How to Season a Wok | Serious Eats
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 เม.ย. 2019
- Just like with a good cast iron pan, a carbon steel wok's performance will improve the more you use it. With repetitive use, the oil you heat in your wok breaks down into polymers that fill the microscopic pores in the metal's surface, rendering the material completely nonstick. As you break in your wok, the material will gradually change from silver to brownish and finally to a deep black. This is what you are looking for. Here's how to get it to that point... and then keep it that way.
Get our full breakdown on how to buy, season, and care for a wok here: www.seriouseats.com/2010/06/e...
Our favorite wok: amzn.to/2IbZdtL
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Tried to do that once and the smoke went everywhere in the room because our hood is too weak, which lead to my husband yelling at me for the rest of the day. I had to stop in half way so the wok looked greasy because the oil hadn't polymerized enough yet. Eventually I had to get rid of both the wok and my husband.
You should have at least kept the wok!
Good stuff
Happy ending at last
What a heartwarming story
Too bad about the wok.
2:26 is when the actual tutorial starts if you just want to get to the method. This is probably the best video on seasoning a wok that I've found.
Personally, it teaches the theory well, but the technique isn't great for beginners. Getting that pan smoking hot and then applying the oil can result in uneven coating and likely too much oil. Also, you saw that rag got destroyed. Rather it's better to buff on a micro-thin coating first, then heat up the pan, wait for it to cool and repeat. Takes longer but much better control. The oil should be barely visible as a sheen across the entire surface. A bright flashlight helps a lot.
@@Allenw154 there's a reason I use paper towels when I season. That way I don't give a shit.
You should use tongs to hold the rag while applying oil to the hot pan.
I once used my bare hand to hold the rag while doing that on a really hot wok and the smoke instantly scalded the skin of my hand. It was just a split second and it gave me a 2nd degree burn.
Thank you.
Definitely use tongs
I’ll remember that
@Gavin Fisher bruh I have already seem this same comment with the same reply somewhere else. We all know Lizabeth is you on another account 🤡 Stop advertising ignoring people's privacy.
Man up, Burning your hands is part of the process.
This is the best presentation on seasoning a pan on the internet. I've looked this up time and time again and NONE of them talk about the pitfall of adding too much oil. Correction, none of them stress just how little oil is needed. Thank you!!
I agree! Always been a mystery to me lol
I couldn't agree more, so many different methods, one being washing it 2/3 times first then taking an age to blacken the wok before even starting to add the oil and repeating the process! This will do me👌
Agreed, found it after applying too much oil
You should watch the Wok Seasoning video by Alex , he also confirms suspicions with a chemist.
This is crazy though why don't they just do this it in the factory before they send me the wok??!!!
beautiful seasoning! Would have loved to see an egg test at the end
I’m blessed to live literally a couple of miles away from downtown Flushing in NYC where there is a huge Asian community. I’ve purchased my wok and I’ve been looking at videos for seasoning my wok. This is one of the most concise, clear and straightforward videos I’ve seen about the seasoning process. Thank you!!!
One of the best demonstrated and explained seasoning videos I've seen, and I've seen a few. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you! This is fantastic how to, really appreciate the clear instructions. I feel much more confident about seasoning the awesome new carbon steel wok I was just given! 🍳
This is a great tutorial on how to season a carbon steel wok. I wish I had looked here before I tried to season mine. You make it look so easy and it was quick. My wok has wooden handles and I have been using it for years and it real dark at the bottom. I always wash it and then put it back on the stove to remove all of the moisture and coat it with oil. After watching this I am going to season it like you show it here. Thanks for taking the time to show us how to season a wok.
Just seasoned my first wok using this guide - kudos!
Thank you for actually guiding us to season the outside. I've looked at like 5 different guides so far and none of them even hint that the outside needs seasoning too
This video was noticably higher quality than ones I've seen in the past. Quite good, keep it up!
This is the best wok seasoning tutorial with best results i have watched.thanks
Excellent video with clear instructions, very well articulated...thoughtful. Nothing was left to question. The cautonary details about what "not to do" were really informative! Thanks so much!
