Weber Wok Score!


 
You can buy 22, 30 and 36 inch iron Woks from Amazon and often even cheaper in your local Asian store. I have cooked on the 36 incher just sitting on the rim of 22 inch weber above charcoal.

I have also seen a weber converted into propane by putting a large round gas burner in the bottom of the weber (like from a turkey fryer), threading the hose through the holes in the bottom and hooking it to a BBQ tank. This gets the wok plenty hot to cook 5 lbs of stir fry and is easier than charcoal.

After owning a WSM, I also believe you could set the WSM base on a table, load a chimney of lit charcoal in the ring and set a 24 inch wok on the ring.

I have Filipino relatives and they get the 36 Inch wok going on a weber for hours. They setup other webers or indoor ovens as warming ovens. They do massive stir fry dishes "al dente" slightly and put them in the warming areas before buffet--cook the most sensitve dishes last.

The other awesome thing you can do with a large wok is steam things. Put a steal or ceramic bowl upside down in the bottom of the wok. Add a gallon of water or so. Set a plate on top of that bowl with a whole fish, one layer of chicken with shrimp paste on top, dumplings, cabbage wraps, whatever. Steam it with a lid on. Remove the serving plate (hot) with the steamed dish on it and put it in the warming oven or garnish and serve.

We cooked a buffet with at least a dozen items in this giant wok next to the pool. Between dishes you just pick it up with one hand and spray it with a hose. The food was prepped in the house and cooked outdoors. Man I'm hungry thinking about it.

Caution, have plenty of cold beer on hand if you plan to stand over one of these bad boys for an hour.
 
Originally posted by brady martin:
question.

this is not meant to be a negative comment, just wondering why use a wok on a charcoal grill? isnt this a waste of charcoal?
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First, I think I've seen this wok before somewhere on an Australian site... Anyway, I want to add my two bits because I was thinking about this just the other day, and not just about the wok.

Think about it; how many times have you spent half an hour or more getting your grill ready (chimney some coals, continue in the grill, heat the grate, scrub, oil, etc.) just to put a piece of fish or a steak or burgers or whatever on there for 10 minutes or less...? Doesn't that seem like a waste of time, energy, and charcoal? Why not just sear it on the stove?

For myself, I would have to say that despite the setup time, I do agree that the grill can achieve temps residential stoves never can. Also, when used properly the grill can impart flavors that indoor methods cannot. Plus, here in Sonoma County the evenings are so beautiful that I can't help but want to be outside, so any excuse to get out there and cook without having to heat up the whole house is worth it. Bonus: the local warehouse store had Kingsford Competition on sale for $13.76 for the two pack, bringing my charcoal cost to $0.45 per pound... so not too bad.

What do you think?
 
A couple of points, as a power user of the Weber SS Wok.

The wok is a great wow factor when entertaining and there are no end of dishes that you can do on it. If you are using the wok make a pyramid of lit charcoal/briquettes (whichever is cheaper) in the centre of the kettle charcoal grill about a chimney's worth.place the wok on it and settle it onto it so it flattens the pile out, remove the wok and tap the charcoal down about 1/2 - 1 inch below the level. This should give you the heat you need. Typically food is flash cooked in a wok over very high heat. you can adjust the heat by raising or lowering the fire level.
The Weber SS wok is designed so that there is adequate airflow to allow the oxygen depleted air to escape and draw in fresh air giving a good constant high heat.
What I have seen is people using woks larger than the kettle rim, when this sits on the rim for too long the fire chokes and the temperature drops quickly, they lift the wok up to look and the fire flares up because of the airflow, they put the wok down and the fire dies down and so it goes on. If using a larger wok put 3 or 4 of bits of angle iron about 1 inch or so long equidistant on the rim of the kettle to produce an airgap when using the wok it will be hotter. The bottom vent should be open 100% for all wok cooking
I have 2 woks, I use one for spicy foods and the other for mild foods. The spicy one gets a clean but not an indepth scrubbing the build-up of flavours add to the taste of each dish.
The mild one gets a good scrubbing as I don't want to transfer the flavours from one mild dish to another mild dish.

You are only limited by your imagination with a wok. One of my favourite entertaining ideas is holding a Tapas party where I will cook a lot of dihes progressively through the arfternoon on the wok or on my Q220 grill, finger food mainly. I have had a party where each couple had to bring the main ingredient(s) and I would take the ingredient(s) and produce some sort of dish. It produces a lot of discussions on what dish should be and the best way to cook it. My wife has a fantastic understanding of spices and their flavours and can make blends up in her head and pick exactly what flavour it will produce.
The only drawback with this that the number and type of refreshments that I consume must be limited.

Cheers
 
Capt Phil,
Thanks for the great post. I will have to be trying one of those parties this summer.

As for the mound of coals under the center of the wok, you are 100% right! Too many people do not know the proper way to cook on a wok. The low center is suppose to be rippin hot. Anything you want to keep cooler or that has already cooked gets pulled up the sides.
 
Originally posted by Phil Hartcher:
...What I have seen is people using woks larger than the kettle rim, when this sits on the rim for too long the fire chokes and the temperature drops quickly, they lift the wok up to look and the fire flares up because of the airflow, they put the wok down and the fire dies down and so it goes on. If using a larger wok put 3 or 4 of bits of angle iron about 1 inch or so long equidistant on the rim of the kettle to produce an airgap when using the wok it will be hotter... Cheers
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Exactly coreect Phil! I've had my 22" plow disk for awhile and the first few times using it, you learn to adjust... do not use ROUND rods for air gapping. They tend to roll off the rim of the kettle
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