I'm not much of a cook at all.... but one thing I do
like is fried potatoes and stir fry type dishes

I have a nice skillet (probably too small) though.....
but have wondered if maybe a wok is the better "tool"
for me?

Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the
advantages of wok vs BIG skillet?

On Fri, 17 Dec 2010 10:25:55 -0600, wrote:

>I'm not much of a cook at all.... but one thing I do
>like is fried potatoes and stir fry type dishes
>
>I have a nice skillet (probably too small) though.....
>but have wondered if maybe a wok is the better "tool"
>for me?
>
>Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the
>advantages of wok vs BIG skillet?

Big skillet wins... raw spuds is not something lends itself to stir
frying. I see no point to a wok unless one cooks very teeny
quantities or has a huge BTU gas burner. The vast majority of folks
who wok at home are just fooling themselves (ie. masturbating).

On 2010-12-17, > wrote:

> like is fried potatoes and stir fry type dishes

Those are two entirely different types of frying.

You want a large broad skillet for fried potatoes, as you want the
potatoes to fry on a fairly open surface so they can lose moisture
while frying and properly crisp up. A wok is just the opposite,
concentrating foods down into a small area to retain moisture.

Decide what you want to do, then pick the right tool.

nb

On Dec 17, 8:25*am, wrote:
> I'm not much of a cook at all.... but one thing I do
> like is fried potatoes and stir fry type dishes
>
> I have a nice skillet (probably too small) though.....
> but have wondered if maybe a wok is the better "tool"
> for me?
>
> Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the
> advantages of wok vs BIG skillet?

Buy them both. They really aren't that expensive.

Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:

>Big skillet wins..

OK

Well I think all I have right now is an 8-10 inch
skillet

Just doesn't seem big enough

Chemo the Clown > wrote:

>Buy them both. They really aren't that expensive.

yeah I might do just that

any advice on a decent wok to buy? Brand and model?

wrote:
> I'm not much of a cook at all.... but one thing I do
> like is fried potatoes and stir fry type dishes
>
> I have a nice skillet (probably too small) though.....
> but have wondered if maybe a wok is the better "tool"
> for me?
>
> Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the



Probably not. A good one won't be cheap, is hard to store,
and needs a very hot burner to work properly. You will probably use it
a few times then it will sit in the back of the cupboard till you give
it to Goodwill. (Electric woks are useless, by the way--they don't get
hot enough.)

A few skillets in different sizes will be much more useful.

gloria p

"gloria.p" > wrote:

>A few skillets in different sizes will be much more useful.

Point taken! Thanks!

On Dec 17, 11:25*am, wrote:
> I'm not much of a cook at all.... but one thing I do
> like is fried potatoes and stir fry type dishes
>
> I have a nice skillet (probably too small) though.....
> but have wondered if maybe a wok is the better "tool"
> for me?
>
> Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the
> advantages of wok vs BIG skillet?

I get by without one. I have two wok cookbooks, and everything turns
out fine in a deep skillet, like a chicken fryer, or just a slope
edged skillet of at least 10 inches in diameter..

Save your money and storage space.

On Dec 17, 11:49*am, "gloria.p" > wrote:
> wrote:
> > I'm not much of a cook at all.... but one thing I do
> > like is fried potatoes and stir fry type dishes
>
> > I have a nice skillet (probably too small) though.....
> > but have wondered if maybe a wok is the better "tool"
> > for me?
>
> > Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the
>
> Probably not. *A good one won't be cheap, is hard to store,
> and needs a very hot burner to work properly. *You will probably use it
> a few times then it will sit in the back of the cupboard till you give
> it to Goodwill. *(Electric woks are useless, by the way--they don't get
> hot enough.)
>
> A few skillets in different sizes will be much more useful.
>
> gloria p

I'll add onto this. I had a stovetop wok once - with an electric
stove on the highest settting, it still never got hot enough. I
donated it, but did keep the nice skimmer tool which was part of the
collection.

I still say - don't buy one. Put the money in your retirement fund.

