Best WOK?

Any suggestions on a great wok? I have been told to buy a 20 dollar
wok from chinatown, but others say All-Clad is the best. Any
recommendations?

kitamaria said:

Any suggestions on a great wok? I have been told to buy a 20 dollar
wok from chinatown, but others say All-Clad is the best. Any
recommendations?

I'll sign in with those who recommend the one from Chinatown.

Before you plunk the money down, though, you should consider a far more
burning question: How are you going to apply heat to that wok? If you
Google in this newsgroup, you'll find prior discussions about wok cooking,
and many of those discussions come around to the point that without a
SERIOUS gas flame -- with a far higher BTU rating than most gas ranges
have -- you won't be able to perform the kind of cooking that is done in
professional Chinese kitchens.

Bob

Bob said:

kitamaria said:

Any suggestions on a great wok? I have been told to buy a 20 dollar
wok from chinatown, but others say All-Clad is the best. Any
recommendations?

I'll sign in with those who recommend the one from Chinatown.

Before you plunk the money down, though, you should consider a far
more burning question: How are you going to apply heat to that wok? If you
Google in this newsgroup, you'll find prior discussions about
wok cooking, and many of those discussions come around to the point
that without a SERIOUS gas flame -- with a far higher BTU rating than
most gas ranges have -- you won't be able to perform the kind of
cooking that is done in professional Chinese kitchens.

I agree with Bob. I got my carbon steel wok from a restaurant supply store
for something like thirteen bucks, but the real key to cooking is in the
heat. I got a big-ass propane burner, actually called The Big Kahuna Burner,
and do all of my cooking on my deck. The damn thing actually looks, acts,
and sounds like a jet engine afterburner. It's specially shaped to
accommodate a wok and I'll swear it goes from zero to 700 degrees in about
five seconds flat.

The turbo heat from hell is a bit intimidating at first, but once you get
the hang of it, it only takes about five minutes to cook dinner. And, doing
everything outside makes for some seriously easy cleanup...

--
Hasta,
Curt Nelson

Bob said:

kitamaria said:

Any suggestions on a great wok? I have been told to buy a 20 dollar
wok from chinatown, but others say All-Clad is the best. Any
recommendations?

I'll sign in with those who recommend the one from Chinatown.

Before you plunk the money down, though, you should consider a far more
burning question: How are you going to apply heat to that wok? If you
Google in this newsgroup, you'll find prior discussions about wok cooking,
and many of those discussions come around to the point that without a
SERIOUS gas flame -- with a far higher BTU rating than most gas ranges
have -- you won't be able to perform the kind of cooking that is done in
professional Chinese kitchens.

Bob

That true. You need high temperatures to get "wok chi" - breath of the work.
You can get 100C higher with a professional restaurant setup. It does give
food a different flavour.

As I dont have gas, I've been heating a frypan or electric element for 12
minutes and cooking in small portions. Its as good as I can do at the
moment.

gtoomey

kitamaria said:

Any suggestions on a great wok? I have been told to buy a 20 dollar
wok from chinatown, but others say All-Clad is the best. Any
recommendations?

Here is a link to Surfa's, a terrific kitchen supply house in Los
Angeles. This model is round bottomed, which I prefer, and steel,
which everyone prefers. They also have a flat-bottomed model. Poke
around the website even if you aren't near the L.A. area. Lots of good
stuff. -aem

https://www.surfasonline.com/images/products/18861L.jpg

aem said:

Here is a link to Surfa's, a terrific kitchen supply house in Los
Angeles. This model is round bottomed, which I prefer, and steel,
which everyone prefers. They also have a flat-bottomed model. Poke
around the website even if you aren't near the L.A. area. Lots of
good stuff. -aem

https://www.surfasonline.com/images/products/18861L.jpg

Sorry, try this: https://www.surfasonline.com/products/18861.cfm

The first one is just the picture. Click on 'Woks and accessories' on
the left side to find the rest of their offerings.

kitamaria said:

Any suggestions on a great wok? I have been told to buy a 20 dollar
wok from chinatown, but others say All-Clad is the best. Any
recommendations?

All a matter of opinion. In mine, it is a plain ole' cheap
carbon-steel one.

"kitamaria" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:1111983305.904826.24170
@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Quoted message said:

Any suggestions on a great wok? I have been told to buy a 20 dollar
wok from chinatown, but others say All-Clad is the best. Any
recommendations?

Go with the carbon steel one. I've had one for almost twenty years and
it's never failed me.

--
[...] remember when you're feeling very small and insecure,
How amazingly unlikely is your birth
And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space,
'Cause there's bugger all down 'ere on Earth!

Monty Python's Universe Song

aem said:

kitamaria said:

Any suggestions on a great wok? I have been told to buy a 20 dollar
wok from chinatown, but others say All-Clad is the best. Any
recommendations?

Here is a link to Surfa's, a terrific kitchen supply house in Los
Angeles. This model is round bottomed, which I prefer, and steel,
which everyone prefers. They also have a flat-bottomed model. Poke
around the website even if you aren't near the L.A. area. Lots of good
stuff. -aem

https://www.surfasonline.com/images/products/18861L.jpg

My favorite store!! Thankfully I only live 20 minutes from there. I
have a new friend who likes to cook and we're going on an outing to
Surfas in a week. I suggested we allow about 2 hours for her first
visit. On the same day, we plan to visit the New School of Cooking in
Culver City and check things out. It should be fun.

