An iron wok isn't bought "ready": it is built up. At first it is bare metal. After a few baked-on layers of oil and a few stir-fries, it turns black, smooth and more and more non-stick. That is seasoning, and it is simpler than it sounds.
What seasoning is
Heated hard in a very thin layer, oil changes: it polymerises into a hard film bonded to the metal. That film protects the iron from rust and stops food from sticking. Every cook with a little fat adds another layer.
First: wash
New woks often carry a protective oil for shipping. Wash it thoroughly in hot water with washing-up liquid, scrubbing with a scouring sponge. It is the only time you scrub hard. Dry it with a towel, then briefly over the heat.
Seasoning, step by step
- Heat the empty wok on high, tilting it so the sides heat too. The metal changes colour as it heats: that is normal.
- Turn down to medium. With tongs and a folded paper towel, spread a few drops of high smoke point oil (rapeseed, peanut, sunflower) over the whole inside. The layer should be barely visible: too much oil gives a sticky film.
- Heat until the oil smokes, then another minute or two. The surface darkens.
- Let it cool slightly and repeat three or four times.
- The last pass, Chinese-style: stir-fry spring onion or leek greens and slices of ginger in a little oil for a few minutes, rubbing them against the sides. Throw them away. They help spread the oil and remove the metallic taste.
Keep the wooden handle away from the flames throughout. Ventilate the kitchen well: it smokes.
The wok won't be evenly black after this first session. That is normal: the colour builds with cooking.
Every day
- After cooking, while it is still hot, rinse it in hot water and scrub with a brush or soft sponge. A little washing-up liquid now and then won't destroy good seasoning.
- Dry it over the heat for a few seconds until all the water has gone.
- Wipe on a thin film of oil with a paper towel, and put it away.
Never the dishwasher, never soaking: that is the shortest road to rust.
The first few weeks
Start with fatty cooking: stir-fries, fried rice, vegetables in oil. At first, avoid long acidic cooking (tomato sauce, vinegar, simmering wine) and water boiling for a long time: they attack young seasoning.
If it rusts
Don't panic, it is iron: it can always be saved. Scrub the rust off with steel wool or a paste of coarse salt and oil, rinse, dry over the heat, then add two or three layers of seasoning where you scrubbed.
Cooking well in a wok
- Everything is cut before you turn on the heat. Wok cooking takes minutes: no time to chop between ingredients.
- Very hot wok, then oil. Same logic as a stainless pan: the water drop test works here too.
- Small batches. Too much at once cools the wok and makes food boil. Cook the meat first, take it out, then the vegetables, and bring it all together at the end.
- Hardest to softest. Carrots and broccoli first, sprouts and herbs last: sautéed vegetables follow the same rule.
Our wok
Hammered iron wok, 32 cm, wooden handle — CHF 129. Uncoated iron, gas and induction compatible, supplied without a lid. 2-year warranty, free tracked shipping.
