Woks are used to stir-fry vegetables and meat.
While a standard household staple in Asian cultures, the wok is a novelty in the average American home. The bowl-like shape of the wok makes it easier to cook food healthily and evenly. Transitioning the wok for use with outdoor cooking seems like such a natural progression considering the fact that grilled food also tends to lean in the direction of healthy cooking.
Important Wok Features
When buying a wok for outdoor cooking look for a wok that is made of carbon steel. Carbon steel woks are durable and strong. Plus, they tend to heat and thus cook more evenly. You should also look for a wok with high sides because it helps ensure even cooking and you are less likely to over stir food out of the wok.
Prepare Ingredients Ahead
Before you heat your wok prepare the ingredients you plan to cook in it. Woks generally heat quickly and food also cooks quickly in a wok. Pre-cut veggies and meats into bites sized pieces. Measure liquid ingredient and spices. Have all the ingredients within reach of the wok so you can easily add them while continuously stirring.
Heat Before Oil
Before you add oil to your wok, allow it to warm up for about 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat. Then, add the oil and make sure you move the oil around so it coats both the sides and the bottom of the pan.
Adding Ingredients
When adding ingredients use a large spatula with length to ensure you can continuously stir the ingredients. Diana De Cicco, of Sheknows.com, recommends cooking vegetables before you add meat. You should cook things like garlic and onion in the wok for a minute or softened before adding meat. Hardier vegetables like peppers, carrots, eggplant and carrots should cook for two minutes prior to adding meat. You should add delicate and leafy vegetables like broccoli, spinach, cabbage and bok choy toward the end of cooking so they don't turn mushy.
Other Functions
Many people think of a wok as a stir fry cooker. You can use Woks for deep frying, boiling, steaming, braising and simmering food. This makes it ideal for expanding the possibility of your outdoor kitchen. In fact, woks are often used to keep the food cooked on the grill warm after you remove it from the grill surface.
Tags: adding meat, food also, meat should, should cook, vegetables like