Good Lifestyle

It's time to talk about woks. And in a minute, the best wok you can buy. But let's start with a simple question: what is a wok exactly? Versatile round background ships, originating in China, are one of the most common.cooking tools in China. Now, pans are becoming more and more popular for their superb powers and versatility.

If anyone can fully complement the importance and versatility of a wok, it isGrace. The self-proclaimed stir-fry-fried guru, winner of James Beach Foundation's international recipe book award for his volume,Stirez-la-Fry at the edge of the sky, uses a wok for a myriad of cooking tasks. "I discovered that the 2,000-year-old wok is the Hippest pan, and it is not limited by culinary boundaries," she says.

To help you decide which Wok is the perfect fit for your needs, we have gathered this practical guide using the comments of Wok's experts, such as young people as well as ideas from professional leaders who use the woks daily.

What kind of cooking is a good wok?

"You can use a wok to run a chicken or vegetables, bake bake, pan-fry steaks or sunny side eggs. It's also the best stove of all time forpop corn Due to its spacious bowl, "says young.

The wok can be used to stir fries, steam, panates, fries, pockets, boil, embers, smoke and seering various foods. They are also perfect for whipping stews and soups, making it an ideal tool for on-site.

What are the advantages of using a wok against a pocket?

Although it may seem like a wok, it's just another version of a pan, the young keep wok offers advantages that traditional stoves do not do it. "The concave form of Wok makes frying more easily. Cooking in a wok requires less cooking fuel because the heat is concentrated in the well and spreads on the sides," she says.

"Unlike a pan, wok's slope sides prevent not only the food from spreading, but they are also a cooking surface," says Young. Inclined sides are also helping to establish cooking zones. All the foods you rest along the outside of the wok will cook at a slower pace and you can use the bottom of the pan for high heat frying.

"The depth of the wok makes the pan more versatile; it is not just great for the fried frozen. You can make a stew, deep frieze spring rollers, steam fish, noodles to a boil, a chicken pocket and a smoke tofu. "

What are the different types of woks you can buy?

Different types of woks, such as those made from melting materials, steel and nonstick material, are better for different purposes.

In order to determine the best type of wok for you, it is important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of woks made from different materials.

Carbon steel wok

The carbon steel cookware is generally used for fast cooking tasks, such as frying, which is part of why carbon steel wok is so common.

Advantages:

• You can easily adjust the temperature with a carbon steel wok. "It's great because he heats quickly and leads the heat. The metal is ideal for hot ingredients and I like it because it responds immediately to heat adjustments," says Young.
• It finally becomes non-stick. "The more you cook with carbon steel, the more it develops a natural non-stick surface," says Young.
• It's light and less heavy. To reap the benefits of ease of use, Wang recommends searching wok that gauges 2 millimeters thick and will not bend when you press it.

The inconvenients:

• It can take some time to develop a good baking surface. Carbon steel wok have an interesting adjustment period. "When you start by starting using a carbon-steel wok, it takes time for the patina to grow," she notes. "During this period, the wok often seems terrible and it's easy to wonder about if you do the right thing."
• It is subject to rust.Young also emphasizes that carbon steel wok are subject to rust if they are not careful properly; Fortunately, rust is easy to remove.

Cast iron woks

The cast iron is a commonly used material to perform different types of cookware, such ascast iron stovesGrill, Dutch ovens and yes, woks.

Advantages:

• A cast iron wok is usually cheaper that his steel counterpart.
• He has excellent heat restraint properties.
• It is well suited for longer cooking methods. Like you young, "Because [cast iron woks] keeps the heat, they are excellent for embers and the long cooking."

The inconvenients:

• It takes a lot of time to heat up and cool. Since cast iron cooking utensils are relatively thick, they take a long time at the temperature. This can do for a delicate cooking process, especially for Wok Novice users: "Cast iron melting is slow to heat. Once the saucepan is hot, it holds heat for a long time, which means Once cooked food, if you are a novice wokker and are slow to get out of the pan of the pan, the food will surpass. "
• It's heavy and clumsy. "I find the cast iron wok to be too awkward for cooking. When the wok is full of food, it's too heavy to take a hand with one hand. You always have to use hands and pototholders," says Young explains.

Wok non-retractable

Although a cooking utensil like this one may seem in theory (after sales, the non-standard is usually translated by easy cleaning) The non-stick wok is a non-starter for young people. "Do not even think about buying an anti-adhesive wok because mostnon-stick pots Are not intended to be used with high heat and high heat are a must for stirring fried, "she says. I do not want an anti-lane chemical coating that touch my food. "

David Wang, the executive head of Wok N 'Bao in Chicago, agrees. "A personal preference of the mine is not to use an anti-stick cookware when I do not need, especially in a wok, because when it was cooking with such a temperature as high, it Can degrade the nonstick coating quite easily. "

How to choose the best wok.

Now that you are armed with a basic understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of certain types of woks, it is also crucial that you know what to search (and vice versa, only to avoid) when choosing a wok of your choice.

"When you choose the best wok, be sure to search for shape, size, and hardware that best suits your comfort level in the kitchen and your personal preference. You must also consider the source of heat at your home," says Anthony Alaimo, a Michelin starred chef of101 RASE NORTH & BAR In Westlake Village, California.

What kind of stove do you have?

Your source of heat will dictate which wok you should buy.

If you have agas burner, you are lucky. You can cook with a round background wok that is under the grids. Wang notes that the lower low will help to better distribute heat. Young actions only for optimal cooking with a round background wok, you can get aWok ringtone Stabilize the pan.

