Wok or not

muttin

I see a lot of people useing a WOK on the egg. we do a lot of stir fry at my house and am wondering if i should buy one. does that food turn out better wehn cooked on the egg and in a WOK or is it just funner to cook ? i have never used a WOK at all just mainly use a pan on the stove at this point

 

 

Bjorg

A wok with a high heat source makes all the difference in the world. Go for it. 

Village Idiot

Stir frying with a wok on an Egg will give much better results, if done properly.  However, I've seen a lot of cooks that are not taking advantage of the abilities of this combination.

Stir frying should be done at a very high temperature and fast.  The theory is that nutrients will be kept in and there will be more flavor.  This is called The Breath Of The Wok (or Wok Hai).  A stove cannot achieve a high enough temperature.  I see quite a few people actually sautéing their meal (mainly by overfilling their wok or having too low a temperature), thinking they are stir frying.  Professional Chinese chefs stir fry at temperatures 20 times hotter than a normal stove will get.

I would suggest that you buy Grace Young's book, Breath Of A Wok or Stir Frying To The Sky's Edge.  I think she would convince you.

If you decide to go with this, I would also suggest getting a Spider from the Ceramic Grill Store and a carbon steel wok from The Wok Shop in San Francisco.  Mrs. Tran is very familiar with Eggheads.

I helped Richard FL put together a list of suggestions for using a wok a few months ago.  

1	WOK TIPS:
2	Assuming that you have your wok seasoned and ready to cook, let’s wok & woll!
3	Mis En Place:
4	Is to have all of your ingredients chopped up, and put in separate bowls (meat/poultry, veggies, sauce or ingredients for same). In order of how they go in the wok. The cook is so fast, you don’t have time to look for something.
5	Put wok on hot BGE 450F-600F, heat and let sit 30-60 seconds. Some like to use a spider up or down position depending on what is cooking. With EGGsperience you will get comfortable doing it your way. There is not a good or bad method.
6	You know when the wok is ready when a drop of water dances.
7	Now you are ready to add a tablespoon or so of oil. I use peanut oil (for the higher burning point), but some like grape seed or canola.
8	Don't pour your oil into a cold wok or your food will stick. Let the oil get hot, a minutes or so, test by adding a piece of meat/poultry. When it sizzles I add the rest of the meat. Swirling the oil around the wokto get the oil on the sides, at least high enough to where the food is going to be.
9	Depending on how much you are cooking you may do this in batches. I add just enough food to cover the metal surface halfway up the sides. IMHO this allows maximum surface contact for rapid searing. When done remove to a separate bowl.
10	Next do the vegetables, Cut your veggies on the diagonal so there is more surface area. Depending on what is being cooked.
11	I may do the veggies separately or a few at a time. If steaming, you just need a lid for the wok. Again the goal is to cook, but not OVERCOOK. Remove them to the bowl with the first batch.
12	Unless you are trying to sear meat, keep the ingredients moving with a spatula at all times. This will allow even cooking and sealing of nutrients.
13	At this point some will add everything back into the wok and add the pre-made sauce. I prefer to make the sauce in the wok and then add everything else back into the wok and stir to coat. This also keeps the meal from getting over cooked.
14	If you do not have a surface that will take hot woks without doing damage, buy a wok ring and keep it right next to your egg. It will keep your hot wok from burning the table surface after removing the wokfrom the egg.
15	Unless you are using a wok with a wooden handle, a proper set of high heat gloves is highly recommended.
16	Happy Wokking!

Cowdogs

A Wok with really high heat produces much better food than what you can achieve trying stir fry in a pan on a conventional stove.  The shape of the pan, and the way gets ultra hot in the center and cooler on the sides lets you do things you can't in a pan on the stove.

As for doing it on the egg?  I prefer my propane fired deep fry cooker.  I turn it on and 3 minutes later I am cooking, and 5 minutes later I shut it off.

tjv

Cowdogs, I fabricated a wok holder for my turkey burner long time ago.  First time I used it I poured in the oil, forgot something and quickly ran inside.  Gone maybe 30-45 seconds.  When I got back to the wok, the oil had ignited......surprise..........quick  lesson on burner does not need to be open all the way......lol

Two factiods about wokking in ceramics.  First, takes the smoke and smells out of the house.  Two, it's a fun different cook from grilling or bbqing.  t     

Mickey

muttin I ended up tossing my big wok for the Large as I just did not / could not use well for some reason (reason= me). It just rusted and got tossed.

When I got into Mini's I love the mini wok and for some reason I can use it to wok and deep fry with no problems. It had to be the size and I just liked the smaller better.

 

 

Griffin

Village Idiot is the resident expert here at woking (and Richard FL). Listen to anything they have to say. That's the only reason I know anything about it.

Skiddymarker

Cowdogs said:

A Wok with really high heat produces much better food than what you can achieve trying stir fry in a pan on a conventional stove.  The shape of the pan, and the way gets ultra hot in the center and cooler on the sides lets you do things you can't in a pan on the stove.

