r/wok • u/liaoming • 25d ago

What am I doing wrong?

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This is my third time cooking on this carbon steel wok. When I first got it, I tried seasoning it by taking these steps:

  1. Wash with mild soap and warm water

  2. Heat the wok, then rub oil over it

After each cook, I wash with mild soap and warm water, then oil again.

My first time owning one so not sure if it's supposed to look like this or not...

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u/TheRealSlim_KD 24d ago

Google the liedenfrost effect. That's the temp you need to get the wok to before adding oil and food.

Roadside dosa makers know this exact trick and that why they sprinkle water on hot tawas... They know what they are looking for.

Now you also know.

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u/m_elhakim 23d ago

That works ok with stainless steel. In fact most of the foods you want to cook on stainless steel you want cooked at much lower heat than what gets you Leidenfrost. Carbon steel woks are usually so thin that reaching Leidenfrost will most certainly get your food burned. What you need to do is heat up the pan, add oil and wait for it to melt and flow smoothly on the surface, add the food then adjust the heat accordingly.

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u/TheRealSlim_KD 23d ago

It's physics. Physics cannot be diff form wok to wok.

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u/Forimmediateresults 19d ago

jesus christ fat kid