On Fri, 17 Dec 2010 10:49:00 -0600, wrote:

> Chemo the Clown > wrote:
>
>>Buy them both. They really aren't that expensive.
>
> yeah I might do just that
>
> any advice on a decent wok to buy? Brand and model?

do you have a gas or electric stove? for gas, you want a round-bottomed
wok with a ring stand. electric means flat-bottomed.

if there are asian markets near you, a hammered carbon steel wok will be
pretty inexpensive and work fine.

your pal,
blake

On Dec 17, 11:25*am, wrote:
> I'm not much of a cook at all.... but one thing I do
> like is fried potatoes and stir fry type dishes
>
> I have a nice skillet (probably too small) though.....
> but have wondered if maybe a wok is the better "tool"
> for me?
>
> Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the
> advantages of wok vs BIG skillet?

I've had a wok. No big deal. Now I just use a seasoned cast iron
skillet. For everything from scrambled eggs to stir fries. Works
fine. A wok works well if you wish to do a little deep frying;
because of it's shape. You don't need too much oil. Not as much as
in a skillet. But because of it's curvature, you can't put as much
stuff into it for deep frying at once.

wrote in :

> any advice on a decent wok to buy?

If you plan to use your wok sporadically, I recommend you choose one with a
flat bottom and non-stick coating which you can use directly on a heating
element. I saw quite a suitable one for such a purpose for about 20$ at
the supermarket yesterday. Brands? I think Starfrit.

But if you plan to cook more seriously, the carbon steel wok with the stove
ring is your best choice (dissenting voices notwithstanding).

Go to a Chinese kitchen supply store and buy an unseasoned carbon steel wok
with a lid, a stove ring, a bamboo cleaning brush and a proper ladle.
Season it once you get it home. If you don't know how to do that, you can
find it online (seasoning carbon steel kitchenware). Here is an example of
an unseasoned carbon steel wok:

http://www.alibaba.com/product-
gs/293068519/Carbon_Steel_Unseasoned_Chinese_Wok.html

http://tinyurl.com/3aa93h7

Your wok will darken with use and its cleaning will improve over time.

The problem with non-stick coating is that eventually it will degrade and
your wok will lose its appeal. If you start with an unseasoned wok and
work your way up, the patina which the wok will acquire will be a permanent
non-stick coating which cannot degrade.

--

When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag
and carrying a cross.

Sinclair Lewis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnrYMafCzeE

wrote:

-snip-
>Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the
>advantages of wok vs BIG skillet?

I'll repeat what a lot of folks have said-- Get a bigger skillet- the
heavier the better.

I got a wok a few years ago because my new gas stove had a 20K[30K?]
BTU burner. Because it was so much bigger than my old stove's big
burner, I thought I could run a Wok.

I used it a couple times- then went back to my heavy skillet. Last
summer I bought an 80K Bayou burner for another project- and noticed
that some folks were using theirs as a Wok burner.

So I dragged out my wok and gave it a shot. By the end of the summer
I was Wokking at about 3/4 power. [as a comparison- the burner in
the local oriental rest. probably go 200-500k. That's hot!]] It is
an entirely different experience/result than cooking inside on the
stove.

Do your skilleting indoors-- but if You want to play with a Wok- pick
up a dedicated burner for it. You will most likely have to use it
outside- but it is worth it if you really want to try to get good
results with a Wok.

Jim

On Dec 17, 8:25*am, wrote:
> I'm not much of a cook at all.... but one thing I do
> like is fried potatoes and stir fry type dishes
>
> I have a nice skillet (probably too small) though.....
> but have wondered if maybe a wok is the better "tool"
> for me?
>
> Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the
> advantages of wok vs BIG skillet?

Woks cook fast, and make stir frying easy. I can't imagine stirfrying
in a skillet, which is designed for browning or slow frying. Doesn't
the food fly out as you stir it?

I've had my wok for well over 30 years now -- it was a Taylor & Ng.
Round bottomed, I've always used it on a gas stove, with a ring. Once
everything is chopped and ready, cooking takes only 5-10 minutes.

