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Cast Iron Wok

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EGGARY
EGGARY Posts: 1,222
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Any thoughts on a Cast Iron Wok ? Or is the Carbon Steel Wok better ?

Thanks.
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Comments

  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
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    Lodge does have one in their product line, but I don't think CI has any advantages over steel.
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  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
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    I think Little Steven has one.I do not have either but if I were gonna buy one I would lean towards CI unless someone changed my mind for whatever reason.
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    CI takes longer to get up to temp, and to cool off if you need it to. Plus CI is very heavy. Mostly though, every pic I have ever seen of the people who invented it cooking on one, they are using hammered steel. Oh yeah, and steel is cheaper.

    4063663267_0ea379d1e0_o.jpg

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Richard Fl
    Richard Fl Posts: 8,297
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    I have had several carbon steel over the years and never any reason to regret it. The cast iron is heavier and if you are flipping food in the wok your arm gets a serious workout.

    100_2592.jpg
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  • EGGARY
    EGGARY Posts: 1,222
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    Wouldn't the Hammered Steel and/or Carbon Steel be prone to rusting ?
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    Nope. Well, I suppose they will if you LET them, but so will CI. Mild steel and CI are both made from iron. Iron rusts.

    I have had three steel woks over the years. None have ever rusted - not even a little.

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
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    Do you still have them all? If not,why did you have to get new ones? :huh:
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  • Eggsakley
    Eggsakley Posts: 1,019
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    oops. Wrong location, sorry.
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  • Eggsakley
    Eggsakley Posts: 1,019
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    Granted-Cast Iron will retain heat better and transmit it more evenly than Carbon Steel, but in this case this is not what one desires. The design of the wok is to put the maximun amount of heat at the bottom of the wok and still allow to pull some parts of the cook up onto the sides of the wok away from the bottom to a cooler area to control the cook. Carbon Steel is perfect for this IMHO. I can barely boil water so if this is contrary to what others believe, please ignore it. :)
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    hahah. wife skipped town with the first one. :) second one had a flat bottom for the electric stove. third one has a round bottom for the egg. Now, I use the flat bottom for popcorn. LOL

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
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    GOT IT! Heck my first wife even tried to take the salt outta the shaker! :laugh: I gave her everything we had.....NOTHING!!! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: B)
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  • Clay Q
    Clay Q Posts: 4,486
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    Carbon steel is better. I got a cast iron wok, it cooks great but try lifting a super hot wok with one hand that has the weight of a boat anchor. :ohmy: :pinch: I always use my hand hammered carbon steel wok...it's safe to use.
    Just my opinion.
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  • Bash
    Bash Posts: 1,011
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    Very prone to rusting.

    I use my carbon steel wok at least twice a week. Once the kids did dishes and left it wet on the stove top. Next morning is was covered in rust.

    After cooking, just put it on the burner and fire it up until nice and hot, and wipe down with lard or Crisco.

    With proper care, it will not rust.

    I got mine at Ceramic Grill Store.

    http://ceramicgrillstore.com/shop/shop/index.php?productID=140

    It really works great.
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  • Willie Lump Lump
    Willie Lump Lump Posts: 229
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    I have my old steel Wok but I did look into this question. Decided I was happy with the one I have.
    What I found is that there are two kinds of cast iron Woks. The American kind, it's about 7mm thick and usually has a flat disk on the bottom. Thats the only part that gets hot.
    The other kind is Chinese. That one is 3mm thick is round and is very popular in some regions of China.
    If I where in need of a Wok I would want the second kind. Only discernible issue is apparently they are brittle and will shatter if abused.This might be one http://www.wokshop.com/HTML/products/woks/wok-cast-iron.html
    TTFN WLL
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    If you season carbon steel woks and dry them after you clean them, they are not at all prone to rusting. I rinse mine with hot tap water after the cook, scrub any bits loose with a brush and dry it with a paper towel. Been doing this to my woks for probably 30 years - maybe longer. No soap, no oil, no reheating. None of mine have ever rusted. Not even a little.

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Bash
    Bash Posts: 1,011
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    I'm just in the habit of heating CI (and now my wok) after washing, to dry it off well, and then wipe down with some lard. Works for me. ;)
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  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
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    :ermm: Even the first one? ;) Just funnin! :)
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  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
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    Always has,always will!Whatta ya think they used BEFORE CRISCO???? ;)
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  • Bash
    Bash Posts: 1,011
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    It's funny, I keep a tub of lard just for seasoning CI and wok. Never use it to cook with. :laugh:

    Just takes a tiny dab on a paper towel to glisten up the whole pan.
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  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
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    It's GOOD!Try usin it to make biscuits!1/2 butta 1/2 lard!LAWDAMERCEY!!!Just try it! ;) You HAVE to hve BUTTERMLK TOO! :whistle:
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  • thebtls
    thebtls Posts: 2,300
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    Read my blog on cast iron. It does not heat evenly.
    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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  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
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    I'll give it a look.Thanks!
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    Hoss, I don't know, but I imagine it has rusted by now. :lol:

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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