{"id":2007,"date":"2020-11-01T17:31:31","date_gmt":"2020-11-01T22:31:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wokowner.com\/?p=2007"},"modified":"2021-05-07T19:54:24","modified_gmt":"2021-05-08T00:54:24","slug":"best-carbon-steel-wok-top-5-woks-for-great-meals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wokowner.com\/best-carbon-steel-wok-top-5-woks-for-great-meals\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Carbon Steel Wok [Top 5 Woks for Great Meals]"},"content":{"rendered":"
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It is well-known that a wok is used for Chinese cuisine, but this is not all that it can be used for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Using the best carbon steel wok will help you use less oil (which is healthier) and cook meals to perfection due to the uniform distribution of oil over the wok\u2019s surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, you don\u2019t need to spend a huge amount of money to get the best wok you can. There are some woks out there that are ridiculously expensive, but there are also some amazing bargains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this post, we outline which carbon steel woks<\/a> are the best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Should I Use Carbon Steel? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many people prefer to use carbon steel over other materials because it’s durable and effective. This material is able to handle deep-frying dishes as well as steaming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prolonged exposure will ruin your cookware eventually; this sturdy metal can withstand such heat for longer periods of time before cracking or warping in shape due to the abuse that occurs during cooking processes. Below are some reasons why Asian chefs love using carbon steel:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Material<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As outlined above, this is an important aspect of any cookware you purchase. Stainless steel is not great where you will be using high heat. Foods tend to get stuck to the surface, making stirring and cooking very difficult. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, steel is heavy; hence, steel-made woks are cumbersome to move around, so using them for cooking with will make the process tiresome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, stainless steel woks are expensive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Method of Manufacture<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

How your wok was made determines whether it is of good quality or not. Some of you may recall those older woks that were hammered<\/a> into shape. It may surprise you to know that these are actually some of the best woks around. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basically, they are handmade steel pans that have been hammered into shape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the process, the hammer leaves indents that mean you can stir your food without it spilling. Unfortunately for us, it is difficult to find these readily on the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some woks are stamped. These are made up of thin sheets of carbon steel. The sheets are left entirely smooth and are molded into circular shapes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main disadvantage of this is that stirred food has nothing that can hold it in place, and so it will spill. They are very cheap and available readily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spun woks are made using a lathe. The lathe patterns the surface much like those you can see on hammered woks, so they are great when stirring food. However, they are more expensive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shape of Your Wok<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The shape is key to your wok\u2019s function. It determines how your wok holds on a stovetop. The wok should be able to stand on your stove but should have a large enough surface area to hold more food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, consideration should be given to the type of stovetop you have. You need something that is compatible with your gas or electric stove.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you do want a relatively flat bottom, you will still need to give consideration as to depth. We found that a depth of 14 inches was ideal, alongside a 5-inch flat bottom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This shape allows you to easily flip your food and still sits comfortably on the stove.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Handle<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The handle is critical while you are cooking. You will be flipping your food multiple times and need to hold on to something sturdy on the pan when you do this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Longer handles are usually found on modern flat woks. They also have a smaller helper handle at the other end. This is similar to a skillet. The more traditional ones will have two steel handles to the side. We found that longer handles are much easier to work with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best 5 Carbon Steel Wok 201\u200b9<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

#1 Classic Series: Joyce Chen 21-9978<\/a> <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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This lovely Joyce Chen wok<\/a> has a diameter of 14 inches and comes with a 25-year warranty, which shows how confident the manufacturers are with this product. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The surface of the wok is smooth, scratch-free, and handles very well. Made of carbon steel, the interior of this product is non-stick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has a relatively thick wall at 1.5mm. It has a steel body and birch wood handles. These handles make it easy to pick up and flip. There is a large handle on one side, and a smaller \u201chelper\u201d handle directly opposite it. So this is another reason why it is ideal for flipping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wok is flat at the bottom. This means that you can use this on electric, gas, and induction cookers. While it is quite smooth, the curved sides stop food spilling out of it when you flip or turn it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like with most kitchen cookware, the wok has an oil coating on it when it arrives. This has been applied to prevent any rust forming during transit and storage. This coating needs to be scrubbed off with soap and water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After that, avoid using soap to clean the wok as this will strip the wok of its qualities. To clean, just use warm water and a damp cloth. Seasoning will also help to keep it in great shape. Additionally, this will retain the non-stick feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wok is dishwasher safe, but we advise that you stick with warm water and a cloth to keep it in great condition for longer. It only weighs 3lbs, so it is not too heavy, but it is not so light either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pros:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n