Roommate recently bought another nonstick wok to replace our Ikea non stick one all while we have a carbon steel imusa brand one waiting to be seasoned. Thanks for the tutorial! Seems a lot more easy than the oven method
This is the best method for seasoning a carbon steel wok. I've tried every method, and this one is the fastest and produces the best results, aside from just constantly using it. It's also a great method for cleaning these if you have any food particles stuck on it. Make sure you have a decent hood, or open all your windows, because it get real smoky.
Best video about wok and seasoning I have ever found on the internet. Thanks!
Echoing the other comments... By far this is the best presentation on seasoning. For example, I was using paper towels as another video recommended, but found that it left lint or a white film in areas. This video covers that (use a dedicated rag). Also, the comment below recommending tongs to hold the rag is a good idea. Well done and thank you for this video!!!
Just watched. And what I can tell is... do it outside. Nice work 👏👏👏
Great tutorial, fast and concise.
Your demo is the best . Thank you.
Thank you so much for this video. I just bought a wok and I’m off this weekend and ready to season and cook in it.Congratulations.
Best tutorial on seasoning on the internet. At last!
Great explanation about WHAT , REASON and HOW TO DO . Thank you !!! :)
Great tutorial. One thing I would add is after you wash the wok, heat the carbon metal until it turns blue, then black all over. THEN put on the micro-layer of oil with the cloth (never paper towel), after the oil stops smoking, swipe another mico-layer of oil. I do this at least 10 times. Be careful that you DO NOT touch the rag with your hand it gets very HOT!!
Cook onions and garlic then throw them away after you are done-gets rid of any metallic taste. Never wash your wok after this, just wipe it clean with an oily paper towel. You can use rock salt to scrub the stubborn sticky places.
There's nothing wrong with washing your wok with soap and water
@@flakgun153 true. Old wives tale about the soap removing the seasoning
True that. Just use soap with soft sponge, not those steel wool or something harsh. Also make sure you do that hot wok cold oil everytime u start the first cooking of the day. This is is to ensure a fresh layer of coating for non stick performance. If you don't wash it with soap the old oil will become sticky when you heat it, not something u want in your body.
@@9beersdeep902 not old wifes tale soap back in the day was far more harsh, contained lye and would strip ones hard earned seasoning. Now we have very mild soap that still works great, its fine to use on cast iron and carbon steel though generally no real reason to. Hot pan and water anything cakes on should come right off.
You are spreading misinformation in this. Even the top wok experts in the world that own wok companies say you can wash it, including with soap.
Thank you. I did it outside using fireplace and it went nice and even. Will see how it will be usable now.
I just got this Wok and finished washing, burning and seasoning this .......in the oven. The handles unscrew, and I saw on yours, the 2 screws on the helper handle. I just got done stir frying ginger and scallions. With this, I have cast iron, non stick and a new member being carbon steel, 7 woks.
Nice job!
I’m doing that today on a new wok I just got!! Thanks
Outstanding. To the point, w/o unnecessary showmanship, educational and easy to follow. Great vid!
My significant other decided to heat up a big jar of sauerkraut in my factory seasoned wok. Yes, that’s a great way of removing seasoning down to the bare metal, in case you’re wondering.
"w/o unnecessary showmanship"
LOL
Oops! I hope he or she learned a lesson there. I'm sure it won't happen again!
@@paulmaxwell8851 yes she has.
Finally, someone explained the Seasoning meaning
I have tried so many approaches to both carbon woks and cast iron pans. My current cast iron pan is great now, but I have done so much I don’t even really know what ultimately worked except to say it vastly improved once I just started. Cooking on it.
The woks I simply
- blue them and cool
- reheat them with a high smoke point oil moving it around as it heats and actually reducing the volume and thickening it as you keep coating and stirring
- why you ask
- For the last step i remove the excess oil and use a piiece of cloth to just spread that thin layer …
- Then I burn the wok polemerizing the oil. A thin fresh coat of oil has a tendency to disperse a bit or become runny when heated making for an uneven blotchy seasoning BUT the REDUCED oil however is thicker and sticks better, so it’s easier to make an even coating that stays in place even when heated.
- Thats it - from there you just let it cool, wash and from there cook right using proper wok cooking and cleaning techniques. Over time usage will add to the layer, but you don’t have to bake the wok or make 6 layers and all that shit.
