Cast Iron Wok

The Cast Iron Wok Types and Selection Ideas

A wok is usually a cooking vessel, which originally came from China. It is widely used around the world to perform different cooking methods. You are free to choose a wok made of any material. If you go for original or traditional woks, you will notice that most of them are made of cast iron. The cast iron wok is not very preferred today compared to aluminum, stainless steel, and carbon steel metals. However, cast iron has good qualities and some of them improve your health. According to reliable facts, cast iron contains no hazardous substances like chemicals. In addition, it plays a supplementary role of preventing and curing anemia, caused by iron insufficiency. If you are cooking for a child, a sick person or an elderly person, you certainly want the food to retain all its nutrients.  Cast iron woks are ideal because they minimize loss of vitamins in vegetables especially. You have two types of works to purchase. These are:

Western cast iron woks – These types are thick and heavy. They are about nine millimeters thick. Do you know what this means? The wok takes a longer time to heat evenly and afterwards a longer time to cool-off. You may take sometime before you can master the skill of controlling the temperature. Another problem you might have is difficulty in turning, tossing and lifting the wok as you cook the food, because the appliance is heavy.

Chinese cast iron woks – These types are light in weight and they are about three millimeters thick. If you assess them from the perspective of heat retention, the woks are wonderful. Using these Chinese styles, you will cook quickly as the heat distribution is even. In fact, if you intend to do high temperature ranges type of cooking, these woks are great. You can use a little oil or fat and the food will not stick.

When you are buying a cast iron wok, you may be tempted to think that stainless steel is better off because it is modern. Without a doubt, stainless steel is rust-free and it has its unique advantages. However, when you prefer to do non-stick cooking using it, you may have to use extra oil or water. This will prevent sticking as well as burning but the food is much more likely to lose its flavor. If you use cast iron woks instead, you will not have to worry about sticking. Still, cast iron corrodes easily and it is its speckled side. This rust (iron oxide) is harmful to your health because it eventually damages the liver. Vinegar is a common rust stain remover, which is readily available.

Every time you wash your cast iron pot or wok, make sure you dry it thoroughly to prevent formation of rust. Look for cleaning tips for this type of iron on the Internet. Although a cast iron wok is versatile, you may want to avoid cooking acidic fruits with it. According to experts, fruits like bayberry contain acidic juices that react negatively with iron metal. This will not be good for your health and you should avoid it. Simply use this type of wok to prepare healthy and tasty foods like vegetables.

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