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Seasoning a wok

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EggHeadFred
EggHeadFred Posts: 123
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Hi folks, I bought a wok from ceramic grill store and I am about to season it. At what temperature should I season?

Thanks
Fred V. Smyrna,Ga.
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  • Richard Fl
    Richard Fl Posts: 8,297
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    I use peanut oil and hot heat. Also take a paper towel at the end and rub the peanut oil over the bottom.. then after each cook scrub lightly with warm water, no soap and place on a heat source for a few minutes and rub with a paper towel with some peanut oil on it.


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  • EggHeadFred
    EggHeadFred Posts: 123
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    Thanks Richard
    Fred V. Smyrna,Ga.
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  • thebtls
    thebtls Posts: 2,300
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    CLICK HERE for instructions on how to season a wok from my blog. You will also find a ton of WOK cooks there too. Keep On Eggin'

    OR JUST KEEP READING!!!

    Nothing beats having the proper tools for the job, any job. The maintenance of those tools is important too. In the case of cookware, some items require “seasoning” before their first use. This is the case with Carbon Steel and Cast Iron pots and pans. In this entry I will explain the purpose of and demonstrate the steps required to season a carbon steel Wok before it’s first cook.

    The pan (new) will have a protective coating on it (probably a thin coat of varnish) to keep it from rusting in shipment or while on display for sale; IT MUST BE REMOVED!

    Initial Cleaning
    Fill the pan ½ to ¾ full with water. Bring water to boil, continuing for 5-7 minutes. Pour the water out of the pan and immediately scrub with hot soapy water and a scouring pad (SOS works well here).

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    CAUTION-PAN IS HOT!

    Initial Seasoning
    Rub 2 Tbs of cooking oil over the entire interior surface of the pan. Place over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Using a paper towel, distribute the oil over the entire surface (inside) of the pan while it is heating.

    Remove pan from heat and allow for cooling; Repeat 3 or 4 times and then the pan is now ready to use!

    Basic Care
    Wash with hot water only. Dry thoroughly. Remove burned food with a scouring pad and hot water. Soaps or detergents will remove the seasoning. APPLY A THIN FILM OF COOKING OIL BEFORE STORING TO AVOID RUSTING. If you use soap to clean the pan in the future, simply follow the initial seasoning steps again to re-season the pan and restore the protective finish and NEVER wash in the dishwasher!
    Visit my blog, dedicated to my Big Green Egg Recipies at http://www.bigtsbge.blogspot.com You can also follow my posts on FaceBook under the name Keep On Eggin' or the link http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Keep-On-Eggin/198049930216241
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  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
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    You can take a brand new one and season it in an hour and a half tops using three heating sessions on your Egg. (Or re season your old one in one or two). The key is proper oiling, and heating and cooling the wok several times. 90 minutes is not that long... It's not mandatory, but I prefer a propane or MAP Pro torch for working on the upper rim. Then it's ready to cook on. Wokking on the Egg is a joy because you can actually use the proper high heat that makes wok cooking so wonderful. Plus there is no clean-up or kitchen smells to deal with.

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    If it's a new one, scrub off any factory oil (or scrub off any thick build up off your current wok) and put it on the Egg over a small low fire since you will be doing much of your work with the lid up. Do all of your heat control with the lower vent. All of the oiling will be on the INSIDE surface only......

    With the lid closed, let it heat up for 4 to 6 minutes, then add some peanut oil (or lard) and use a paper towel and tongs to coat the entire inside inside surface. Close the lid for a couple of minutes, then make a few more passes with the oiled paper towel. Do this several more times, adding more oil as needed. By now the bottom should be seasoned and nice and dark. Remove the wok from the cooker and let it cool to room temperature. You should still have some oil in the bottom of the wok when it's removed.

    Session 2 - Put the wok back in the cooker but this time oil the paper towel only, and coat only the areas that are not dark, which should be most of the upper 1/2 or 3/4 of the sides. Occasionally coat the bottom lightly but you are concentrating on the sides. Try tipping the wok in the spider ring so the heat is focused on the side rather than the bottom. Close the lid for a couple of minutes at a time. Do this routine several times, rotating the wok as needed for good coverage of the sides. Any time the steel is dry, make another pass with the oiled towel. When you get your sides partially seasoned (within a few inches of the top rim) remove the wok and let it cool to room temperature. Now all that is left is the upper band.

    Session 3 - You can do this in the cooker, but it's easier with your MAPP torch. On an outside table on your pizza stone or some fire bricks, take that little ring that is used for stovetop wokking and set your wok in it. Oil the paper towel, coat the upper band that is not seasoned. Working with your MAPP torch (medium heat is all you need) from the OUTSIDE, heat the wok using a up and down, ziz-zag pattern maybe 2" or 3" , just concentrate on the areas that are not seasoned. Heat about 1/4 of the circumference of the wok at a time, but don't stop the torch. You can tell from the smoke when your heat is right. Watch the inside, it will season right before your eyes. Re-oil as needed, and heat until you get the color right. After the first 1/4 you will see how well this works. Then just move around the wok doing the other 1/4's. When you are all done with the upper band, you can also use the torch to spot-season any other areas.
    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    First, I scrubbed it well with soap and water to get all of the factory coating off. Then, I lit the lump and let it get really hot. Rubbed some vegetable oil all over it, inside and out, and set it directly on the screaming hot coals. Almost instantly, it turned black. Rolled it around a bit to blacken all the way up to the rim. Good welder's gloves are a must, for seasoning AND cooking (I cook directly on the coals too). :)

    This took maybe 5 minutes tops. Easy and quick. Takes far longer to get the lump hot than to season.

    After I cook on it, I scrub it with a brush and hot water (NO soap) and dry it with a towel. Never bother with the oil or reheating afterwards. Nothing sticks when I cook and it hasn't rusted.

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • cherokeer
    cherokeer Posts: 45
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    What is holding your wok while its on the egg?
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  • EggHeadFred
    EggHeadFred Posts: 123
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    spider
    Fred V. Smyrna,Ga.
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    Spider:

    http://ceramicgrillstore.com/shop/shop/index.php?categoryID=92
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    The lump. :)

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Eggsakley
    Eggsakley Posts: 1,019
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    Damn fine procedure Thirdeye. :)
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  • RU Eggsperienced
    RU Eggsperienced Posts: 1,527
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    I use lard.

    First though you need to wash off the machine oil that the wok came in. Dry it and heat egg up to 400. rub inside with lard then on egg for 20 min or so. take out cool for a few min. rub some more lard and heat for 15 min or so take out to cool for a few min......etc.. etc...Keep doing until you are completely bored.

    Best of luck.
    Cheers.....Jerry


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  • Frank from Houma
    Frank from Houma Posts: 5,755
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    I used this process which is pretty much like Thirdeye described http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/features/wokcare.html

    Make sure you season the sides.
    I repeated three times and used Crisco (shortening)

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