Seasoning a wok

Misippi Egger

I just got a wok from The Ceramic Grill Store yesterday. I remember a post from early 2009 with a great series of pics of seasoning a wok. I can't find the post with a search.
If anyone saved that post, please re-post it.

Thanks!

Boilermaker Ben

Once you run a search, you have the option to do more advanced searching. Search "wok season" and select the option for "All words." I'm certain you'll find it.

If you've got any, lard is the traditional fat for seasoning. I used peanut oil, and got a nasty coating of burned oil that flaked off. If I had to do it over again, I'd skip the all-at-once heavy seasoning, and just to a light seasoning (even over the stove, is fine) and let repeated cooking season the wok naturally.

Boilermaker Ben

Boilermaker Ben wrote:

Once you run a search, you have the option to do more advanced searching.

I should clarify...that is after you run a search using the search box in the top right corner of the forum.

Carolina Q

I just rubbed mine with peanut oil, inside and out. Let the coals get smokin' hot in the large, then set the wok directly on them. Tilt it from time to time so all surfaces are exposed to the heat and it turns pitch black in no time. Nothing has stuck to it yet, so I guess it must be seasoned.

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

I did / do my steel wok with lard (as I do my cast iron) and it has worked pretty well…But remember you may have to do this seasoning a few times after uses, until she’s old and black. I’m told that at that point a wipe of oil will do the trick…I haven’t gotten’ there yet!
Heat the wok to a “smoking temp.” with the lard coating the entire surface, swirling and wiping this around for a while. Wipe off the excess, turn upside down and do a slow and low on it, either in the Egg or in the oven

Carolina Q

Ok, I gotta ask a stupid question. Where does one find lard? Or do you have to make it yourself? I don't think I have ever actually SEEN the stuff, unless maybe in my grandmother's kitchen back in the 50's. Just curious.

fishlessman

i find it near the butter section in one store, and near the velveeta in another. makes good pie crust

2Fategghead

Clark, I did save it but, some of the pic's from photobucket are disabled. :ohmy: Tim

http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=773333&catid=1

fishlessman

you can do it just like a cast iron fry pan in egg or oven, or stove top. lard and chives work good stove top and it takes on a lighter tan color that darkens with use if done that way. the onion is supposed to remove off metalic tastes

2Fategghead

Ben, I tried searching like you suggested and got no where. Then I realized I may have saved it for myself for when I get a Wok and sure enough I did have it.! Tim

Carolina Q

Thanks! If you have it in Mass, there's hope for me! Stop and Shop, Big Y, Price Chopper and Shaw's are what I have around here. I think those are at least regional. Do you shop at any of those?

Boilermaker Ben

If it's not next to the crisco, check the mexican aisle.

However, I'm told (by people in the food-service industry) that most supermarket lard is hydrogenized. Wouldn't be a problem for seasoning a wok, but if you're worried about transfats, you might have to make it yourself. It would be better that way, anyway.

But with as much pork as some of us cook, many of us probably throw away a lot of fat-cap trimmings. Try saving it in the freezer until you have enough to make your own lard. I've got a bag of pork fat in the freezer right now...one of these days...

fishlessman

next to the butter in shaws, white box and the brand is snow's i believe

Boilermaker Ben

After I had already seasoned my wok, I read the book "Breath of a Wok" That book recommends the lard/chives method, but warns that American chives are not the same thing as chinese chives, and won't have the same effect. I haven't done either, so I can't give any personal experience.

Angela

It's shelf stable, so it's sometimes in the baking section. I've noticed different stores keep it in different sections of the store though. Ask someone that works there if you can't find it. Farmer John brand lard is often labeled as manteca which is what it's called in Spanish.

I've heard that some of the Walmart brand lard is hydrogenated so I wouldn't buy theirs.

2Fategghead

Frank had this link on a different post of yours.

http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/features/wokcare.html

Little Steven

Michael,

You won't need much to season a wok but it makes teffific fries. :laugh:

Steve

Boilermaker Ben

I knew I had recently read a blog post somewhere that linked an article about lard. Went back and found it:
http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/lard-the-new-health-food

A quote: "The one-pound brick of lard in my corner bodega was hydrogenated, as was the 40-ounce tub my favorite butcher carries, along with nearly all the commercial lard available in this country."

I'm guessing all the shelf stable lard is probably hydrogenated...after all, rendered pig fat shouldn't really be shelf stable in its unadultered state, right?

eenie meenie

Steven, I'm diasppointed, I thought you used duck fat for fries. :(

Angela

leaf lard is the best quality, but I don't have a local source.

When I did research on which brands were hydrogenated a few years ago, I came across some people that had contacted Farmer John asking if theirs was and the answer from the company was that their lard is not hydrogenated.

Frank from Houma

I followed the process that Tim posted a link to - wokked fine - oops I mean it worked fine. Here are the photos - I reorganized my photobucket - that's why the pics didn't show in the previous post - my bad







It's essentially just like seasoning CI - I used crisco.

The wok was silver before seasoning - it has a real good non stick surface now.

cookn biker

That's what I did also.

Carolina Q

AND, they are the closest one to my house! Thanks!!

Carolina Q

Thanks guys. Who knew there was so much to know about lard? Sounds like I ought to learn to make it myself... or use Crisco.

Little Steven

Rebecca,

Not every time. That would get spensive quick :laugh:

Steve

thirdeye

Here is my EZ method. Your wok will look just like mine does.....

Seasoning a Wok in your Big Green Egg

You can take a brand new wok and season it in an hour and a half tops using three heating sessions. Or re season your old one in one or two. The key is proper oiling, and heating and cooling the wok several times.

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.

fishlessman

same size box as the landolakes butter, dont throw it away after the exp date, its still good for saesoning pots
https://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10052&productId=370449&krypto=QJrbAudPd0vzXUGByeatog==&ddkey=http:ProductDisplay

Serial Griller

Go to www.wokshop.com they have instructions on their site.

Nature Boy

All good advice below. The "repeated cooking" part of several replies is the key. It takes some time. You'll know it's good and seasoned when you can stir fry noodles or fried rice without it sticking.

Happy wokkin!
Chris

Misippi Egger

Thanks, Frank. those are the pics I remember.

Misippi Egger

Thanks everyone for the great help on seasoning my wok. I bookmarked the tips and when the weather is not quite so bitter outside, I will season it up on the Egg.