C
Captain Bert
May 17, 2025
The Wok I've Been Waiting For
If you're like me, you have probably dabbled in wok cooking as I have over the decades. My problem now that I look back was not having a proper wok and now I do and everything has changed.I bought the 14" Steel, not the blued one as there was not a description of how that strange blue coating was applied and I decided it was best for my long term use to cure it myself. An easy task, took about 45 minutes, I followed the directions of a reviewer below and achieved a perfect result.My first use was exciting and achieved the best results ever, I tossed out both my stainless and flat bottom woks and now this is my tool. Love the heft, nearly 5 lbs, and depth, great for uniform heating and the size lets me move veggies up the sides as I add new ingredients. I do have wok ring which is a complete necessity for this shape and I cook outdoors on my built in gas burner.If you're serious about wok cooking, this is the one to get and "blue" it yourself, that way you don't have to worry about whatever may have been in that blue coloring and you can feel proud that you have transformed this wok into all you need. And by doing it yourself, you will turn this into completely non stick.And let me heartily suggest Kenji's massive book "The Wok: Recipes and Techniques", your'e cooking skills will thank you and open a whole new world of possibilities.
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My Experience with the welsteepse Carbon Steel Wok
I've been using the welsteepse Carbon Steel Wok for several months now, and it's become my go-to for most of my wok cooking. After cycling through several cheaper woks over the years, I can definitely tell the difference in quality with this one.First thing you'll notice when you pick it up is the weight. This is substantially heavier than those $15 stamped woks you find at most stores. The carbon steel is thick and substantial - you can feel the quality in your hands. That said, be prepared to use some arm strength when tossing food. If you're used to lightweight woks, this will give your forearms a bit of a workout, especially during longer cooking sessions.The wood handle is one of my favorite features. It's solid, comfortable to grip, and most importantly, it doesn't conduct heat like those cheap metal handles that have burned my hand more times than I care to admit. Even after extended cooking sessions, the handle stays relatively cool, which is a huge plus when you're working with high heat.I've set up an outdoor wok station at home where I do most of my stir-frying, and this wok handles the intense heat beautifully. The carbon steel heats evenly and maintains temperature well, which is crucial for proper wok cooking. I've found that it seasons nicely over time too, developing that natural non-stick patina that carbon steel is known for.While I still keep my cheaper wok around for certain quick tasks, I find myself reaching for the welsteepse almost every time. There's just something satisfying about cooking with a tool that feels substantial and well-made. The food seems to cook more evenly, and I get better wok hei (that distinctive charred flavor) with this heavier wok.Durability is another strong point. I'm not particularly gentle with my cooking tools, and this wok takes whatever I throw at it. I use metal spatulas and ladles without worry - no scratching or damage to be concerned about. If anything, the metal utensils just help build up the seasoning.Maintenance is straightforward, though like any carbon steel cookware, you need to dry it thoroughly after washing and give it a light oil coating to prevent rust. It's a small price to pay for a tool that performs this well and should last for many years.If you're on the fence about upgrading from a budget wok, I'd say it's worth the investment if you stir-fry regularly. The difference in cooking performance is noticeable, and the durability means you won't be replacing it anytime soon. Just be prepared for the extra weight - it's a trade-off for quality that I've found well worth making.
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No quality
I received this yesterday then seasoned it.. after 1 cook and let the food stay overnight this what happened this morning
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Great product..
Worth a 5 star in my opinion but, next time offer a steel wool pad if you know the item is rusted when shipped. It didn't rust like this in two days. This wok is extremely nice, outside of the rust, perfect weight, nice handle, love the hand made design.
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High Quality Wok at a Great Price!
Excellent quality carbon steel wok for a great price! I bought the raw steel one which is covered in machine oil to prevent rust. I can tell the hammer strikes are actually hand strikes since they all look unique.. I currently have a thin wok for my outdoor burner and was looking for a thicker wok until I found this one. This wok weights 4.6lbs and other popular brands are twice as expensive. I don’t have a caliper but it should be 1.8 mm or 15 gauge due to the weight and size. Another plus is that this has no rivets so oil or food won’t get stuck inside the rivets.Seasoning and maintaining a carbon steel wok is essential to ensure its longevity and optimal cooking performance. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you through the process.1. Initial Cleaning: Before seasoning your new carbon steel wok, wash it with hot, soapy water to remove any factory residue or protective coating. Use a scrub brush or steel wool to thoroughly scrub the interior and exterior surfaces. Rinse the wok with hot water and dry it completely with a clean towel. It took me probably 7 washes to get rid of the coating. It will start rusting so quickly dry the wok with a towel. You can wash off the rust with vinegar. It seems like the barcode sticker is placed on the wooden handle. To easily remove this, heat up the sticker with a hot blow dryer and peel it off slowly. It should come off as one piece. There may be some sticky residue but it can be removed by using scotch tape over it and removing the tape a couple of times.2. If you bought the raw steel wok, I recommend bluing the wok to increase rust resistance and it looks better. If you bought the blue wok, you can skip this step. Bluing the wok may take an hour or two if using a gas stove. It took me 20 minutes with 65k BTU burner plus a torch. Also take off the wooden handle so you don’t burn/damage if you plan on bluing close to the handle. I recommend buying the blue wok if you don’t have an outdoor burner.3. Seasoning: Seasoning aka polymerized oil is a crucial step that creates a non-stick surface on the wok and prevents rusting. Leave the wok on the burner until it’s hot. Around 400F-500F degrees is good. Coat the interior and exterior surfaces of the wok with a thin layer of neutral high smoke point oil such as peanut, canola or avocado oil. It will start smoking so turn your vents on if you’re doing this indoor. Move the wok around the flame to evenly polymerize the oil. Once the wok is darker, that is your patina (non-stick surface). You can immediately start cooking or add 2-3 more layers of polymerized oil. I cooked an egg with one layer and it did not stick to the wok. I recommend looking up tips/guide on cooking on a wok. Also there is a little trick where you can remove the stove diffuser to get more of the “jet” burner style. Not all stoves can do this. It won’t increase BTU but it heats up the center of the wok. I also have a wok ring for this round wok.4. Maintenance: Here are some tips to maintain its seasoning and overall condition. After each use, wash the wok with hot water and a soft sponge or brush. Your dish soap won’t wash the seasoning away since it doesn’t contain lye but I only recommend dish soap if the wok is extremely dirty. If food is stuck to the wok, use a wooden or bamboo spatula to gently scrape it off. I use a bamboo wok brush or chainmail. You can try boiling water and scrubbing it off for a cleaner wok. Make sure the wok is clean by using your fingers. Make sure you don’t feel any rough spots. Dry the wok thoroughly with a towel to prevent rusting. You can also place it back on the stove over low heat to evaporate any remaining moisture. After drying, apply a thin layer of oil to the interior surface of the wok to replenish the seasoning and prevent rust. You can use a paper towel or a brush to spread the oil evenly. Store the wok in a dry place to prevent moisture buildup and rusting. If it does rust, use vinegar or steel wool to scrub the rust away, dry and re-season immediately.I recommend this wok!Edit: The pictures are organized when I added them but it gets mixed up when my review was posted.
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