- If you don’t know how to use and clean a wok, even a well seasoned one wont do the work for you. Learn that and the seasoning bit can be kept simple.
This was a phenomenal video!!! Next would be good to know how to clean to keep the seasoning well maintained after every use.
One way to keep the seasoning on is to not wash it in soap and water. Simply rinse under hot water and wipe out with a paper towel or kitchen cloth. Once the pan cools re oil very very lightly. You should never use soap and water on a seasoned pan.
@@dickb2128 thanks i was wondering how to clean a seasoned pan
Very informative!
I love my woks. Seasoning is a must. 🙏🏼🙌🏼
I own the same wok. You can remove the long plastic handle by unscrewing the hook with your hand, and the little handle plastic piece can be removed by unscrewing 1 or 2 little screws hidden underneath. You can then season your wok in the over in you wish to.
Woo Hoo! Thank you so much for your help, and advice. The manufacturer's instructions that came with my wok were completely wrong! I ended up with clumps of oil like you stated would happen if I use too much oil. Scrubbed the shit out of it and did what you suggested. It looks like yours! Cheers.
Followed the instructions on a new carbon steel wok, worked like a charm. I used Avocado oil, has a really high smoke point and worked very well (the MamaFong website claims that Soybean, then Grapeseed, then Avocado oil are the 3 best oils to use for seasoning, they say to not use Olive oil or Coconut oil for seasoning. I probably rubbed the wok 6 to 7 times with the oil, the wok is now very dark and looks good to go.
I used Canola. Has a high enough smoke point, is cheap, does the job.
I learned something new today.
Very very informative..thank you
Good video now I understand what seasoning is.
Wowww... You did it PERFECT!
I just bought 3 new woks incl one small cast iron wok. I didnt do any seasoning since I never seasoned my old wok. It still works perfectly. Each time after I'm done with my cooking, I'll grease the wok with oil after washing it. Let it dry on the hot burner. I mean I turn off the burner. It becomes non-stick after a while.
What you're doing after cooking and cleaning it IS seasoning.
Thanks for the tip.
Thanks for this video! After this initial seasoning, do you have to follow up with more seasonings to maintain it?
Nice job. Welldone. Thanks for share
Thank you for the great video very helpful
Way better than the instruction that came with my Joyce Chen wok. Thanks!
Very informative, will try that on my planed A36 carbon steel baking/pizza steel
Finally, someone who knows what they're talking about. Wish you guys published this years ago!
I had to do so much trial and error to learn that flaxseed oil is complete B.S. It polymerizes at too low of a temperature, so if you expose it too high a heat thereafter, it fails, like you mentioned.
I have that same pan. The plastic handles come off really easy with a screwdriver so you can in fact season it in the oven!--or the grill--but then you can't keep an eye on it.
Came here looking for this instruction, thanks
Thanks for this 👊🏿💯
That's beautiful!
Thank you!
Be careful not to heat too hot! Long periods of intense heat can vaporize the seasoning. Since wok cooking is often a high temp process many Chinese chefs use a technique called Huaguo where the pan is heated searing hot before cooking, and a splash of oil is added to quickly coat the pan with a layer of seasoning before any ingredients are added.
Great video
I'm gonna try this micro thin method. All Chinese videos I have seen splash a good amount of oil on the scorching wok to polymerize it although they do it on a jet burner stove. I do have a jet stove and using the Chinese method I find that your right the finish is botchy on top of that it is flaky which comes off easily when they start blistering from the heat.
New wok.so TY for vid 🌷
I learn new things every day.
Wladyslaw Aaron and today you’re going to learn to spell learn. Learn.
@@johnwee7584 autocorrect on my phone is set for polish language, sorry.
i see you've got the same joyce chen pan i got. glad i made it to the right video.
I wish I'd seen this much sooner in life. All these words of wisdom that they're giving out for free, I had to learn by burning my fingers and fucking up the seasoning.
best instruction and explanation plus no need for a 100K burner to season.
I have the same pan as it was recommended by Serious Eats. I did mine in the oven, but removed the plastic parts first.
Ditto. It's much easier if you don't have a gas flame. For anyone wondering, the hook unscrews so the big handle can come off, and the "helper" handle is just held on with a couple of screws.
bloodgain , easier if you DONT have gas stove?........ better on electric stovetop? Sure?