On Fri, 17 Dec 2010 12:41:17 -0500, blake murphy
> wrote:

> if there are asian markets near you, a hammered carbon steel wok will be
> pretty inexpensive and work fine.

Ditto. No need to go overboard. Buy a more expensive one and you're
throwing money away unnecessarily. Most Asians buy theirs from the
market too and they use theirs on a daily basis. I figure if it's
good enough for them, it's good enough for me.

--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

On Fri, 17 Dec 2010 10:33:49 -0800 (PST), spamtrap1888
> wrote:

>On Dec 17, 8:25*am, wrote:
>> I'm not much of a cook at all.... but one thing I do
>> like is fried potatoes and stir fry type dishes
>>
>> I have a nice skillet (probably too small) though.....
>> but have wondered if maybe a wok is the better "tool"
>> for me?
>>
>> Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the
>> advantages of wok vs BIG skillet?
>
>Woks cook fast, and make stir frying easy. I can't imagine stirfrying
>in a skillet, which is designed for browning or slow frying. Doesn't
>the food fly out as you stir it?

Stir frying is the neophytes nomenclature for sauteing. Just pick up
the pan by it's handle and frip the lice chop chop. I'm sure the
Chinese don't call it "stir frying"... don't think they can pronounce
stil flying ah so!

Brooklyn1 wrote:
>
> On Fri, 17 Dec 2010 10:25:55 -0600, wrote:
>
> >I'm not much of a cook at all.... but one thing I do
> >like is fried potatoes and stir fry type dishes
> >
> >I have a nice skillet (probably too small) though.....
> >but have wondered if maybe a wok is the better "tool"
> >for me?
> >
> >Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the
> >advantages of wok vs BIG skillet?
>
> Big skillet wins... raw spuds is not something lends itself to stir
> frying. I see no point to a wok unless one cooks very teeny
> quantities or has a huge BTU gas burner. The vast majority of folks
> who wok at home are just fooling themselves (ie. masturbating).

I agree, unless you have a high BTU burner (or cook over a wood or
charcoal fire) you don't have enough heat input for a wok to function
properly and you may as well use an ordinary large skillet.

wrote:
>
> Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
>
> >Big skillet wins..
>
> OK
>
> Well I think all I have right now is an 8-10 inch
> skillet
>
> Just doesn't seem big enough

Think bigger, like 14-18".

Brooklyn1 wrote on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 11:33:23 -0500:

>> I'm not much of a cook at all.... but one thing I do
>> like is fried potatoes and stir fry type dishes
>>
>> I have a nice skillet (probably too small) though.....
>> but have wondered if maybe a wok is the better "tool"
>> for me?
>>
>> Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the
>> advantages of wok vs BIG skillet?

We used a fast-heating electric wok satisfactorily for many years and it
still works but you need a fairly high wattage electric wok if you don't
have a gas stove. Nowadays, when I stir fry for myself, I simply use a
non-stick skillet. Overall, I do believe that if you have gas, a regular
wok produces the best results.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

On Dec 17, 12:18*pm, "Pete C." > wrote:
> Brooklyn1 wrote:
>
> > On Fri, 17 Dec 2010 10:25:55 -0600, wrote:
>
> > >I'm not much of a cook at all.... but one thing I do
> > >like is fried potatoes and stir fry type dishes
>
> > >I have a nice skillet (probably too small) though.....
> > >but have wondered if maybe a wok is the better "tool"
> > >for me?
>
> > >Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the
> > >advantages of wok vs BIG skillet?
>
> > Big skillet wins... raw spuds is not something lends itself to stir
> > frying. *I see no point to a wok unless one cooks very teeny
> > quantities or has a huge BTU gas burner. *The vast majority of folks
> > who wok at home are just fooling themselves (ie. masturbating).
>
> I agree, unless you have a high BTU burner (or cook over a wood or
> charcoal fire) you don't have enough heat input for a wok to function
> properly and you may as well use an ordinary large skillet.

Hmm... should I go by this unsupported assertion, or rely on over
thirty years of personal experience stir-frying on ordinary gas
stoves?

