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Wok on the BGE

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Tixunau
Tixunau Posts: 71
in EggHead Forum

Good day!

I've been reading a few threads now about using a wok on the BGE and still trying to understand what is the advantage of it over a gas burner? I know that we are all 'eggers' and will always find a way to cook with the egg but what makes using your wok different from a external burner or even gas stove? Wok cooking technics is all about 'stiring' so if u cook it on the egg, I am assuming that you don't close it right?

*btw I am Asian and I have cook many times on a wok using my external gas burner, gas stove and also in restaurants. I am just trying to understand if there is a difference and somehow justify my next purchase egg accessory: the 'spider'. (which honestly does not need much justification as I know I want it.)

Cheers ad happy Friday!!

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  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
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    A gas stove doesn't get hot enough.  A gas burner like the ones used for frying turkeys works.  Being Asian, you are probably familiar with the term wok hei.  That can only be achieved by stir frying at a very high temperature.  Grace Young, in her book Breath Of A Wok, writes that commercial Chinese chefs cook at a temperature that is 20 times hotter than a gas stove is capable of achieving.

    Wok hei is difficult to describe, and the heat is only one part of it.  But, I'm sure you've been to Chinese restaurants and have had meals that were OK, but also some that were "WOW".  That's wok hei.  I don't always achieve it on my cooks, but I get lucky sometimes.
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


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  • Tixunau
    Tixunau Posts: 71
    edited June 2013
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    @village idiot I totally agree with you sir! The taste of food that comes out of a very hot wok stir fry is totally different than one that is just hot enough to cook your food. Getting that 'wok hei' effect is hard to achieve on a gas stove or gas burner as the BTU is not high enough to heat up the wok. 

    I use something similar to this right now:

    image

    It is strong enough but still hard to achieve that taste that you get at a good restaurant. One trick that I know if the wok is hot enough is to sprinkle some drops of water before adding the oil. The water drops should 'dance and bounce' for a few second before evaporing. That is when the wok is ready.

    Cheers!

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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    I don't think the egg offers any advantage other than high heat vs kitchen stoves. The dome is always open and none of the benefits the egg offers for many other cooks would come into play. If your outdoor gas burner puts out enough heat, by all means, use it. I don't have one so I use charcoal. 

    When I used my egg for wok cooks, I set the wok directly on the lump. Hint... wear welders gloves!. These days, I just use an old Weber chimney starter with a wok ring on top. Works well and burns less lump. Since I took this pic, I have started using my old kettle as a platform for the chimney. No more cooking on my knees. :)


    image

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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