I was interested in buying a wok to use in cooking for my husband and me but was discouraged when I read you need high BTUs for woks. I pulled out my gas stove’s manual today and read that my largest burner has 15,000 BTUs. Will that do? Here’s my guess at what I’d need:
- Cast iron (including handle/s so I can preheat in the oven??)
- lighter weight
- not sure about flat bottom vs round and wok ring
- probably on the smaller size but I don’t know what that looks like – 12″, more?

Any suggestions?

Also is the 15 BTU stove top going to work or should I buy something I can use outdoors and avoid the smoke as well? I don’t own a BBQ grill yet either.

Thanks for any ideas. Your articles makes me want to cook asian food.. and eat it.. immediately. If you’ve already written on this subject point me in that direction, I just didn’t find it. Thanks!

But the best part is that because of the design of almost all of these portable burners, they hold a classic round bottomed wok perfectly–no ring or any other gadgetry needed. The wok fits securely in the gap of the top grate, and is bathed in a jet of flames.

I have heard, over the years, from serious Chinese cooks, that round bottom woks are superior, and though I used a flat bottomed carbon steel wok for years and thought this silly, I now see why they made such bold statements. I find the round bottomed wok much more “ergonomic” to cook with; it’s easier to get thing up on the sides of the wok, and out of the hot zone, and I get much more uniform and even cooking and loads more wok-hay (though I suppose that is due to the high flames/heat).

Like Barbara I am very attracted to hand hammered carbon steel woks, but my traditional Chinese cast iron wok is so good at getting VERY hot and imparting wok-hay, and it’s so seasoned and easy to use now, I am not sure that a carbon steel would ever get used. I do know that among Cantonese cooks there is real snobbery toward carbon steel. As Barbara points out, I guess it’s best to “never say never” about a new wok coming into one’s life…!

I really enjoyed reading this post. Can you believe that I don’t own any wok? I will either buy a nice carbon steel wok, or if I’m lucky maybe I’ll get one for my birthday. And then I will cook up a batch of spring rolls, modified without meat, thinking of you

I looked at wokshop.com and saw that they have cast iron tea pots, I’ve been wanting one forever. But they are incredible expensive in Sweden, about $140!! I’ll see if it’s possible to ship one from abroad, and if it’s profitable as they are quite heavy.

Have a nice day!

/Dagmar

Good luck on getting a wok! If you ever have questions about one, you can always contact me. I have used them out of just about any material and just about anything that can go wrong with one has when I have had it so I can help you fix the disaster or, even better avoid it entirely. The most important things are for it to be carbon steel or cast iron, and for it to be flat bottomed so it will be close enough to the heating element in order to heat up enough. Woks have to be hot to work.

I’ll probably pick up one of those cast iron thingamajigs that the article mentioned to adapt a round-bottomed wok to a Western style stove and experiment with it, then report on it after our move. No sense in getting a wok and a hunk of iron and then have to pack it!

As for the iron teapots–which btw, I have always wanted one of those as well–before you decide to buy one from Tane, check out ebay–you may find one for sale there that is closer to you, like in Europe, so the shipping will not be as expensive. Lots of folks sell them on ebay, at slightly lower prices than they go for here in the US. You may be able to get a better deal that way.

Ebay is dangerous…that is where I got most of my maneki neko collection, which I bet you would like. Those are the “beckoning cats” you see in Japanese and Chinese businesses. As the main kitchen in the new house will be decorated with them, I’ll likely do a post about them.

Thanks for commenting, Dagmar–have a good new year!