Wok-ing using the Minimax (with pics)

Stormbringer

I relish a challenge. Recently I cooked a Vietnamese meal using a wok in our kitchen. SWMBO said “that’s something you probably couldn’t cook using a Big Green Egg.” Challenge accepted!

Being on the other side of the pond from CGS, I made a custom set-up. I set the Minimax up like this. The ring was from the wok burner on our gas hob, and there to support the wok.

I lit some lump and got the closed dome temp to 175C/350F. Then I remembered reading a tip from @rrp about heating up the wok with the dome closed. Mine has a handle, but this was close enough:

I left it like that for three minutes, then tossed on a couple of water drops, they instantly sizzled. It was wok-ing time! The spring onion, ginger, shallot and garlic cooked and then the chicken was tossed in.

This recipe had a second stage of simmering, and with the temperature in the egg that wasn't going to work. So I raised up the wok by 4 in/10cm using a small grid and stainless steel bolts.

I also set the air vent to half open. This had the sauce simmering away nicely until reduced by 50%.

Roll on the summer, stir frying then is going to be sweet. Full blog article is here:

https://thecooksdigest.co.uk/2017/01/26/wok-cooking-with-a-big-green-egg/

hoosier_egger

That looks great! Nice setup....my only concern would be getting to high on the temps and damaging your non-stick wok. Something to consider

Stormbringer

ColtsFan said:

That looks great! Nice setup....my only concern would be getting to high on the temps and damaging your non-stick wok. Something to consider

Thanks. The wok is carbon steel, however it has a non-stick coating. It's safe up to 260C/500F. Time will tell if it breaks the wok.

hoosier_egger

On an unrelated note, that Hearty Winter Beef Stew from your blog will be tried in the coming weeks. Looks fantastic!

NPHuskerFL

Well Damn.

SaintJohnsEgger

ColtsFan said:

On an unrelated note, that Hearty Winter Beef Stew from your blog will be tried in the coming weeks. Looks fantastic!

Me too. But I may have to forego the parsnips.

Photo Egg

Stormbringer said:

ColtsFan said:

That looks great! Nice setup....my only concern would be getting to high on the temps and damaging your non-stick wok. Something to consider

Thanks. The wok is carbon steel, however it has a non-stick coating. It's safe up to 260C/500F. Time will tell if it breaks the wok.

Cooking over direct the lump flames will put you over 500. The coating is not heathy to cook on at that temp. Find a basic carbon steel wok with no coating. They are dirt cheap over here. Should not be hard to find. Save to coated one for the stove indoors.
Great post and photos...

Stormbringer

Photo Egg said:

Stormbringer said:

ColtsFan said:

That looks great! Nice setup....my only concern would be getting to high on the temps and damaging your non-stick wok. Something to consider

Thanks. The wok is carbon steel, however it has a non-stick coating. It's safe up to 260C/500F. Time will tell if it breaks the wok.

Cooking over direct the lump flames will put you over 500. The coating is not heathy to cook on at that temp. Find a basic carbon steel wok with no coating. They are dirt cheap over here. Should not be hard to find. Save to coated one for the stove indoors.
Great post and photos...

Ah right, thanks, hadn't appreciated that. I can get a carbon steel wok with no coating. In the interests of science though I'll see how long the current one lasts .

Photo Egg

Stormbringer said:

Photo Egg said:

Stormbringer said:

ColtsFan said:

That looks great! Nice setup....my only concern would be getting to high on the temps and damaging your non-stick wok. Something to consider

Thanks. The wok is carbon steel, however it has a non-stick coating. It's safe up to 260C/500F. Time will tell if it breaks the wok.

Cooking over direct the lump flames will put you over 500. The coating is not heathy to cook on at that temp. Find a basic carbon steel wok with no coating. They are dirt cheap over here. Should not be hard to find. Save to coated one for the stove indoors.
Great post and photos...

Ah right, thanks, hadn't appreciated that. I can get a carbon steel wok with no coating. In the interests of science though I'll see how long the current one lasts .

http://www.ewg.org/research/healthy-home-tips/tip-6-skip-non-stick-avoid-dangers-teflon

Stormbringer

@Photo Egg ok thanks for the information wasn't aware of that. I'll put a note in the blog post, and get a proper carbon steel wok without a non-stick coating. In the house I use it on a 7kw wok burner on our gas hob. I don't know what temp that gets to. Maybe I should just use a non-stick wok all the time.

@ColtsFan / @SaintJohnsEgger hope you enjoy it. The parsnip is there mainly for texture, not flavour .