How to Care for a Cast Iron Wok

Cast iron woks have been used in China for generations. There are some tricks to caring for your cast iron wok. If you follow these steps your cast iron wok will be nonstick and a joy to cook with for many years to come.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. If you have a new cast iron wok, it comes with a coating of oil to keep it from rusting. This has to be removed. Scrub it well with soap and water and a scrub brush or steel wool. Dry well.

2. Season your wok. It may have come with directions. If not, once it is clean and dry coat it with vegetable shortening inside and out. Place in 300 degree oven for 2 hours. Let cool in oven.

3. Once a cast iron wok has been seasoned, it should not be cleaned with soap or you will destroy the "wok hee" or wok flavor as well as the nonstick properties.

4. To clean use hot water and a bamboo cleaning wisk (traditional) or a scrub brush.

5. Dry your cast iron wok immediately, it will rust of allowed to stay wet.

6. Coat the inside with a very thin coat of oil with a paper towel. Your cast iron wok is now ready to store for the next time.

Resources

• Lodge 14
• 16
• The Breath of a Wok - a wok cookbook

[QueenofMisc]

on 1/26/2009 Cast iron is great. Seasoning is important.

[PABechko]

on 1/19/2009 Helpful information for caring for cast iron.

[FrazzledNanny]

on 1/14/2009 Good instructions. :)

[00Analana]

on 1/14/2009 Great article!

[insidestory]

on 1/14/2009 Good method for seasoning and cleaning cast iron. Thanks.