Cast Iron Cooking Woks

The legacy of Asian cooking is fast catching up in the west. And this is very well proved by the rise of cooking woks in the western kitchens. Woks are integral part of many American kitchens because of the many benefits that they offer. Moreover the wide ranges of woks available in the market make it quite easy to cook the way you desire. One of the popular woks is the Cast Iron which essentially makes cooking a wonderful experience.

Two types of cast iron woks can be found in the market. Chinese cast iron woks are thin (~3 mm) and weigh about the same as a carbon steel wok of similar size, while western cast iron woks tend to be thick (~9 mm), tend to be heavy, and require very long heating times. Cast iron woks are superior to carbon steel woks in heat retention and uniform heat distribution. They also form a more stable carbonized layer of seasoning which makes it less prone to food sticking on the pan. However, both types of cast iron wok also have some disadvantages compared to carbon steel woks. Chinese-style cast iron woks, although quicker in heating and relatively light, are relatively fragile and are prone to shattering if dropped or mishandled. Western-type cast iron woks are slow-heating and slow-cooling, which makes temperature control more difficult.