A person cooking noodles in a Chinese wok.

Unlocking the secret of authentic Chinese cuisine begins with mastering the art of seasoning a wok. This step is pivotal, as it will preserve your wok and enhance the flavour of every dish you make. Now, the process of perfectly seasoning a wok is somewhat delicate, but don’t worry, there’s nothing you can do that you can’t undo. So let’s learn why it’s important to season a wok!

Why Season a Wok?

There are several important reasons why you should season a wok. Firstly, because most woks are not coated with Teflon or a similar non-stick coating, seasoning a wok creates a patina that prevents the cooking ingredients from sticking and burning. Secondly, the patina imparts a unique flavour to dishes, adding a hint of smokiness and depth. Third, seasoning helps to preserve the wok, preventing rust and corrosion, thus extending its lifespan. Finally, proper seasoning also enhances heat distribution, ensuring even cooking throughout the wok. So, by seasoning a wok, you get:

  • A non-stick surface
  • Flavour infusion
  • Prevention from rust and corrosion
  • Even heat distribution

Ultimately, seasoning a wok is essential for achieving authentic Chinese cooking flavours and textures while maintaining the integrity of this essential cooking tool. Now that we know why you should do it, let’s get to the 3 steps of how to season a wok.

How To Season a Wok in 3 Steps

Before we get to the practical steps, we should note that you should season every new wok. We’re stressing this because most woks are made from either carbon steel or cast iron and seasoning is usually only associated with cast iron cooking. However, you should season both carbon steel and cast iron woks because it has the same beneficial effects. With that out of the way, here is how to season a wok in 3 steps. 

Step 1: Preparing for Seasoning

Cleaning a new wok of factory oil is essential before seasoning to remove any residues, debris, or impurities that may affect the seasoning process. Factory oil can also have a strong odour or flavour that you don’t want to transfer to your food. You can check the manufacturer’s instructions on how to clean the wok for the first time; some are dishwasher safe, however, it’s safest if you hand-wash it with soapy water. 

Once you’ve cleaned the wok of factory oil, wait for it to completely dry. In case your wok has wooden handles, wrap them in aluminium foil to prevent them from burning. Also make sure to open your windows and turn on your exhaust fan because seasoning a wok causes a lot of smoke. With the prep done, it’s time to start heating your wok.

Step 2: Preheat Your Wok

Place your Chinese wok on a gas burner over high heat and wait for it to heat up. Make sure that you move it around so that all of it heats up evenly, including the front, back, and the sides. This step opens the metal’s pores, allowing the metal to absorb the seasoning. During this process, the wok will release a lot of smoke, so don’t let that frighten you (and that’s why you opened the windows and turned on the fan).  

Additionally, the wok will change colour as you are heating it up; just like with the smoke, that's part of the process. You will know that the wok is hot enough by performing a water test - splash a few drops of water into the wok. If the droplets evaporate instantly, the wok is hot enough; if they don’t, continue heating it. Once you’ve heated it properly, let it cool down until it’s safe to touch again.

Step 3: Coat the Wok in Oil

A person learning how to season a wok.

Once the wok has cooled down, it’s time to coat it in oil. Only use a high smoke point cooking oil - this is oil that can withstand temperatures of 230 degrees Celsius or more - and one that has a neutral taste. Many oils are suitable for this, including peanut oil, canola oil, and refined sunflower oil. Avoid unrefined oils with low smoke points.

Take a soft kitchen or paper towel and spread the oil all over the wok - this includes both the inside and the outside. Try to get to a thin and even layer of oil. After you’re done coating it, place the oiled wok back on the burner over medium-high heat and move it around. The part that is hot enough will start and then stop smoking once it heats up enough.

The part of the wok that is no longer smoking has been seasoned. Move the wok around until all parts of it have stopped smoking. After you are done, your wok should darken in colour and will have a clearly visible matte finish. And that’s all that’s how you season a wok! 

Once you are done, rinse the wok and use a soft brush to clean it (it’s paramount that you use a soft brush here, as an abrasive brush could scrub the patina away). Place the wok back on the stove over high heat to evaporate the water from the rinsing. Your wok is now ready to be stored or used!

As a final note, if you are unhappy with how you seasoned the wok or want to give it more coating, it’s fine to repeat the above process once or twice more.

How to Season a Wok, Simplified

To make sure you remember everything, let’s take you through the process of how to season a wok again:

  • Clean your new Chinese wok from factory oil and wait for it to dry;
  • Heat up all parts of the wok on a burner (the wok will smoke and change colour);
  • Do the water test: sprinkle water on the wok, if the droplets instantly evaporate, it’s hot enough;
  • Wait for your wok to cool down;
  • Evenly coat the entire wok in a high smoke point oil with a paper or kitchen towel;
  • Once coated, place the wok back on the burner and move it around;
  • Every segment should start and then stop smoking. When the wok is no longer smoking, it’s seasoned;
  • The wok should take on a matte finish and darken when seasoned;
  • After it’s seasoned, rinse and brush the wok with a soft brush;
  • Heat it up again to evaporate the water from the rinsing and you’re done!

Now you know how to season a wok and with proper care, it can last for decades. If you have a high-quality wok, that is. If you don’t, we can help you out. At AGC Catering Equipment, we sell affordable and top-quality stainless steel and cast iron cookware, including Chinese woks. Simply place your order online, we’ll ship it to your address, and you can start cooking in your new wok as early as tomorrow!

 


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