Ginny

"kitamaria" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Any suggestions on a great wok? I have been told to buy a 20 dollar
wok from chinatown, but others say All-Clad is the best. Any
recommendations?

Chinatown is the best advice. Allclad will probably work OK but is overkill,
expensive with no benefits.

--
Peter Aitken

Remove the [censored] from my email address before using.

Peter Aitken said:

"kitamaria" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Any suggestions on a great wok? I have been told to buy a 20

dollar

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

wok from chinatown, but others say All-Clad is the best. Any
recommendations?

Chinatown is the best advice. Allclad will probably work OK but is

overkill,

Quoted message said:

expensive with no benefits.

The Chinese have been cooking with the same kind of woks for at least a
thousand years... and I doubt they will change any time soon... when
yoose see your local Chinese take-out kithens begin using All-[censored] woks
then consider it... imagine, a great wok filled with fly lice, and the
wok costs twenty times more than what's in it.

Peter Aitken said:

"kitamaria" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Any suggestions on a great wok? I have been told to buy a 20

dollar

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

wok from chinatown, but others say All-Clad is the best. Any
recommendations?

Chinatown is the best advice. Allclad will probably work OK but is

overkill,

Quoted message said:

expensive with no benefits.

The Chinese have been cooking with the same kind of woks for at least a
thousand years... and I doubt they will change any time soon... when
yoose see your local Chinese take-out kithens begin using All-[censored] woks
then consider it... imagine, a great wok filled with fly lice, and the
wok costs twenty times more than what's in it.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

"kitamaria" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Any suggestions on a great wok? I have been told to buy a 20

dollar

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

wok from chinatown, but others say All-Clad is the best. Any
recommendations?

I bought one about a month ago from my local Asian supermarket. I had
thought it was carbon steel, but it's cast iron. (only one left of its kind
in the store) It's great and although I use an electric stove; not gas - I
crank up the heat to the highest, add the oil and it works just fine. It
was cheap at under $20 and I suspect it will last forever. It is heavy, but
I don't care.

Elaine

elaine' said:

I bought one about a month ago from my local Asian supermarket. I had
thought it was carbon steel, but it's cast iron. (only one left of its kind
in the store) It's great and although I use an electric stove; not gas - I
crank up the heat to the highest, add the oil and it works just fine. It
was cheap at under $20 and I suspect it will last forever. It is heavy, but
I don't care.

Mine's cast iron too, and I love it. I've given two just like it to
friends, and they seem pretty happy with theirs, too. My stove is gas, and
I let 'er rip, too.

Carol
--
Coming at you live, from beautiful Lake Woebegon

Damsel in dis Dress <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

elaine' said:

I bought one about a month ago from my local Asian supermarket. I
had thought it was carbon steel, but it's cast iron. (only one left
of its kind in the store) It's great and although I use an
electric stove; not gas - I crank up the heat to the highest, add
the oil and it works just fine. It was cheap at under $20 and I
suspect it will last forever. It is heavy, but I don't care.

Mine's cast iron too, and I love it. I've given two just like it to
friends, and they seem pretty happy with theirs, too. My stove is
gas, and I let 'er rip, too.

Carol

I went with the a "wok Shop" wok on Carol's advice years ago and I'm
very happy with my wok.

http://www.wokshop.com/products_main.html

--
No Bread Crumbs were hurt in the making of this Meal.
Type 2 Diabetic 1AC 7.3, 5.5, 5.6 mmol
Continuing to be Manitoban

Monsur Fromage du Pollet <[email hidden]>, if that's their real name,

Quoted message said:

I went with the a "wok Shop" wok on Carol's advice years ago and I'm
very happy with my wok.

http://www.wokshop.com/products_main.html

Glad you like it, Mr. Chicken. I actually hated the wok I got there. The
metal was different from what they called it. I like the Joyce Chen cast
iron wok.
www.froogle.com , and search, "Joyce Chen cast iron wok".

Carol
--
Coming at you live, from beautiful Lake Woebegon

"Damsel in dis Dress" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Monsur Fromage du Pollet <[email hidden]>, if that's their real

name,

Quoted message said:

wrote:

snip>

I like the Joyce Chen cast iron wok.
www.froogle.com , and search, "Joyce Chen cast iron wok".

Looks just like mine! And I love it.

Elaine

elaine' said:

"Damsel in dis Dress" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

I like the Joyce Chen cast iron wok.
www.froogle.com , and search, "Joyce Chen cast iron wok".

Looks just like mine! And I love it.

I love mine, too, Elaine. What kinds of things do you cook in yours? We
use ours mainly for fried rice, but I plan on eventually making beef and
pea pods for Crash.

Carol
--
Coming at you live, from beautiful Lake Woebegon

Damsel in dis Dress said:

elaine' said:

I bought one about a month ago from my local Asian supermarket. I
had thought it was carbon steel, but it's cast iron. (only one left
of its kind in the store) It's great and although I use an electric
stove; not gas - I crank up the heat to the highest, add the oil and
it works just fine. It was cheap at under $20 and I suspect it will
last forever. It is heavy, but I don't care.

Mine's cast iron too, and I love it. I've given two just like it to
friends, and they seem pretty happy with theirs, too. My stove is
gas, and I let 'er rip, too.

Carol

I like mine! Used it almost immediately. I have an electric stove and I
did have to turn it on High in order for it to be fully effective though.

kili