On 17/12/2010 11:25 AM, wrote:
> I'm not much of a cook at all.... but one thing I do
> like is fried potatoes and stir fry type dishes
>
> I have a nice skillet (probably too small) though.....
> but have wondered if maybe a wok is the better "tool"
> for me?
>
> Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the
> advantages of wok vs BIG skillet?

To get the most out of a wok you need a really hot stove. Electric
stoves don't cut it, and especially not ceramic top stoves. So you may
as well just get a nice big skillet, which will be adequate for stir
frying, and which will be more versatile.

On Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:18:35 -0600, "Pete C." >
wrote:

>
>Brooklyn1 wrote:
>>
>> On Fri, 17 Dec 2010 10:25:55 -0600, wrote:
>>
>> >I'm not much of a cook at all.... but one thing I do
>> >like is fried potatoes and stir fry type dishes
>> >
>> >I have a nice skillet (probably too small) though.....
>> >but have wondered if maybe a wok is the better "tool"
>> >for me?
>> >
>> >Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the
>> >advantages of wok vs BIG skillet?
>>
>> Big skillet wins... raw spuds is not something lends itself to stir
>> frying. I see no point to a wok unless one cooks very teeny
>> quantities or has a huge BTU gas burner. The vast majority of folks
>> who wok at home are just fooling themselves (ie. masturbating).
>
>I agree, unless you have a high BTU burner (or cook over a wood or
>charcoal fire) you don't have enough heat input for a wok to function
>properly and you may as well use an ordinary large skillet.

Were I seriously into stir frying on my ordinary gas stove I'd have
this:
http://debuyer.com/product.php?id=71...=bleu1&start=2

http://www.amazon.com/Buyer-Mineral-...pd_sim_dbs_k_3

In article >,
wrote:

> I'm not much of a cook at all.... but one thing I do
> like is fried potatoes and stir fry type dishes
>
> I have a nice skillet (probably too small) though.....
> but have wondered if maybe a wok is the better "tool"
> for me?
>
> Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the
> advantages of wok vs BIG skillet?

The way I cook, there is no advantage, so I don't have a wok. I do my
stir fries in a skillet.

--
Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
Holy Order of the Sacred Sisters of St. Pectina of Jella
"Always in a jam, never in a stew; sometimes in a pickle."
Pepparkakor particulars posted 11-29-2010;
http://web.me.com/barbschaller

On Dec 17, 1:43*pm, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
> On Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:18:35 -0600, "Pete C." >
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >Brooklyn1 wrote:
>
> >> On Fri, 17 Dec 2010 10:25:55 -0600, wrote:
>
> >> >I'm not much of a cook at all.... but one thing I do
> >> >like is fried potatoes and stir fry type dishes
>
> >> >I have a nice skillet (probably too small) though.....
> >> >but have wondered if maybe a wok is the better "tool"
> >> >for me?
>
> >> >Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the
> >> >advantages of wok vs BIG skillet?
>
> >> Big skillet wins... raw spuds is not something lends itself to stir
> >> frying. *I see no point to a wok unless one cooks very teeny
> >> quantities or has a huge BTU gas burner. *The vast majority of folks
> >> who wok at home are just fooling themselves (ie. masturbating).
>
> >I agree, unless you have a high BTU burner (or cook over a wood or
> >charcoal fire) you don't have enough heat input for a wok to function
> >properly and you may as well use an ordinary large skillet.
>
> Were I seriously into stir frying on my ordinary gas stove I'd have
> this:http://debuyer.com/product.php?id=71...=bleu1&start=2
>
> http://www.amazon.com/Buyer-Mineral-...dp/B002L874UI/...

Hmm... Should I spend $70 for a frypan, or $35 for a wok with cover
and gas ring?

http://www.taylorandng.com/index.php...c-wok-set.html

On 12/17/2010 6:49 AM, wrote:
> Chemo the > wrote:
>
>> Buy them both. They really aren't that expensive.
>
> yeah I might do just that
>
> any advice on a decent wok to buy? Brand and model?