@@penname40 not sure the reason for your confusion. he's clearly saying it's easier in the oven...
penname40 he is saying if you don’t have a gas stove then the oven is a better alternative than trying it on an electric range
AssClinks - The confusion is because he said you can season a wok in the oven for even heat, but you can’t with this wok because the handles are made of plastic. He’s both right and wrong...he failed to mention that the handles are removable, after which the pan can go into the oven for more even heating. He also didn’t mention the oven temperature for woks with the handles removed. A quick Google search showed putting the cleaned and lightly oiled wok upside down into a preheated 450ºF oven for 20 minutes. Let cool, lightly season again and back into the oven three more times. I’m still learning, but this seamed reasonable.
I'm ashamed to say that I ordered walk as my own birthday present back at the end of August, and here it is two weeks before Thanksgiving and I still haven't seasoned it. Thanks to this video, I feel confident enough to try. You make it look so easy, and I'm sure it is. Thanks for putting this out here.
I brought mine last year and still in the box. 😂😂😂
@@SiFu46 I did end up taking it out of the box not long after I posted this comment. And I am glad I did. I have made a number of meals in it since, and it is a lot of fun to cook in. Don't hold back.
@@twosocks1976 Yupe. I just took the wok out, watch this video over and over again to make sure I gotten the details correctly. I am going to season the wok!!!!!! Wish me luck 😂😂😂😂😂
@@SiFu46 yes good luck. Another resource you might consider is a cookbook called stir-frying to the sky's Edge. In that book, there is a section where the author talks about seasoning her walk, and warns the reader that for the first year at least, the walk is not going to look pretty, or evenly seasoned. But with you sand with time and more seasonings, it will just happen one day. She had to throw away several walks before she figured that out. Anyway, look into it.
@@twosocks1976Ok. I will. Thank you so much for sharing. I will let you know if my wok came out well or not.
That’s beautiful.. 😍
I just ordered this wok, AND apparently you CAN remove the handles and season in oven ;)
How did the seasoning work in the oven ? How'd you do it ?
Yep definitely one of the better videos on this process. Thanks
Awesome video! Thank for the great information! I have a question. Can you use a microfiber lint free towel?
Thanks this clear non voodoo instruction - much appreciated
You can put this pan in the oven! I have the same pan and both of the handles are removable. Plus you are supposed to let the pan cool between oiling
Nice!
The color change you are seeing is iron oxide forming also called temper colors.
got it done.. the cloth you use matters.. use cotton and not nylon as it melts and sticks to your pan… smoked my whole house up.. even with overhead fan on turbo.. hopefully I won’t have to do this often.
Thanks for sharing
Just bought this wok after this vid.
The other videos I've watched on wok seasoning bleu the wok BEFORE adding any oil to it. Does it make a difference?
Just wow
Best video on how to season a carbon steel wok. After cooking with a seasoned wok, can we wash the wok in soap and water ?
I enjoyed your presentation and found it really helpful.
If I can add one thing in my experience after watching the video is I found it better to place the wok upside down over the gas flame, I found that the wok heated up quickly and evenly without having to twist it around.
I hope this is good advice
Really? I'm getting ready to do mines?
I have the same pans as you use here. There are a couple of sticky spots high on the sides near the two handles where I couldn't get the heat. Any suggestions?
Interesting. I was taught to initial clean and then the first burn without oil, to ensure all factory oil residue was off. Then a 2nd heat with oil.
Agreed. I’m confused as to why he didn’t Blue the wok first by subjecting it to very high heat first.
Maybe he took care of that when he boiled it with water
Types of oil. With cast iron or stoneware we use a fatty oil like lard or coconut oil, but not other veggie oils like olive or canola. I’ve found vegetable oils are stickier for cast iron, so I’m assuming that would apply to this as well. Also less likely to chip, as you said.
I have the same wok as recommended by you guys and another smaller 13inch wok, as it's slightly easier to flip and toss with, because I'm currently cooking just for myself.
Both are really easy to season and start using once you get the hang of it.
This was a better explained, good intro into seasoning than on the serious eats website.
Well done Daniel 👍
Didn't the manufacture instructions say scrub the coating away from the wok with a metal scrub pad after the hot water step before putting on the stove? Anyway, thanks for the nice video, it was very informative.