If you have aElectric or induction burnerYou will need a flat bottom wok. Big induction burners "will come into contact with the entire lower surface of the Wok," says Alaiaio.

How many people do you feed you?

For young people, the size is the key. "I usually recommend a 14-inch flat-bottom carbon steel wok with a long wood and a short help handle. It's the best wok for a residential stove," she says. Even if you have a big family, if you cook on a residential stove, do not worry with bigger woks. "A 16-inch wok is too big and can not be hot enough," says youth.

If you usually cook for yourself or your partner, you can consider getting a smaller wok. Just keep in mind that 12-inch woks "" will search the food, which can turn your whirl fries into a braise, "says Young.

How much effort do you want to put in service and season your wok?

Stratis Morfogen, the owner of Brooklyn Chop House, is partial with stainless steel woks because they are easy to clean. The cast iron, on the other hand, will take a lot of time to cool down, which will lengthen your cleaning time. Cast iron and carbon steel woks will also require you to grab them regularly to maintain their patina. Non-stick pots are the dishwasher safely and will be the easiest to clean.

The top 9 woks for cooks at home, according to experts.

Scroll through the list of best woks for home leaders!

Best affordable wok: Wok Shop's Carbon Steel Wok with two handles of wooden coil

"My favorite source for Woks is theWok store. I called it Wok Meccque because they have the largest selection of Wok woks and accessories, "Young says". They have been in business for nearly 50 years, located in the heart of the Chinatown of San Francisco. They sell a carbon-steel wok at 14 inch 14-inch flat bottom for only $ 35. Yes, the expedition will cost a little more but I think it's worth it because the wok is built to last. "With more than two dozen woks to choose from, Wok Shop has a saucepan for all the ends. In addition? Many are customizable and come to a variety of sizes and shapes, which means that you can adapt a wok to your needs specific.

Best Wok for Induction Glass Stoves or Ceramic:Pre-seasoned cast iron frame of Amazonbasics

Although young people are partial at the wok above, it is perfectly conscious that preferences vary depending on your kitchen installation. "The kind of wok you want depends on your stove," she notes. While flat-to-bottom carbon steel woks are perfect for residential gas stoves, cast iron woks with flat bottom (like the one we see above) are ideal for induction stoves or glass of Ceramic glass.

Best wok for gas stoves:Wok Shop's Shop's Steel Wok with wooden side handle

For semi-professional stoves, Young suggests either a Chinese cast iron wok, or a round carbon steel wok with wood handles, like the above. "I like wooden handles rather than the metal handles because they do not require potholders," says youth. If you live or find yourself in San Francisco, Young recommends paying a visit to Wok Shop. "There is no one in the more knowledgeable retail of Woks that the owner Tane Chan," she says. "Tell him your stove and she can better advise."

Best antiadty wok:Alpha marble stone coating 12.6 "Pan wok

"A wok that is not easy to glue and can be used for a long time would be considered a good wok," says Jason Wu de Parq Vancouver, the executive head of Mrkt East. "For cooks at home, it's best to use a nonstick frying wok because it's not easy to stay paste during cooking," he adds. "The only problem with a non-retractable wok is that once it is scratched on the surface, it is considered not usable. You must be very careful to work with and clean non-retraning woks." Make sure you use aSilicone wok ladle If you are going to use an anti-stick wok. The above version, which is done in Korea, presents dozens of 5 stars on Amazon.

Best carbon steel wok:14-inch steel of non-seasoned carbon steel wok wok

Wang is a carbon steel wok fan because they are lighter than their homologues in cast iron and therefore less heavy. "Carbon steel heats faster and more uniformly," he notes. "Look for woks that are less than 2 millimeters thick and will not bend when you press on it", like this above. "When buying a wok, look for them with a rounded background, it helps to better distribute heat."

Wang also notes that if carbon steel wok are properly neat, they will become essentially unsanked.

Best traditional wok:Craft Wok Wok carbon steel hammered with traditional hand

Alaiaio is partial for woks with a handle of assistance and specifically made of carbon steel hammered by hand. "[It's] the traditional wok I showed how to cook," he says. "This type of wok is very durable and heats quickly." This wok is one of the most expensive offers in Amazon, with several hundred full or almost perfect comments.

Best Wok for beginners:On the non-retractable professional table wok

As Young, Alaiaio knows that different wok are better adapted for different purposes. "If you have a standard burner, it may be better to go with something a little more user-friendly, such as a stainless or stainless wok with a flattering background." This table offer is of professional quality and is constructed of steel for fast and efficient heating and exceptional heat transfer. The light and easy-to-maneuvered pan has a flat bottom, which allows results even on a variety of cooking surfaces.

Best versatile wok:Wok Stainless Steel All-Clad

For a wok with an elegant appearance, "clean" looks like morfogen, try this fully classified offering, which is neither too high nor too wide, by the owner of the restaurant. In addition to being perfectly perfect, this saucepan has hundreds of 5 star reviews, making it one of the most sought after woks in Amazon.

The best wok dishwasher:T-Fal 14 inch Numbo Jumbo Wok

Looking for a dishwasher wok? This T-Fal version, with more than a thousand reviews from Amazon Stellar, is the best wok. It is big enough to hold a meal capable of feeding an entire family, but it is always easy to cook with and a cinch to clean. Its aluminum construction allows fast and uniform heat distribution, and Wok's non-stick surface means that you need to use a minimumoils or grease During cooking.