As for doing it on the egg?  I prefer my propane fired deep fry cooker.  I turn it on and 3 minutes later I am cooking, and 5 minutes later I shut it off.

+1, Wokking on the egg is a fun way to cook, but I prefer the gas burner approach. Most non-professional gas stoves, or electric coil stoves do not have enough heat to successfully wok. Forget about using the glass top ceramics, they are suitable for steaming and boiling water if you have the time to wait. 

Woks need to have a rounded bottom, the flat bottomed ones will work, but are meant to be used on a conventional stove (coil top or gas). Using a ring on a conventional stove often does damage to the stove top. I like a long handle on the wok, makes it easy and fast to dump the contents without looking for oven mitts or spooning the food out. The spatula used should also have a rounded mouth, it needs to fit the wok.

The number one rule is that the cook does all the work of cutting and chopping, the "eaters" only need chop sticks because everything is already cut into bite size pieces. All of the ingredients must be ready to go as soon as you start, woks, unlike the egg are not so forgiving. 

nolaegghead

Skiddymarker said:

Cowdogs said:

A Wok with really high heat produces much better food than what you can achieve trying stir fry in a pan on a conventional stove.  The shape of the pan, and the way gets ultra hot in the center and cooler on the sides lets you do things you can't in a pan on the stove.

As for doing it on the egg?  I prefer my propane fired deep fry cooker.  I turn it on and 3 minutes later I am cooking, and 5 minutes later I shut it off.

+1, Wokking on the egg is a fun way to cook, but I prefer the gas burner approach. Most non-professional gas stoves, or electric coil stoves do not have enough heat to successfully wok. Forget about using the glass top ceramics, they are suitable for steaming and boiling water if you have the time to wait. 

Woks need to have a rounded bottom, the flat bottomed ones will work, but are meant to be used on a conventional stove (coil top or gas). Using a ring on a conventional stove often does damage to the stove top. I like a long handle on the wok, makes it easy and fast to dump the contents without looking for oven mitts or spooning the food out. The spatula used should also have a rounded mouth, it needs to fit the wok.

The number one rule is that the cook does all the work of cutting and chopping, the "eaters" only need chop sticks because everything is already cut into bite size pieces. All of the ingredients must be ready to go as soon as you start, woks, unlike the egg are not so forgiving. 

+1  I use a turkey fryer (down here in Louisiana we call 'em crawfish boilers). 

It's ready to go in a couple minutes, gets way hotter than the egg, can lower the heat in seconds (egg takes a while) and, at least for wok hei, the food isn't in the wok long enough to pick up the smoke from the fire - the smokey taste comes from the hot oil. 

Also, it might take 4 pounds of lump ($2-3) to cook a meal in the egg, while the amount of propane used is negligible. You can buy the burner/regulator for about $25, and if you have an egg, you probably have a propane tank laying around.

Griffin

nolaegghead said:

+1  I use a turkey fryer (down here in Louisiana we call 'em crawfish boilers). 

.

And in Corpus Christi, we called 'em shrimp boilers.

Village Idiot

Griffin said:

nolaegghead said:

+1  I use a turkey fryer (down here in Louisiana we call 'em crawfish boilers). 

.

And in Corpus Christi, we called 'em shrimp boilers.

I'd have to sell my house to get enough shrimp for my turkey fryer, but I've cooked many a mud bug in it.  Never have fried a turkey, but I've eaten them and they are excellent.

nolaegghead

I'll stick with boiling water and eating my crawfish and shrimp.   Insurance companies hate turkey fryers....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETBD0EqQGoU

khristyjeff

Cooking in a wok has become one of my favorite ways to cook on the Egg.  Stuff we have done on the stove top, in comparison, not very good.

fishlessman

for the money a wok is one of the best pans out there

everyone should have an outdoor burner, heres a newengland mudbug cook

nolaegghead

yum!

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Village Idiot said:

Stir frying with a wok on an Egg will give much better results, if done properly.  However, I've seen a lot of cooks that are not taking advantage of the abilities of this combination.

Stir frying should be done at a very high temperature and fast.  The theory is that nutrients will be kept in and there will be more flavor.  This is called The Breath Of The Wok (or Wok Hai).  A stove cannot achieve a high enough temperature.  I see quite a few people actually sautéing their meal (mainly by overfilling their wok or having too low a temperature), thinking they are stir frying.  Professional Chinese chefs stir fry at temperatures 20 times hotter than a normal stove will get.

I would suggest that you buy Grace Young's book, Breath Of A Wok or Stir Frying To The Sky's Edge.  I think she would convince you.

If you decide to go with this, I would also suggest getting a Spider from the Ceramic Grill Store and a carbon steel wok from The Wok Shop in San Francisco.  Mrs. Tran is very familiar with Eggheads.

I helped Richard FL put together a list of suggestions for using a wok a few months ago.  

