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I recently bought a carbon steel wok after my last non-stick pan wore out. I was fed up of having to replace my non-stick cookware just because the Teflon coating is gone. On the other hand, carbon steel cookware seems like an excellent choice for daily cooking because it is durable, less delicate with the washing/scrubbing and a safe non-stick. The advantages doesn’t end there.
Pros of Carbon Steel Cookware
- Tolerant to high temperature
- Healthier Cooking
- Sturdy and not heavy like cast Iron
- Heat evenly distributed
- Ideal for stir-fry (if you are into the ‘tossing’ action)
- Well-seasoned carbon steel cookware is virtually non-stick (and it gets better with each use)
- Provides a smokier flavour
I bought a carbon steel wok from AliExpress, after comparing with different eCommerce sites in Singapore. The price offered there was reasonable and the review was good.
Seasoning a Carbon Steel wok
To season the wok properly, follow the manufacturer’s instructions that comes along with the product. Never use the cookware before seasoning. Carbon steel wares comes with a layer of factory polymer coating that is applied to prevent rusting. For seasoning, open the windows and turn on the exhaust fan. This is where you play with the fire and you will feel like being in a sauna.
1. Wash off the layer with warm-to-hot water, regular dishwashing soap and dish scrubber. Clean thoroughly both inside and outside surfaces and wash it off with warm-to-hot water (Be careful when using hot water). Let the wok dry completely.
2. Heat the wok at medium to high flame. This is where the visual effect took place. The wok should turn into spots of bluish patina colour (bottom left) and gradually increase (below right).
4. Tilt the wok around to all sides for uniform seasoning of the wok (below left). By this time, the kitchen will be like a sauna from the heat. Tilt around slowly till the wok has a uniform metallic lustre (below right).
5. Apply a thin film of oil using a paper towel – both inside and outside. I used Grapeseed oil because it has a high smoke point. This process of applying oil and heating the wok at high temperature burns the oil into the wok to create a non-stick coating. The applied oil will start to smoke. I used the paper towel with my hands but, to be on the safe side, re-apply using a tong to avoid the heat from the wok.
6. Repeat the steps 2 to 5 again for 4 to 5 times.
At the end, the wok should be properly seasoned. With the repeated application of oil and re-heating, the wok will end up with a beautiful blackish-blue patina colour (image below).
Below is a comparison of before and after seasoning of the wok.
Cleaning the Wok
- Once the wok is cooled, rinse in warm or hot water.
- Scrape off food any bits of remaining food with a paper towel or soft sponge (without soap as it will remove the seasoning).
- After it is cleaned, dry with a paper towel completely or heat it over medium-high heat to dry off any remaining water.
- Applying a thin layer of oil at the end will help preserve the seasoning.
The same process will work for an old rusty carbon steel ware, though you may have to spend some extra time with the initial cleaning and scrubbing. If the cookware is rusted, use a stainless steel pad to scrub the rust away, dry it and re-season it again. The non-stick property of carbon steel cookware increase with regular use and, with proper care, will last for many years.
The same carbon steel wok (30 cm diameter) can be purchased from AliExpress.
Below is short video that I referred for the seasoning of the Carbon Steel Wok.