Info Needed About Cleaning My New Anodized Wok ...

[Jingthing]

OK I bought a very nice 36 cm. Seagull brand Hard Anodized (aluminum) wok.

Label says resists abrasion and corrosion.

It does not require seasoning and the label does NOT say non-stick.

On cleaning care it says clean with dish liquid, rinse, and DRY thoroughly.

OK, I get all that.

So here's my question.

I plan on using a Scotch-Brite SPONGE clean the wok. As it is not non-stick I reckon the soft side of the sponge won't always be good enough.

Can I use the ROUGH SIDE of the sponge to clean this kind of metal? I think so, but if I'm wrong, I'll be ruining my new wok.

[Jingthing]

Oh, another question.

I'm assuming I CAN use metal utensils with this wok as it is not a non-stick.

Sound correct?

[Crossy]

http://calphalon.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/27/~/how-do-i-clean-my-hard-anodized-aluminum-cookware%3F

[Jingthing]

OK, thanks I noticed that before but wanted confirmation. I'm not totally clear on what it means but I THINK it means I CAN use the rough side of the sponge. It also sounds like sometimes I'll need something stronger, this Barkeeper's Friend which I have never even heard of. I'll check Villa for that but wonder if there is a THAI BRAND substitute.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_Keepers_Friend

Well of course I can look for oxalic acid

Edited March 12, 2013 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

OK, I used it. The rough side sponge seems to be OK. I must say this type of pan is more HIGH MAINTENANCE than I'm used to. Also the food does stick quite a lot. Can't take it back now!

[Falcon]

If it was me using it I would still want to season it, I do this with all of the woks I buy as the seasoning of the wok obviously prevents the sticking and helps to preserve the wok. We bought one of the anodized woks a while back by mistake (800 baht) and had the same problem as you the first time we used it, with the sticking so I seasoned it in the usual way and now it it fine. One thing with seasoning the anodized woks, unlike the aluminium woks, you find that it won't turn black at all but just season it the usual way and then put an exttra coating of oil over it and you'll find it cooks a lot better.

[Jingthing]

Interesting idea. The instructions don't suggest seasoning, but this link does:

http://www.ehow.com/how_6591363_season-anodized-cookware.html

Do you wash this wok using dish soap? According to this, you need to keep seasoning the wok again and again if you do that.

I have now used twice, still sticking, and have been using dish soap.

The only other tip I have read is to let food get warmer before using as cold food tends to stick.

[dazk]

my wife uses such a wok in our commercial kitchen the wok is used on high heat burner she only ever washes it in water straight after use so its still hot

from what i understand she seasoned it when first used, but i guess the high heat cooking,with oil keeps it seasoned

so i would suggest rinsing with water while still warm and then dry with a cloth

maybe deep clean and re season once in a while

[Michaelaway]

"Hot pan, cold oil... food won't stick."

-Jeff Smith

[meatboy]

personally i would not by any cooking utensil unless its steel.[expensive here] the type you bought never what or how you cook it will stick as for cleaning wire wool or soak it after use.wf.bought stainless steel wok in the uk.15yrs.ago perfect,keep it seasoned.cant see why it wont last onther 15yrs.go to a chinese hardware store and get one.all our kitchen pans we bought in the uk.you have to pay 4 times more here for good heavy pans.

[Jingthing]

Yeah I may have indeed made a mistake with this purchase. It's been many years since I used a wok. Before I used standard steel one, seasoned it, didn't have sticking issues, and I think I recall cleaning it the traditional way with a Chinese straw-like brush.

This one, reading the instructions again, says soak and wash with dish soap, every time.

Since I've got it now and otherwise like the thing, I'll try out some of these ideas and see if I can make it work for me. I can still actually cook with food sticking, but it's obviously not ideal and rather a mess.

I really don't think wire wool is good for my wok but the rough side of a sponge is OK.

On the hot wok -- cold oil thing, yes I think that is important. It's possible I haven't let this wok get hot enough before putting in the oil. There is a product warning, empty wok too long on high heat makes the wok warp so I have to balance that.

Here is good way to test heat that I just found, with a drip of water:

http://shiokfood.com/notes/archives/000008.html

Anyway, thanks for the ideas.