1	WOK TIPS:
2	Assuming that you have your wok seasoned and ready to cook, let’s wok & woll!
3	Mis En Place:
4	Is to have all of your ingredients chopped up, and put in separate bowls (meat/poultry, veggies, sauce or ingredients for same). In order of how they go in the wok. The cook is so fast, you don’t have time to look for something.
5	Put wok on hot BGE 450F-600F, heat and let sit 30-60 seconds. Some like to use a spider up or down position depending on what is cooking. With EGGsperience you will get comfortable doing it your way. There is not a good or bad method.
6	You know when the wok is ready when a drop of water dances.
7	Now you are ready to add a tablespoon or so of oil. I use peanut oil (for the higher burning point), but some like grape seed or canola.
8	Don't pour your oil into a cold wok or your food will stick. Let the oil get hot, a minutes or so, test by adding a piece of meat/poultry. When it sizzles I add the rest of the meat. Swirling the oil around the wokto get the oil on the sides, at least high enough to where the food is going to be.
9	Depending on how much you are cooking you may do this in batches. I add just enough food to cover the metal surface halfway up the sides. IMHO this allows maximum surface contact for rapid searing. When done remove to a separate bowl.
10	Next do the vegetables, Cut your veggies on the diagonal so there is more surface area. Depending on what is being cooked.
11	I may do the veggies separately or a few at a time. If steaming, you just need a lid for the wok. Again the goal is to cook, but not OVERCOOK. Remove them to the bowl with the first batch.
12	Unless you are trying to sear meat, keep the ingredients moving with a spatula at all times. This will allow even cooking and sealing of nutrients.
13	At this point some will add everything back into the wok and add the pre-made sauce. I prefer to make the sauce in the wok and then add everything else back into the wok and stir to coat. This also keeps the meal from getting over cooked.
14	If you do not have a surface that will take hot woks without doing damage, buy a wok ring and keep it right next to your egg. It will keep your hot wok from burning the table surface after removing the wokfrom the egg.
15	Unless you are using a wok with a wooden handle, a proper set of high heat gloves is highly recommended.
16	Happy Wokking!

I don't think there is a better source for wokking on your egg on the planet than VI. He may be full of $hit on other matters, but he is cash money when it comes to this subject

Baysidebob

"It's ready when a drop of water dances" or "It's ready when the oil begins to smoke".  Got this for less than $13 on Amazon and wouldn't be without it for stone, griddle or wok.

Village Idiot

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

He may be full of $hit on other matters, but he is cash money when it comes to this subject

Huh?  :-O

)

Mickey

Village Idiot said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

He may be full of $hit on other matters, but he is cash money when it comes to this subject

Huh?  :-O

)

Is this a PLUS 1 for someone :-t

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Mickey said:

Village Idiot said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

He may be full of $hit on other matters, but he is cash money when it comes to this subject

Huh?  :-O

)

Is this a PLUS 1 for someone :-t

Of course that was all in good fun. As a dude, I find it hard to pay someone a straight compliment.  )

Griffin

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

I don't think there is a better source for wokking on your egg on the planet than VI. He may be full of $hit on other matters, but he is cash money when it comes to this subject

Flag on the play, Unnecessary roughness. 15 yard penalty. Repeat first down.
)

r270ba

I personally would take that as a compliment!

The Cen-Tex Smoker

r270ba said:

I personally would take that as a compliment!

Knowing our background I'm sure he did. Just wanted to make sure everyone else knew I was just yanking his chain a little.

r270ba

I think everyone does. While I am new to the community, you can quickly tell that everyone here is here to be happy and not to be mad . That is what has made it such fun.

Wish I was going to be able to make it to Eggtoberfest to meet some of you guys but didn't get tix in time. Only 2 hours away with family in Atlanta so I will make it next year.

Wow this really took a turn away from wok cooking ).

Village Idiot

Who is this VI guy people keep talking about.  He sounds like a real turd.   :-?

muttin

thank you guys for all the help you made up my mind time to buy a WOK and spider ring

 

love this forum

 

Cowdogs

tjv said:

Cowdogs, I fabricated a wok holder for my turkey burner long time ago.  First time I used it I poured in the oil, forgot something and quickly ran inside.  Gone maybe 30-45 seconds.  When I got back to the wok, the oil had ignited......surprise..........quick  lesson on burner does not need to be open all the way......lol

Two factiods about wokking in ceramics.  First, takes the smoke and smells out of the house.  Two, it's a fun different cook from grilling or bbqing.  t     

OK Tom.  How much?    

I'll send you the diameter of my turkey fryer ring I would think you could make one to fit.  

SkinnyV

ive deep fried in my wok on the mini more than I have wok'd. Cant beat it outdoors to boot no smells.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

SkinnyV said:

ive deep fried in my wok on the mini more than I have wok'd. Cant beat it outdoors to boot no smells.

careful there...................one wrong bump and POOF! you got one hell of a fire on your hands

WickedIsland

Just got my wok and spider from ceramic grill store today and can't wait to get my veg on!

muttin

so on my large BGE what size WOK do i get ?