Who said anything about a dangerously hot wok?
He might have been referring to the two grease fires I had yesterday, that I mentioned in the OP.
Who said anything about a dangerously hot wok?
Who said anything about a dangerously hot wok?
He might have been referring to the two grease fires I had yesterday, that I mentioned in the OP.
I disagree. Chinese restaurants are not cooking a larger quantity of food than any other type of restaurant or needing to cook any quicker than any other type of restaurant, yet they go through the huge expense of getting those jet burners installed and pay the price for all the gas they burn. With margins what they are for restaurants, they are all looking to keep costs down wherever they can. If they were able to get the same results with a standard restaurant kitchen setup they would. The wok flavor that you get from a good Chinese restaurants meal is accomplished because of the high heat. I am not saying that you can't get excellent results in a home kitchen with a standard stove, but you will not get the "wok hay" flavor that is so sought after. That comes from the high heat and well seasoned wok.
Woks are inventions of necessity: in lands where fuel is scarce, foods must be cooked quickly. The semipsherical curve of the wok permits maximum cooking surface based on minimal fuel contact. This explains (in part) why foods destined for the wok are routinely chopped into small, thin slices. They cook faster that way. The wok is also the ultimate tool of kitchen convenience, as it can be used to boil, sautee, stir-fry, deep-fry and steam. As one pot cooks all, clean-up is likewise minimal. According to the food historians, woks have been around for about two thousand years.
I believe the OP's issue is not dangerously high heat but technique. Many of us who use high heat have no issue with flaming oil.
As I said before. You do it your way and I'll do it mine.
I do not disagree with any of that GotGarlic. I was just disagreeing with the reason you said they use the high heat in Chinese restaurants. I am saying they use it for the unique flavor it gives the food, not because they are trying to cook more or faster.
I personally am not pursuing a Chinese-restaurant experience when I make stir-fry, although I know many others are. The wok itself was invented because Chinese civilization is so old, they became short of fuel and the wok is a very efficient transmitter of energy. So authentic Chinese wok cooking is not done over thousands of BTUs of gas heat.
Food Timeline: Asian Food - Wok
I've read similar opinions a couple of times, and this is where I get a little skeptical. A primitive wood fire can outheat a typical modern electric range, no? And a primitive forge is not much more than a well designed wood stove, and that will melt a wok. No reason you can't get super hot with a small wood fire.
Here's the list of books that quote came from. I suppose you could do some more research and report back to us.
- The Food of China, E. N. Anderson [Yale University Press:New Haven] 1988 (p. 184-5)
- A History of Cooks and Cooking, Michael Symons [University of Illinois:Urbana] 2000 (p. 78)
- Cambridge World History of Food, Kenneth F. Kiple & Kriemhild Conee Ornelas [Cambrdige University Press:Cambridge] 2000, Volume Two (p. 1169)
[NOTE: This book has a long list of citation for further study.]
The local kitchen supply store has burners that run off these little cans, butane I think. If I remember correctly, they put out a quite a few BTU. I'll have to check it out.
Some of them are definitely safe indoors. I have one called a Thunder Range, that we have for power outages. It's specifically designed with butane as the fuel, so it is safe indoors.Whoa! I'm not exactly sure what you're talking about but----How will that help you get more heat for your wok, in the right places? Is that safe? Indoors?
But I also want to make it clear that a delicious Chinese meal can be made with a wok on an electric range. I've done it.You can do it.
Some of them are definitely safe indoors. I have one called a Thunder Range, that we have for power outages. It's specifically designed with butane as the fuel, so it is safe indoors.
Hold on, you're being a bit unfair. Just because some folks did some research doesn't mean I should turn off my brain. And just because I haven't written a book on wok cooking doesn't mean I don't know a thing or two about wood fires.
Either way, I find nothing objectionable in the material you referenced. What I am skeptical of is the inference that conservation of fuel means lower heat that a Super Deluxe Gordan Ramsey Elite VIII Stove.
I'm not saying you're wrong.
I'm not saying traditional Chinese cooking means super high heat.
I'm not saying one way is better than the other.
I'm just saying I can't see why you can't get a wok super hot with just a few logs of wood.
Put the wok on high heat and it will start smoking shortly. When it starts to smoke, add a couple of tablespoons of oil in the pan and wait a minute or so until it starts to smoke then add your meat and start stir-frying. If you don't splash the oil around too much, you shouldn't have a problem.