Just get a generic no-name wok. My guess is that the brand name ones are
gonna be expensive. You want a cheap wok that's made of a good gauge
steel. Don't get a lightweight one!

I've used them for decades although these days I have no wok but I still
cook at high temperatures. If you have an electric stove that puts out a
lot of wattage, you'll do fine. People that say you need a gas stove
simply haven't tried wokking with a proper electric stove or worse, have
no experience with cooking in this manner.

You should get a bamboo or wooden spatula and an metal wok
scraper/spatula thingie. A squeeze ketchup dispenser filled with cooking
oil is nice to have. A lot of people recommend peanut oil but I always
used plain old cheap vegetable oil. So it smokes a little - I don't mind.

The versatile wok can be used for deep frying and stewing chicken and
steaming and I've even tried tea smoking chicken although I never did
develop that technique. Mostly I stir-fried dishes and I enjoyed that a
lot because of the groove you develop with a little practice.

If you want go down the path of wokking, all I can say is that I hope
your journey is as rewarding as mine was. My trip lasted about 25 years.
Good luck!

On Fri, 17 Dec 2010 13:11:25 -0800 (PST), spamtrap1888
> wrote:

> On Dec 17, 12:18*pm, "Pete C." > wrote:
> > Brooklyn1 wrote:
> >
> > > On Fri, 17 Dec 2010 10:25:55 -0600, wrote:
> >
> > > >I'm not much of a cook at all.... but one thing I do
> > > >like is fried potatoes and stir fry type dishes
> >
> > > >I have a nice skillet (probably too small) though.....
> > > >but have wondered if maybe a wok is the better "tool"
> > > >for me?
> >
> > > >Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the
> > > >advantages of wok vs BIG skillet?
> >
> > > Big skillet wins... raw spuds is not something lends itself to stir
> > > frying. *I see no point to a wok unless one cooks very teeny
> > > quantities or has a huge BTU gas burner. *The vast majority of folks
> > > who wok at home are just fooling themselves (ie. masturbating).
> >
> > I agree, unless you have a high BTU burner (or cook over a wood or
> > charcoal fire) you don't have enough heat input for a wok to function
> > properly and you may as well use an ordinary large skillet.
>
> Hmm... should I go by this unsupported assertion, or rely on over
> thirty years of personal experience stir-frying on ordinary gas
> stoves?
>
They're from the "Tim, the Toolman, Taylor" school of thought.

--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

On Fri, 17 Dec 2010 12:01:00 -1000, dsi1 > wrote:

> People that say you need a gas stove
> simply haven't tried wokking with a proper electric stove or worse, have
> no experience with cooking in this manner.

I suspect that's the case. Usually, the bigger the mouth the less
experience with the situation.

--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

On Dec 17, 11:00*am, sf > wrote:
> On Fri, 17 Dec 2010 12:41:17 -0500, blake murphy
>
> > wrote:
> > if there are asian markets near you, a hammered carbon steel wok will be
> > pretty inexpensive and work fine.
>
> Ditto. *No need to go overboard. *Buy a more expensive one and you're
> throwing money away unnecessarily. *Most Asians buy theirs from the
> market too and they use theirs on a daily basis. *I figure if it's
> good enough for them, it's good enough for me.
>

A warning: Asian markets are filled with thin crappy sheet metal woks
as well. Don't be fooled into buying one of them -- make sure you get
hammered carbon steel.