Edited March 18, 2013 by Jingthing

[wayned]

As they say, live and learn. My wife has a small restaurant and we but 149 baht woks at the local market never had any problems. When they old and black they're still good until the handles fall off then and I can't fix it we buy another one. Designer woks are, designer woks!

[Jingthing]

As they say, live and learn. My wife has a small restaurant and we but 149 baht woks at the local market never had any problems. When they old and black they're still good until the handles fall off then and I can't fix it we buy another one. Designer woks are, designer woks!

Fair enough.

Some more info on the type of wok I bought:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-hard-anodized-cookware.htm

Says this stuff is considered to be stick resistant. Not in my experience! It also clearly says use soapy water every time but suggests using the rough side of the sponge only when absolutely necessary.

[Jingthing]

OK, well, I think I've got my wok problem solved for the most part, helped by this thread.

The third time cooking with it, much less of a stick problem, and I think I can reduce it more with better cooking technique.

Anyway, what I did:

Let ingredients sit out a while, trying to get them warmer

Heat up the wok quite a long time, HIGH HEAT

Used the drop water test as described in the link until it was evaporating really quick

Cooling the oil -- cold oil in hot wok concept

Put in more oil than I'm used to putting in, but not so much that it's a big concern

Letting the oil in the wok heat up a bit

Then start throwing in stuff -- DRAMATIC sizzle!

I will soak in soap after the wok cools and clean with the soft sponge except when the rough side is needed.

Case closed.

Edited March 21, 2013 by Jingthing

[Falcon]

Interesting idea. The instructions don't suggest seasoning, but this link does:

http://www.ehow.com/how_6591363_season-anodized-cookware.html

Do you wash this wok using dish soap? According to this, you need to keep seasoning the wok again and again if you do that.

I have now used twice, still sticking, and have been using dish soap.

The only other tip I have read is to let food get warmer before using as cold food tends to stick.

Once a wok is seasoned, it should NEVER be washed in the conventional way - with soap and water otherwise its just defeating its purpose of seasoning. When you season it you will simply need to buy a brush of osme kind, I use the normal dish washing brush which I keep only for the wok, in the restaurants they use the steel kind of bristles. A wok will always stick if soap of any kind is used, even the lightest of detergents ruins the seasoning so after cooking just run it under the tap and run the brush over it to get any food particles off it and then to dry it, **important** you must not dry it in the conventional way i.e. with a tea towel or similar but just put it back on the burner (cooker) over a hot flame and let it "heat dry" until it starts to smoke. This is the only way that should be used to dry the wok. Lastly, you can put a tiny amount of oil in to the wok after it starts smoking and use a paper towel to quickly smear the oil around the wok. This keeps it good and wont allow any rust to appear even if you dont use the wok for a while.

Just as a matter of interest, when you start cooking with the wok, you dont put the oil in to it when its cold do you? if you do, then this is a reason, aside from using the soap, that its sticking as the correct way to use a wok is to put it on the heat and get it smoking hot and then put the oil in, not before.

I learnt all this while young as I had a lot of Chinese friends and even progressed to helping out in a friends Chinese restaurant on the weekends.

[Jingthing]

This kind of wok that I have is not a standard wok metal. It is a Hard Anodized (aluminum) wok. You don't season this kind of cookware. That is clear. Also this kind of metal NEEDS to be dried by hand. Yes I know to heat up the wok first. Thank you.

Edited March 21, 2013 by Jingthing

[wayned]

OK, well, I think I've got my wok problem solved for the most part, helped by this thread.

The third time cooking with it, much less of a stick problem, and I think I can reduce it more with better cooking technique.

Anyway, what I did:

Let ingredients sit out a while, trying to get them warmer

Heat up the wok quite a long time, HIGH HEAT

Used the drop water test as described in the link until it was evaporating really quick

Cooling the oil -- cold oil in hot wok concept

Put in more oil than I'm used to putting in, but not so much that it's a big concern

Letting the oil in the wok heat up a bit

Then start throwing in stuff -- DRAMATIC sizzle!

I will soak in soap after the wok cools and clean with the soft sponge except when the rough side is needed.

Case closed.

Think that I'll stick to the standard wok! If I had to do all of that to use it, I would have to post an instruction sheet next to the stove. With my short term memory, I'd forget what to do half way through! I'd probably end up cooking the sponge in a cold wok using liquid soap!

[Jingthing]

Next time.