Recently bought a CS flat bottomed wok, I had one 20 years ago. But I also had a gas range then. I have a nice glass top stove now (not induction) with a pizza oven and a regular sized oven (so not getting a new stove soon). I'm wondering if I should have bought a stainless steel wok. I don't see who I am going to season this wok properly on the glass top. Would love your opinion. Thanks so much!
Damn I f'd up. I didn't know I had to do this to actually get the seasoning on my new Wok. I will be doing this definitely next time.
Ah, the struggle continues.
Please clarify: the manufacturer’s instructions for carbon steel woks state to 1) scrub wok to remove protectant applied at factory. 2) BLUE the wok by subjecting it to very high heat without oil. 3) season the wok using oil and heat as you did in this video.
Can you explain why you didn’t blue the wok?
He followed the wok’s instructions which said to boil water. Mine doesn’t. He said follow whatever instructions you have for cleaning your wok.
How do you fix any chips you get? I started off wit too much iol when I first seasoned it. I have a coil oven.
You can cook anything on a wok. It’s amazing.
So once you start using it and wash it after, do you still need to season it occasionally??
Also instead of towel. You can use a handful of coffee filter just watch you don't get burned. I use coffee filters for my cast iron skillets.
I got sticky residue because I was following another tutorial and didn’t say not too much. Now I’m trying fix mine 😭
Joseline C did you figure out how to fix it?
@@TriniTrav sand paper, 220 grit, use water, start over
You can use yellow can heavy duty, Easy-Off oven cleaner, it contains lye and that will eat away the seasoning. Use gloves and do it outside (it needs to sit for 15-20 minutes), fumes are toxic. When done, after washing away the residue use vinegar to neutralize it, wash again with dish soap, and immediately dry it and start seasoning. If you wait it will start to rust because it's bare metal after taking the seasoning off.
Use salt & scrub it.
Vinegar
Wish you show oven method as well. I have cantonese style carbon steel wok
I've been hearing about these carbon steel cookware everywhere! I have a cast iron and I absolutely love it, might be time to look into getting carbon steel...
Totally worth it! I've replaced my medium-sized nonstick with a carbon steel pan, and the smaller and larger one will be replaced in kind as they wear out. Unless you insist on zero oil, well-seasoned carbon steel is just about as good. Even burned cheese comes right off. Eggs stick slightly more, but it's still a breeze to clean.
They act almost identically (even about the same weight, don't believe people who say it's much lighter) , so if you've already got a good thing going with you cast iron, there's no substantive reason to switch.
@@devastaticon thanks, then I'll just keep using my cast iron skillet =)
I don't agree with the comment about carbon steel and cast iron being very similar, unless you're strong enough to toss and flip one handed with cast iron. Also, cast iron takes a lot longer to come up to temp and recover temp if you're cooking stir fry items one after another. When you dump food out, it takes a lot of energy from the pan with it so the recovery time matters for stir fry
If you want an opinion, I’ve been cooking with cast iron ever since i saw my grandma season her skillet back in the early 2000’s. They’re about the same. I will say though that cast iron gives you a good amount of healthy iron when you cook with it. Go with one or the other to be honest.
interesting technique most videos i've seen say burn the wok first then season
I thought the handles on this one came off? So it can go in the oven or still no?
Thanks for this helpful guide.
Is cold pressed avocado oil ok to use for seasoning?
I don’t want to use processed oils like canola, because I refrain from eating those types of oils due to health reasons. and only eat cold pressed oils.
Is it still ok to season with canola oil because does the seasoning proccess actually neutralize any of the bad aspects of processed oils anyways once it polymerizes?
what type of wok do you have, i tried to get a typhoon but could not, so i think i will go with Joyce Chen. do you think it will be good? you should use tongs....do you season both in and out each time?
I can see I will have to do this outside on the grill eye.
What brand of pan is that ? Great job
Can you use grapeseed oil?
Newer non-stick come with instructions for how to season. Many others including myself season stainless steel. The darker part doesn't = more seasoning; it means more carbon (carbonized vs polymerized). I can do a spatula free omelette in stainless even after multiple washes with detergent.
Very educational. Thank you. Do you need to season the wok after every use?