how to season a wok before first use?
To season a wok before first use, wash it with hot, soapy water to remove any factory oils, then heat the wok over medium heat, add oil, and spread it around the entire inner surface. Heat until the oil starts to smoke, then remove from heat, discard the oil, and wipe the wok with a paper towel.
A lot of people have issues with cooking new things, and lately, so many people experience difficulties figuring out how to season a wok before first use. If you’re new to cooking with a wok, you may be wondering why seasoning is necessary. The answer is simple: seasoning creates a non-stick surface and enhances the flavor of your food.
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Key Takeaways
- Proper preparation is essential before seasoning a wok for the first time.
- The seasoning process involves heating the wok with oil to create a patina.
- A patina is a natural non-stick surface that develops over time with use and proper care.
Preparation and Initial Cleaning
Gathering Your Supplies
To prepare our wok, we need a few supplies. These include a scrubber, sponge, hot water, mild liquid dish soap, and paper towels. We recommend using a scrub sponge with a green scouring pad on one side, as this is all you need to clean your wok.
Washing Your New Wok
The first step in preparing our wok is to wash it thoroughly. This is necessary to remove any protective coating that may have been applied during manufacturing. If we do not wash our wok, the coating may burn and create an unpleasant odor when we start cooking.
To wash our wok, we need to fill it with hot water and add a few drops of mild liquid dish soap. We then use our scrub sponge to clean the inside and outside of the wok. We need to be gentle while scrubbing the wok to avoid damaging its surface. Once we have cleaned the wok, we need to rinse it thoroughly with hot water and dry it with paper towels.
Seasoning Process
If you’ve just bought a new wok, it’s important to season it before using it for the first time. This process will help create a non-stick surface that will make stir-frying easier and prevent rusting. Here’s how we do it:
Heating and Oiling
First, we wash the wok with hot, soapy water and dry it thoroughly. Then, we heat the wok over high heat until it starts to smoke. This will open up the metal’s pores and prepare it for seasoning.
Next, we add a small amount of cooking oil to the wok. We recommend using peanut oil or canola oil as they have a high smoke point and won’t burn easily. We use a paper towel or a brush to spread the oil evenly over the surface of the wok, making sure to cover the bottom and the sides.
Creating the Patina
Once the oil is evenly distributed, we add a few slices of ginger, some aromatics like garlic or shallots, and some scallions or green onions to the wok. This will help create a patina, or a layer of seasoning, on the surface of the wok.
We stir-fry the ingredients in the wok for about 15-20 minutes, making sure to move them around constantly to prevent burning. The high heat will cause the oil to polymerize and bond with the metal, creating a non-stick coating.
Cooling and Storing
After the stir-frying is done, we turn off the heat and let the wok cool down completely. Once it’s cool, we discard the ingredients and wipe the wok with a paper towel to remove any excess oil or food particles.
It’s important to store the wok in a dry place to prevent moisture from accumulating and causing rusting. We recommend storing it in a well-ventilated area, away from any sources of moisture.
Bottom Line
At the end of the day, you can ensure that your wok is properly seasoned and ready for use. With proper wok care, your wok can last for years and provide you with delicious stir-fries and other dishes.
What to do next
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