Cast Iron Wok for Weber Gourmet System


 
Don't want to throw water on the fire, but I have used a carbon steel hand hammered wok for about 25 years. Got into Chinese cooking when Martin Yan had a show on public tv called "Yan Can Cook". I also have clients that have Chinese commercial kitchens and they all use carbon steel hand hammered woks. That is what I use on my Weber gourmet cooking system and heat is never an issue. I am a fan of CI but not for a wok. Takes much less time to heat up and just works great. Just my 20 cents (adjusted for inflation).
 
Bob Ivey said:
Don't want to throw water on the fire, but I have used a carbon steel hand hammered wok for about 25 years. Got into Chinese cooking when Martin Yan had a show on public tv called "Yan Can Cook". I also have clients that have Chinese commercial kitchens and they all use carbon steel hand hammered woks. That is what I use on my Weber gourmet cooking system and heat is never an issue. I am a fan of CI but not for a wok. Takes much less time to heat up and just works great. Just my 20 cents (adjusted for inflation).
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I had never done any sort of Chinese cooking or used a wok prior to this. The wok I got (link was posted earlier in the thread) was $20 on amazon so i figured what the heck. The first few cooks I was a little frustrated but I now know (learned the hard way) It was not hot enough. Once heated I really enjoy cooking with the wok but if I keep using it I may need to invest in a carbon steel wok. I didn't want to spend too much not knowing if I would actually use it much. What price range should I expect to spend if going the carbon steel route?
 
Does the bottom of the wok touch the charcoal holders? I threw my old wok on my Weber today, didn't quite fit. Wasn't big enough to rest in the gourmet hole and the bottom of it was actually resting on the charcoal holders.
 
I've had a hand hammered caron wok for a 35 years now there the only way to go IMO They get blazeing hot real quite and cool down just as fast... Myself i'd never own a cast iron one though they hold heat way to much for me.
 
I paid something like $40.00 with shipping for my new 16 inch carbon steel. It fits in the gourmet system perfectly and has clearance under the coals. I put the coals on the charcoal grate rather than the baskets. Got very hot very fast. The food was great. Check out the old "Yan Can Cook" book and many others. They all use this kind of wok. Every Chinese restaurant and kitchen uses the same thing. I am sure the cast iron is good but it takes to long to heat up. Love a good Chinese meal and they are easy to make and much fun to do on the Weber. The high heat burner on our new cooktop is the only other way to get the heat required but the Weber just makes it fun. The idea in Chinese cooking is not to keep the wok super hot all the time but only as long as necessary. This also allows for cool zones in the wok. Good luck with whatever you choose.
 
Tommy B -

Are you using the standard size charcoal lighting chimney? If so, here's a tip for speeding up the burn. I keep an empty tuna can with the charcoal and chimney in a galvanized trash can with a gallon of isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. I fill the tuna can about half full - less than 2 oz I think and sit it on the concrete and use a butane lighter to start it burning. Then I place the chimney of unlit charcoal over the burning can of alcohol and have a full set of fully lit coals in less than 15 minutes.

It's fast; it's cheap; it's odorless and leaves no taste of the starter on the coals. By keeping the tin under the coals, air gets to the alcohol and burns rapidly. When I need only a few coals, I invert the charcoal chimney and place the coals in then set the tuna can with less alcohol on an overturned soup can to raise it up closer to the coals. Works quick.

I found a gallon of 70% rubbing alcohol in a surplus store for $5.00 a number of years ago. I've still got more than half a gallon. I don't know what it would cost or where to buy it in those quantities but double pack pints from Sam's would be a good source, too.
 
Bob Ivey said:
Don't want to throw water on the fire, but I have used a carbon steel hand hammered wok for about 25 years. Got into Chinese cooking when Martin Yan had a show on public tv called "Yan Can Cook". I also have clients that have Chinese commercial kitchens and they all use carbon steel hand hammered woks. That is what I use on my Weber gourmet cooking system and heat is never an issue. I am a fan of CI but not for a wok. Takes much less time to heat up and just works great. Just my 20 cents (adjusted for inflation).
Click to expand...

I checked Amazon and found hammered carbon steel woks in 14" and 16" sizes. I have the Gourmet BBQ grill with the center hole but don't know which size would be best. Anyone have a suggestion? How big is the Weber CI wok?
 
Bob Ivey said:
I paid something like $40.00 with shipping for my new 16 inch carbon steel. It fits in the gourmet system perfectly and has clearance under the coals. I put the coals on the charcoal grate rather than the baskets. Got very hot very fast. The food was great. Check out the old "Yan Can Cook" book and many others. They all use this kind of wok. Every Chinese restaurant and kitchen uses the same thing. I am sure the cast iron is good but it takes to long to heat up. Love a good Chinese meal and they are easy to make and much fun to do on the Weber. The high heat burner on our new cooktop is the only other way to get the heat required but the Weber just makes it fun. The idea in Chinese cooking is not to keep the wok super hot all the time but only as long as necessary. This also allows for cool zones in the wok. Good luck with whatever you choose.
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What is the diameter of the wok you bought, and where did you source it?
 
Nate Frost said:
Carbon steel wok is the way to go. That is next on my list. It's just that I got my weber wok for free.
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I like cast iron anything - I'd even like a CI wok.

I got this (14" flat bottom carbon steel) early 2014: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000OFREDC/tvwb-20

and I've been wanting one of these for years now: http://www.southwestdisk.com/southwest-discada-cooking-plow-disks/

to the OP: you might want to read up on it a little first - figure out how you're going to use it. I went with a flat bottom so I could use it on the stove without a ring. Like most everything else, there's no "right" answer.

I have a few Chinese cookbooks, this is the only one I really use: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/034552912X/tvwb-20?tag=TVWB-20
 
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