. But click on those guys names and look at some of their posts you will find some awesome meals. There are lots of other eggers wokking so sorry if I didn't mention you. These guys have good posts with lots of pictures to help see what kind of setup you need. 

    Here is the only one I have Wok goes mobile sorry in advance for the crappy pictures. 
    Large & Small BGE, CGW Two-Tier Swing Rack for BOTH EGGS, Spider for the Wok, eggCARTen & and Cedar Pergola my Eggs call home in Edmond, OK. 
  • R2Egg2Q
    R2Egg2Q Posts: 2,136
    From purely a "most for your $" perspective, getting the spider & wok from CGS would be the lowest cost as you pay shipping once.

    If you want a variety of woks (carbon steel, CI, pow, many handle choices) and more wok accessories to choose from the Wok Shop is a better choice. I have a 16" from CGS and it is a good quality. I also have: 10", 12", and 20" woks from the Wok Shop and they're also a good quality. Nice folks as others have said but Tom's a nice guy too!

    You pretty much can't lose getting a wok from either vendor. Guess it all comes down to the type of wok you want & availability.

    I'd also recommend the Breath of a Wok book. I don't have Grace Youngs other book but have heard good things about it.
    XL, Large, Small, Mini Eggs, Shirley Fabrication 24x36 Patio, Humphrey's Weekender, Karubecue C-60, MAK 1-Star General, Hasty Bake Gourmet, Santa Maria Grill, Webers: 14" WSM, 22.5" OTG, 22.5" Kettle Premium, WGA Charcoal, Summit S-620 NG

    Bay Area, CA
  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    Thanks guys! This is a little something I'd love to cook. I love "stir fry", the wife isn't too crazy about Asian foods. I'll check out the wok hop


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • hapster
    hapster Posts: 7,503
    I also had few wok cooks that got lost... Searching VI is a good bet.

    Have fun and share some pics!
  • Pjoe
    Pjoe Posts: 224
    edited March 2013
    Not trying to hijack this thread but I need some major help in seasonng my carbon steel wok from The Wok Shop. I seasoned it per the directions and the second time I used it, the "seasoning" came off while stir frying. Eventually had to scrub it down and start over. The very next cook, same thing happened. Any thoughts?
    LBGE AR SMALL BGE WOO RING
  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
    edited March 2013
    Pjoe said:
    Not trying to hijack this thread but I need some major help in seasonng my carbon steel wok from The Wok Shop. I seasoned it per the directions and the second time I used it, the "seasoning" came off while stir frying. Eventually had to scrub it down and start over. The very next cook, same thing happened. Any thoughts?
    People get hung up on "seasoning", thinking the wok has to be black to be considered seasoned.  The purpose of the initial seasoning is to get the inherent metallic taste off the wok, and the video Mrs. Chan made on the Wok Shop website shows you how to do it.

    The blackened color will come with use, but your objective is to make the wok non-stick.  If you put the wok on the Egg, let it get hot, then add oil and swirl it around, it will work well from the git-go.

    If you're concerned about the discoloration coming off after a stir fry, use a wooden spatula instead of metal.
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • Solson005
    Solson005 Posts: 1,911
    @Pjoe don't worry about some of the seasoning coming off the first couple times you use it. If you still have a gas grill it is perfect for seasoning a wok and keeps the smell out of your house. I would just add some oil and stick it in your gas grill or oven and add another layer with seasoning, eventually it will get coated enough to be non-stick and will start to turn black. I have a 30+ year old carbon steel wok I use on my large egg and just got a wok shop 12" for my small so I had to remember all the little tricks, some seasoning came off when I did my first cooks but I just add oil after I clean it out and it is getting pretty close to non stick. The wok shop does sell wooden chauns if you wanted to be a little more careful like @Village_Idiot said. But after a few cooks a metal one won't take off a little seasoning anymore. 
    Large & Small BGE, CGW Two-Tier Swing Rack for BOTH EGGS, Spider for the Wok, eggCARTen & and Cedar Pergola my Eggs call home in Edmond, OK. 
  • jfm0830
    jfm0830 Posts: 987
    edited April 2013
    I haven't been Egging at all since work has begun on my new Kitchen. So I haven't been around these parts much. There are many folks here who have the same questions I did back in November when I started wokking on the Egg. Village Idiot suggested the Wok Shop and the Grace Chan books and that was great advice. 

    I'm not trying to hijack this thread and it had made it to the 3rd page when I first saw it, but I figured I'd throw in my 2 cents worth.....I wrote several blogs on my own site about my experiences learning to stir fry with a wok on the Egg. I am putting the links below so those of you who are just starting out can share what my learning process was like. I am still a relative newbie and I have much to learn, but I'd like to share these links as a way of saying thanks for all the help I've received on this forum.






    Also for anyone else who is interested, I've written 33 blogs now about my experiences learning to use the BGE. Everything from choosing the Egg, buying Eggcessories, using the Egg, buying a 2nd Egg, cooking different foods on the Egg. You can find these blogs using the 2012 Blog Archive & the 2013 Blog Archive. For 2012 you'll have to scroll midway down the page since I got my first Large in August. Also feel free to poke around my site, there are nearly 500 Picture Entries of meals I've made, there is a small, but growing Tips section, nearly 350 Blog Entries and please sign the Guest Book and let me know what you think. This is a hobby site for me where I can combine my grilling and photography hobbies. It is also where I can try to give something back for all the help I received over the years. I've certainly received a ton of help here.

    Jim
    Website: www.grillinsmokin.net
    3 LBGE & More Eggcessories than I care to think about.