Tiffany Haney
Seasoning a wok is a crucial step to take before cooking with it for the first time. It involves creating a protective layer or 'patina' over the wok's inner surfaces, which serves as a non-stick coating, adds a smoky flavour to your food, and protects your wok from rust and corrosion. Seasoning a new wok takes about 15 minutes and can prolong the life of your pan. To season a wok, you must first clean and dry it, then heat it on a stovetop or in an oven, and finally, coat it with oil and burn off the excess.
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What You'll Learn
Clean the wok thoroughly
To clean a wok thoroughly, you should hand-wash it with soapy water to remove any residues or factory oil on its surface. Use a circular scrubbing motion with a scouring pad. You don't have to scrub it too hard, but you do want to clean burnt and crusty bits and any excess oil, just like you would with any other pan. This is especially true after cooking dishes with heavy sauces, when some of the sauces may be crusted on. If there are bits of food stuck to the wok, briefly submerge the wok in boiling water, then remove the wok from the hot water and use a soft sponge on it. Abrasive sponges, like scouring pads or a steel scrubber, will scratch the wok and break through the layer of patina and seasoning that has built up over time.
After scrubbing, rinse the wok and dry it thoroughly with a kitchen towel or paper towel. Place the wok back on the stove and heat until all the water has completely evaporated.
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Dry the wok completely
Drying your wok is an important step in the seasoning process. After rinsing your wok, make sure to dry it thoroughly. Use a clean, dry kitchen towel to wipe the wok down, or place the wok on the stovetop over medium or high heat to cause any remaining water to evaporate.
It is important to ensure that the wok is completely dry before proceeding to the next step of the seasoning process, which is to heat the wok. This step causes smoke, so it is important to take proper precautions, such as opening windows and turning on the exhaust fan.
If there are bits of food stuck to the wok, briefly submerge the wok in boiling water, then remove it from the hot water and use a soft sponge to clean it. Abrasive sponges, like scouring pads or a steel scrubber, will scratch the wok and break through the layer of patina and seasoning that has built up over time. This buildup protects the wok and prevents food from sticking.
Once the wok is completely dry, it is ready for the next step of the seasoning process, which is to heat the wok and add oil.
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Preheat the wok
Preheating the wok is an important step in the seasoning process. It helps to create a protective layer, or 'patina', over the wok's inner surfaces, which in turn gives the wok a non-stick quality.
To preheat your wok, place it on a gas stove over high heat. This will cause smoke, so ensure you open windows and turn on the exhaust fan. You should also move the wok around the burner so that the flame hits all the sides of the wok, not just the bottom. The wok will change colour when exposed to heat.
To test if the wok is hot enough, splash a few drops of water into it. If the water evaporates immediately, the wok is ready for the next step of the seasoning process.
If you are planning to cook with your wok, you can start by heating the wok until it is just smoking. Then, add oil, followed by your ingredients.
It is important to note that if you have cooked an especially strong-flavoured dish, such as fish or curry, you may need to wash and heat the wok twice to remove any residual flavours. Additionally, if you have cooked with vinegar or any other acidic ingredient, you should promptly wash your wok to prevent the acid from wearing away the patina.
To maintain the seasoning of your wok, it is recommended to cook with it regularly. Each time you add oil to the pan and heat it up, you are reseasoning the wok.
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Reheat the wok with oil
Reheating a wok with oil is a crucial step in the seasoning process. It creates a protective layer, or 'patina', over the wok's inner surfaces. This oily, protective film serves as a brilliant non-stick surface, creates a deep smoky flavour in your food, and protects your wok from rust and corrosion.
To reheat your wok with oil, start by placing your oiled wok back on the burner over medium-high heat. You want to heat the wok until it reaches its smoking point. This step causes smoke, so take the proper precautions like opening windows and turning on the exhaust fan. Move the wok around the burner so that all parts of the wok reach the smoking point and then stop smoking. The surface will take on a matte finish and a darker colour when properly seasoned.
If you are short on time, you can use a blowtorch to speed up the process. You can also use a flat-bottomed teflon-coated wok if you are cooking over relatively low heat. If you intend to cook over high heat, you will need to use a wok that can withstand higher temperatures.
After the oil has stopped smoking, rinse the wok with hot water and use a wok brush to clean it without removing the seasoning. Then, return the wok to the stovetop over high heat to remove any remaining water particles.
Your wok is now seasoned and ready for storage until your next dish!
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Rinse and store
Rinsing and storing your wok is an important part of the seasoning process. After cooking, let the wok cool down. Then, rinse the wok with hot water. You can use a wok brush, a soft sponge, or a non-metallic scrub pad to clean the wok without damaging the seasoning. Avoid using abrasive sponges, like scouring pads or steel scrubbers, as these can scratch the wok and break through the patina and seasoning.
Once you've removed any leftover food particles, place the wok on a stovetop burner and set it to medium-low heat to evaporate any remaining water. If there are bits of food stuck to the wok, briefly submerge the wok in boiling water, then use a soft sponge to clean it. You can also soak the wok in hot water for 10 minutes before cleaning.
After rinsing and drying, add a few drops of vegetable oil to the wok over low heat. Spread the oil around the wok by tilting it until you get an even coating, then heat for about a minute. Turn off the heat and use a folded paper towel to wipe down the wok. Reheat the wok until it just starts to smoke, then turn off the heat and give the wok a final light scrub with water only.
Once the wok is clean and dry, it's ready to be stored until your next dish!
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