LodgeBOLD 14 Inch Seasoned Cast Iron Wok; Design-Forward Cookware

Lots of details went into the design. There are lots of cast iron woks for sale out there. Most of them are made overseas and you have no idea what type of metals got melted into their cast iron. Lodge has been making cast iron pots, pans, griddles, and Dutch ovens forever and they make them in Tenessee.A few details distinguish these from others.1) lies flat upside down. The handles of a lot of woks stick up. This makes them tilt while upside down. They also will not hang nicely on a wall hook [if that's how you want to store it. Also, when you want to cover it with a lid that is perhaps too large, it won't work because of the handles sticking up. The Lodge handles are on the same plane as the top of the wok. They are also big enough to get your fingers around them. [Use heatproof gloves when hot]. They are integrated, i.e. cast in place, not riveted, so they won't break off.2) Large disc on base to keep wok stable and retain heat at the sweet spot. Most wok cooking is done at the concave bottom portion [about 1 cup of oil's worth]. This area needs to be as hot as possible. The Lodge has a thick plate there to retain heat so that when you put the food inside, it doesn't lower the heat [like what happens with thin carbon-steel woks]. This disc also makes it possble to use this wok on electric stoves. Try to concentrate the gas on this center area. This means you might put the wok over a smaller burner than the large one that has a huge spreader disc [which makes the flames bypass the bottom of the wok and heat only the sides - this is counterproductive].3) Preseasoned with vegetable oil and ready to use. Many foreign-made woks are shipped slathered in machine oil to prevent rusting. They've been on a boat for months and this is necessary. Vegetable oil would have gone bad (rancid). This is why they use machine oil. The first thing you need to do with machine-oil preserved woks is to give it a soapy bath to remove all the machine oil. Now it's prone to rust! You will then have to do several "seasoning" rounds of drying, rubbing with thin layer of oil, and baking in an oven 350 for an hour. Repeat until you have a nice patina that won't stick. Much frustration happens when this seasoning is washed off and the wok rusts. Since the Lodge is preseasoned with vegetable oil, a gentle rinsing is all that's needed before using. Still, I washed it mildly, then applied a thin layer [with my fingers] of flaxseed oil or you can use olive oil [don't use a paper towel with flaxseed oil]. It should feel like rubbing in sunscreen in that you are not trying to have any runs or drips. Preheat oven to 350 and bake upside down [good thing it lies flat] on the rack for an hour.4) Now you're ready to cook! Because the Lodge retains heat, make sure all your ingredients are lined up. You'll have to go fast and remove the food fast. Turning off the flame will not cool it immediately. After scooping out the food, put water inside and let it cool.5) To preserve the seasoning, don't use soap. Just scrub off any particles and rinse well. Dry it, and apply a very thin layer of olive oil [no dripping]. Set it on the stovetop and heat it up only enough to evaporate any water vapor. Then let it cool naturally before putting it away.6) If your wok gets rusty, do not throw it away. You can rehabilitate it [watch Lodge video] or if you don't care to do so, donate it so someone else can use it for the next 100 years.Final note: the food I cooked tasted better than with my carbon steel wok. This is because I drizzled the sauce down the hot sides and kept flipping the food until the sauce kind of got dried into the meat and veggies. After scooping it out, I was left with an almost clean wok! It also cooked faster so you get that Wok Hei, or Wok Chi. Because it heats more evenly than a carbon steel wok, I did not get as much oil smoking and burning because I didn't need to wait super long for the oil to heat up in the center [where it would burn on the sides].This product is full of American ingenuity as it takes a centuries old product and improved it with these design details.

I had a stainless wok forever, but if you know about wok cooking you know why that was a bad choice. I absolutely did not want a non-stick wok for the obvious reasons. I read endlessly about woks, watched seasoning videos, bought Grace Young's book (she recommends a carbon steel wok and didn't seem to like American cast iron), but it just seemed that this particular Lodge cast iron wok has it all so this is what I decided to get. I had seen it in a local shop and once I'd looked at it, I kept coming back to it as a possibility. It has the traditional rounded bottom inside, which I've found I really like, but there is a square flat platform on the bottom side so you do NOT need a wok ring. It sits quite nicely on my gas burners and would work equally well on electric coils or a flat top stove. On high, it gets to the right heat in about 10 minutes, and once it is hot, it stays nice and hot, just as it's supposed to. The Lodge wok is beautiful and comes pre-seasoned, which I consider a great feature. When considering a new carbon steel wok, I frankly did not relish the task of getting a thick layer of seasoning on it (over time, too).Taking care of this cast iron wok is extremely simple and no trouble at all. It will become increasingly seasoned as you use it over time, but unlike a new carbon steel wok, this one is ready to go out of the box and you build it up from there. Surprisingly, when you turn off the heat, it seems to cool down for cleaning a lot faster than many reviewers implied. Cleaning is a snap: When it's cool, put it in the sink and add water, use a firm brush to scrub bits out, use a paper towel and water to clean as well (no soap, though!!), then dry it well, put on the heat for a few minutes to thoroughly dry it, then wipe some oil inside the bowl, and you're done. It simply is NO trouble at all, and I want to emphasize that because the whole wok care thing worried me before I got one.I think I read that this weighs 14 pounds. Big deal...this weight makes it nice and solid on the burner, and as a previous reviewer said, you can use two hands/two spatulas if you want to mix the food around with no worry of the wok turning over or moving around and I like not having to to hold onto a handle as you would with the light weight carbon steel woks. If I want to hold one of the handles for any reason, I put on an oven mitt, but I'm finding I don't need to hold any handles at all except when putting it on the stove or moving it to the sink to clean, and in both those instances the wok would be cold. No big deal! A reviewer a couple of reviews before this one made some excellent points so I won't repeat what he said, I'll just say I agree completely. This wok will last forever and Amazon's price is fantastic....it was almost double Amazon's price at my local kitchen shop, PLUS tax on top of that! So this is an amazing buy, and with Amazon prime it arrived in just a couple of days.

I have been using this cast iron wok for a few years now and I am very impressed with its quality and performance. It is seasoned and ready to use right out of the box, and it has a large cooking surface that can handle anything from stir-frying to deep-frying. It heats up quickly and evenly, and retains heat well for consistent results. The handles are sturdy and comfortable, and make it easy to lift and maneuver the wok. The wok is also oven-safe and can be used on various heat sources, including induction, gas, electric, and even fire. It is perfect for making dishes like fried rice, noodles, curries, soups, and more.One of the best features of this wok is that it is naturally nonstick, thanks to the vegetable oil seasoning that creates a smooth and shiny surface. The more I use it, the better it gets. It is very easy to clean and maintain, as I just need to hand wash it with warm water and a soft brush, dry it thoroughly, and rub some oil on it to preserve the finish. I do not need to worry about rusting, chipping, or peeling, as this wok is made to last for generations.This cast iron wok is not only a great cookware, but also a beautiful piece of design. It has a sleek and modern look, with a black matte finish and a bold logo on the bottom. It adds a touch of elegance and style to my kitchen, and I love displaying it on my stove or hanging it on my wall. It is also a great gift idea for anyone who loves cooking and appreciates quality craftsmanship.I highly recommend this cast iron wok to anyone who is looking for a versatile and durable wok that can handle any cooking challenge. It is worth every penny, and I am very happy with my purchase. This is the best wok I have ever owned, and I can’t wait to try more recipes with it.