sf wrote:
>
> On Fri, 17 Dec 2010 13:11:25 -0800 (PST), spamtrap1888
> > wrote:
>
> > On Dec 17, 12:18 pm, "Pete C." > wrote:
> > > Brooklyn1 wrote:
> > >
> > > > On Fri, 17 Dec 2010 10:25:55 -0600, wrote:
> > >
> > > > >I'm not much of a cook at all.... but one thing I do
> > > > >like is fried potatoes and stir fry type dishes
> > >
> > > > >I have a nice skillet (probably too small) though.....
> > > > >but have wondered if maybe a wok is the better "tool"
> > > > >for me?
> > >
> > > > >Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the
> > > > >advantages of wok vs BIG skillet?
> > >
> > > > Big skillet wins... raw spuds is not something lends itself to stir
> > > > frying. I see no point to a wok unless one cooks very teeny
> > > > quantities or has a huge BTU gas burner. The vast majority of folks
> > > > who wok at home are just fooling themselves (ie. masturbating).
> > >
> > > I agree, unless you have a high BTU burner (or cook over a wood or
> > > charcoal fire) you don't have enough heat input for a wok to function
> > > properly and you may as well use an ordinary large skillet.
> >
> > Hmm... should I go by this unsupported assertion, or rely on over
> > thirty years of personal experience stir-frying on ordinary gas
> > stoves?
> >
> They're from the "Tim, the Toolman, Taylor" school of thought.

You'll find that same "unsupported" assertion from many professional
chefs and you'll find they all use woks on burners with much higher BTU
output than an "ordinary" gas stove.

It's a bit like folks who get a pizza stone and then are afraid to run
the oven hot enough and set it at 350, yes, they'll get the pizza
cooked, but they will not get the correct results that they would get
running the oven hot enough (500-500 if your oven will do it).

On 12/17/2010 5:16 PM, sf wrote:
> On Fri, 17 Dec 2010 13:11:25 -0800 (PST), spamtrap1888
> > wrote:
>
>> On Dec 17, 12:18 pm, "Pete > wrote:
>>> Brooklyn1 wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Fri, 17 Dec 2010 10:25:55 -0600, wrote:
>>>
>>>>> I'm not much of a cook at all.... but one thing I do
>>>>> like is fried potatoes and stir fry type dishes
>>>
>>>>> I have a nice skillet (probably too small) though.....
>>>>> but have wondered if maybe a wok is the better "tool"
>>>>> for me?
>>>
>>>>> Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the
>>>>> advantages of wok vs BIG skillet?
>>>
>>>> Big skillet wins... raw spuds is not something lends itself to stir
>>>> frying. I see no point to a wok unless one cooks very teeny
>>>> quantities or has a huge BTU gas burner. The vast majority of folks
>>>> who wok at home are just fooling themselves (ie. masturbating).
>>>
>>> I agree, unless you have a high BTU burner (or cook over a wood or
>>> charcoal fire) you don't have enough heat input for a wok to function
>>> properly and you may as well use an ordinary large skillet.
>>
>> Hmm... should I go by this unsupported assertion, or rely on over
>> thirty years of personal experience stir-frying on ordinary gas
>> stoves?
>>
> They're from the "Tim, the Toolman, Taylor" school of thought.
>
Or not, maybe do a little reading about "wok hei" (hint, it is the
reason for that great flavor you get from a good Chinese restaurant that
you can never duplicate without a big burner).

"James Silverton" >
wrote:

>Overall, I do believe that if you have gas, a regular
>wok produces the best results.

I have an electric stove if that matters any

I guess maybe if I did get a wok..... I should look at
the self contained electric models?

blake murphy > wrote:

>do you have a gas or electric stove? for gas, you want a round-bottomed
>wok with a ring stand. electric means flat-bottomed.
>
>if there are asian markets near you, a hammered carbon steel wok will be
>pretty inexpensive and work fine.

I have an electric stove only

wrote in :

>>do you have a gas or electric stove? for gas, you want a round-bottomed
>>wok with a ring stand. electric means flat-bottomed.
>>
>>if there are asian markets near you, a hammered carbon steel wok will be
>>pretty inexpensive and work fine.
>
> I have an electric stove only

Don't worry about it...you can use a stove ring stand on an electric
burner. I do all the time and it's fine.

--

When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag
and carrying a cross.

Sinclair Lewis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnrYMafCzeE

wrote in :

> I guess maybe if I did get a wok..... I should look at
> the self contained electric models?

More likely to break down than the non-electric model ;-)

--

When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag
and carrying a cross.

Sinclair Lewis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnrYMafCzeE

"Melba's Jammin'" wrote
wrote:

>> I have a nice skillet (probably too small) though.....
>> but have wondered if maybe a wok is the better "tool"
>> for me?

>> Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the
>> advantages of wok vs BIG skillet?
>
> The way I cook, there is no advantage, so I don't have a wok. I do my
> stir fries in a skillet.

Pretty much same here for all that I 'asian cook' a goodly bit. The minimal
value added on a wok is removed by the storage space needed in my case.

On Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:38:24 -0800 (PST), spamtrap1888
> wrote:

> On Dec 17, 11:00*am, sf > wrote:
> > On Fri, 17 Dec 2010 12:41:17 -0500, blake murphy
> >
> > > wrote:
> > > if there are asian markets near you, a hammered carbon steel wok will be
> > > pretty inexpensive and work fine.
> >
> > Ditto. *No need to go overboard. *Buy a more expensive one and you're
> > throwing money away unnecessarily. *Most Asians buy theirs from the
> > market too and they use theirs on a daily basis. *I figure if it's
> > good enough for them, it's good enough for me.
> >
>
> A warning: Asian markets are filled with thin crappy sheet metal woks
> as well. Don't be fooled into buying one of them -- make sure you get
> hammered carbon steel.

Maybe he should buy one as cheaply as possible to figure out if he
will do enough wok cooking to matter if he buys anything better or
not. I have produced Chinese food that tastes like it came from a
restaurant using a round bottomed steel (no clue if it's carbon) wok
and ring that I bought at a hardware store in Chinatown, on an
electric stove. <shrug> You don't need the most expensive cooking
implements to produce tasty food.

--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

"Pete C." > wrote:

-snip-
>
>It's a bit like folks who get a pizza stone and then are afraid to run
>the oven hot enough and set it at 350, yes, they'll get the pizza
>cooked, but they will not get the correct results that they would get
>running the oven hot enough (500-500 if your oven will do it).

Pizza was why I bought the Bayou burner-- I still don't have the
'oven' together, but the goal is to cook the pizza on a 700F stone.

High heat is more than just showing off-- it is chemistry.

Jim

On Dec 17, 8:25 am, wrote:
> I'm not much of a cook at all.... but one thing I do
> like is fried potatoes and stir fry type dishes
>
> I have a nice skillet (probably too small) though.....
> but have wondered if maybe a wok is the better "tool"
> for me?
>
> Can someone give this neophyte cook some advice on the
> advantages of wok vs BIG skillet?

Buy a skillet for the potatoes, as Sheldon says. If you really want
to do Asian-style stirfries buy a wok. I've made Chinese stirfries
for decades and it can be done at home, no matter the naysayers.

For your electric stove, buy this one:
http://www.wokshop.com/HTML/products...od-handle.html
Buy the 12-inch size for most home cooking. It has a flat bottom so
you can put it directly on the burner which will be stable and will
maximize heat.

On their website you'll find a video about how to season it.

The main point to remember is not to fear high heat. Set the burner
on high and leave it there. A little smoke is a good thing. If you
temporarily need less heat during the cooking of a dish, move the wok
off to the other front burner but leave the main one on, staying red
hot. Things should sizzle loudly when you put food in the wok and
should continue to sizzle. When you put meat in the wok, spread it
out evenly and let it sear for a couple of minutes before you begin to
stir it around.

Stirfrying is a big subject. Grace Young's books are quite
useful. -aem

Jim Elbrecht wrote:
>
> "Pete C." > wrote:
>
> -snip-
> >
> >It's a bit like folks who get a pizza stone and then are afraid to run
> >the oven hot enough and set it at 350, yes, they'll get the pizza
> >cooked, but they will not get the correct results that they would get
> >running the oven hot enough (500-500 if your oven will do it).
>
> Pizza was why I bought the Bayou burner-- I still don't have the
> 'oven' together, but the goal is to cook the pizza on a 700F stone.
>
> High heat is more than just showing off-- it is chemistry.
>
> Jim

Yes, the "real" pizza ovens run in the 700-800F range. The 500-550F that
most home ovens can get to is hot enough to get a reasonable result at
least, something you won't get down at 350F.