Carbon steel wok how to#

Your food might stick to the pan at the beginning, but things will get better.

A slightly steeper learning curve that requires some getting used to.

Though it’s still lighter than a 12” cast iron pan, which is around 7 lbs. A 12” carbon steel skillet is just under 6 lbs, while a 12” nonstick is about 3 lbs.

Carbon steel pans are quite heavy to handle.

Things to note before purchasing a carbon steel pan So you’ll be spending much less money on cooking equipment rather than buying a new nonstick pan every few years.

Carbon steel wok how to#

If you know how to take care of your pan, it will last forever.It retains heat well and cooks better food, especially in a home kitchen where the stove is not as powerful as a commercial stove.A carbon steel pan is low-stick once seasoned, and quite non-stick for most types of food after you’ve used it for a while.It’s also more stackable and takes up much less space than a wok.Īlso, if you choose a taller carbon steel pan, it can actually function like a wok with a flat bottom. Carbon steel pan vs wokĪ round-bottom wok requires a wok ring, which creates a wide gap with the stove and thus does not heat up well.Ī carbon steel pan has a larger contact surface with the stove, which means you’ll be able to heat up your pan better on an electric stove. And the sloped side construction is more suitable for stir frying. However, a carbon steel pan is slightly lighter and easier to handle, and cooks the food just as well. Carbon steel pan vs cast iron panīoth require similar care and both are low-stick (and close to nonstick when well-seasoned). Carbon steel pans also hold heat better and thus sear food better than nonstick. Chinese stir fry requires heating up the pan very hot most of the time, which makes a carbon steel pan a safer choice since it’s made from just metal. Nonstick pans have a chemical coating that will dissolve when the pan gets too hot and pose a potential health hazard. Why carbon steel pan Carbon steel pan vs nonstick pan

If you’re looking for a pan that cooks great Chinese food (and other types of food!), and will last forever, a carbon steel pan is your best bet. Long story short, I choose to use carbon steel pans because they’re suitable for most home kitchens, where you have limited space and a stove that’s not as powerful as in a commercial kitchen. I covered in a previous post why you shouldn’t use a wok, and the best stir fry equipment depending on your kitchen setup. After many experiments and comparisons, carbon steel pans have become one of my essential pieces of equipment, and it’s the pan I use most frequently, almost daily. Over the years I’ve cooked in different home kitchens using different stoves and equipment. If you’re looking for a great stir fry pan that performs well in a home kitchen, this is the place to start.