Wok-Round or Flat bottom?

Mark0525

I'm going to buy a wok and probably the spider today online. Should the wok have a round or flat bottom?

vidalia1

I have the round and love it....

Mark0525

Thanks Kim, I'll probably buy the spider too. Temped to buy the whole rig :(

Boilermaker Ben

If you'll be cooking in the spider, get the round bottom wok. If you'll be cooking on the grate, you'll probably want a flat bottomed wok, or a round bottomed one and a wok-stand.

"They" say that a round-bottomed wok requires less fat to cook in.

Mark0525

The only thing I can see is that I would be limited to just cooking on the egg with the round. I wouldn't be able to use it on my stove. Do people use them in their kitchen too?

vidalia1

Buy the whole rig...you will not be disappointed...you will also be surprised how often you use the rig and or pieces of it in a lot of cooks...and the spider and wok are great also...

vidalia1

Since we have gotten our BGE's we don't cook much of anything in our kitchen....seriously.

Kenny 13

I think you'll likely find that wokking in the kitchen doesn't work out as well as it does on the egg, simply because you can get more heat out of the egg. That's something I've been reading up on and I'll be getting a wok very soon too. Not even considering kitchen use for mine.

RRP

Here's another vote for the round bottom plus the spider!

ibanda

Round bottom woks work well with a gas range (with a ring to support it) in the kitchen and on the egg. Flat bottom woks are recommended for electric ranges.

Village Idiot

Yep. With a Spider, get the round bottom. Works perfectly.

Weekend Warrior

Buy the whole rig. Do it! Do it! Do it! :evil: heh heh heh

Mark0525

Weekend Warrior wrote:

Buy the whole rig. Do it! Do it! Do it! :evil: heh heh heh

Mark can I borrow some money This stuff is expensive...but fun

Weekend Warrior

Sorry, but my line of credit is starting to look like a black hole and I have three more eggfests this year yet.

fishlessman

round, and you want a wok shovel thats rounded as well to fit

SoonerEggster

I own three woks--two have a flat bottom and one has a round bottom and a ring that it fits on on my cooktop. I have a really high-heat burner so they work great. I really don't notice any difference in the round bottom and the flat when I'm stirring and flipping with the metal chan that you use.

For starters, I'd go with flat, simply because it's easier to simply sit the thing down! And get one of these big aluminum wok-lids. They arecheap and useful and come in handy sometimes for cooking/steaming and for keeping the food warm.

Season you wok, love it, and watch the "face" that comes on it as you cook again and again.

fishlessman

i would get the wok lid too, i use that alot. with the round you can use less oil when frying my overall preference is the 14 inch side with the big metal handle, both for my wok burner indoors and for the egg, i find the big handle more convieneient for woking than the hooped handle ones, i have both styles and both have their place. they are so cheap buy both :laugh: i bought a nice 16 hand hammered and the longer handle 14 for a grand total of 22 bucks in boston where prices can run high. if buying online check out "the wok shop"

Hungry Celeste

I have a round-bottom one I use on my gas stove...I use a wok ring to stabilize it, but I had to modify the ring to get the pan's bottom as close as possible to the burner. I just bought a Woo3, when it arrives I'll try my wok on the egg.

Mark0525

Hungry Celeste wrote:

I have a round-bottom one I use on my gas stove...I use a wok ring to stabilize it, but I had to modify the ring to get the pan's bottom as close as possible to the burner. I just bought a Woo3, when it arrives I'll try my wok on the egg.

I'm getting confused what is a woo3

Hungry Celeste

After-market part for your egg: http://www.ceramicgrillstore.com/ceramicgrillstore/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60&Itemid=227
The Woo3 will bring your cooking grid up to the level of the gasket, plus you can use it as a wok stand.

Mark0525

should I get that instead of the spider?

fishlessman

you would be surprised how well a wok works in the kitchen for things like scrambled eggs and getting the extra use helps maintain the seasoning. my wok only leaves the stove top when its going to be used in the egg. its also great for frying small dishes like a couple slices of green tomatoes etc because it uses a really small amount of oil compared to a fryer pot.

Mark0525

So you would use the wok as a deep fryer also? just put oil in 3 or 4 inches? Great idea

fishlessman

tom's number is on the web site, give him a call and he can help you with your needs. the spider is a good option if you also have the rig. if you dont desire the rig, the woo3 might fit the bill better than just a spider

Mark0525

does it make sense to buy the spider and wok now and then the rig later?

fishlessman

might save on shipping to buy it all at once but im not sure how he is packaging it. i like the rig better than the woo3 because it raises to top rack higher and offers more options but not everyone needs those options

Mark0525

Thanks, but I'm like I kid, I want those options I think I just sold myself on the rig. So, I buy the rig and a wok, and a lid and I'm set

azbbguy

So is "carbon steel" the type of metal, i should be looking for in a wok?

Green Eggs and Jan

My wok is cast iron and has a round bottom. Hey, what would YOU rather look at? A bottom that's round or a bottom that's flat? But seriously, I love the round bottom because if I am deep frying/sauteeing something, I can use less oil in the dispersal. I also like the heavier cast iron although I have never used carbon steel. It's just that there is no bottom burn with the iron and it cleans like a dream! (NO SOAP!!!!!) Rinse, wipe, dry, and oil. I store mine on the spider while my egg cools down, as I do with all my CI after use. I am sure Carbon Steel affcianados have their own theories.