How to Season Cast Iron Wok – on Induction Stove!
Today’s post is slightly different – I’m sharing how to season cast iron wok. I’ve recently purchased the La Gourmet Nitrigan Cast Iron Wok (this is not a sponsored post) that can be used for induction cooking. According to La Gourmet, it is rust-resistant due to the special nitrigan coating, durable and 30% lighter.
An induction-friendly wok that is 36cm wide, and from La Gourmet? Yes, please (truthfully, I was already sold at induction-friendly wok – the size and company were icing on the cake)!
However, before using it, it’s a good idea to season the wok for a few reasons:
- prolong the wok’s life
- prevent rusting
- develop the wok’s flavourful patina (brown-like coating) that is the natural non-stick coating on the wok
I’ve followed the step-by-step instructions on how to season cast iron wok for the first time on the La Gourmet’s official website. Take care to check your brand’s instructions and follow them if available.
Note: Cast Iron and Carbon Steel Wok have slightly different seasoning techniques. For how to season Carbon Steel Wok, this blog post has it covered nicely!
What’s Needed
- Your Cast Iron Wok
- A sponge – while I was recommended to use a heavy-duty scouring pad, I opted for a soft sponge instead.
- Dishwashing soap
- high-smoke point cooking oil – I used canola oil, but other types (peanut, sunflower, etc) can be used too.
- kitchen towels
- turner – I used a wooden one out of habit, and
- food tongs – optional. I preferred it over the turner.
Steps
Here’s how to season cast iron wok:
- Wash the wok thoroughly with dishwashing soap and a soft sponge.
- Heat the wok over high heat to dry.
- Add a little cooking oil.
- Spread the oil all around the pan.
- Heat the oil on low heat until smoking hot.
- Grip kitchen towel with a pair of food thongs and remove excess oil. Switch off the heat. Repeat Steps 1 to 6 for 3-5 times.
- Once the wok is completely cooled, wash it with soap.
- Dry thoroughly once more.
Tips
- Wipe the bottom of the wok completely dry before setting it on the induction stove. If using a gas stove, this tip can be omitted.
- Ensure the wok is completely dry from heat before adding oil. Otherwise, hot oil splashes may occur.
- Be very careful when handling the wok all through this process, especially when the oil and wok are heated.
- Make sure to completely cool the wok before the second wash. It took about 6 hours for me.
- Right after washing, the cast iron wok is ready to use.
- Cover the cast iron to prevent dust particles from getting to the inside of the wok.
- Make sure to watch the full video to see how I seasoned the wok exactly!
Storage Instructions
Once the first seasoning was done, I decided to keep the cast iron wok for the next day. Ideally, the cast iron should have a protective layer of oil inside to prevent moisture from rusting the pan.
Although it is touted as rust-resistant, I still decided to have the protective oil layer just in case.
Dry completely before brushing a layer of cooking oil and storing it. I also covered it with an oil splash guard to prevent dust particles from settling inside the wok.
When it’s time to use it, just take it out from the storage and place it on the stove.
I hope you have enjoyed this post on how to season cast iron wok.
Wonder what to make with your newly seasoned wok?
How about this Egg Fried Rice recipe?
Happy cooking 😀
How to Season Cast Iron Wok on Induction Stove
Equipment
- cast iron wok
- sponge
- dishwashing soap
- high smoke point cooking oil
- kitchen paper towels
- Turner
- Food Tongs
Instructions
Pre-Wash
- Wash the wok, gently rubbing inside and outside with a sponge and dishwashing soap.
- Wipe the outside base completely dry.
- Place wok on the stove over high heat, until the water inside is completely dry.
- Let it cool slightly, about 20 minutes.
Seasoning
- Add a small amount of cooking oil. With a turner, distribute the oil all around the pan evenly.
- Heat the oil on low heat until smoking, or until 10 minutes. Then, spread the remaining oil all around the pan with kitchen towel gripped by food tongs.
- Switch off the heat.
- Repeat the Seasoning steps for 3 to 5 times.
Post-Seasoning
- Leave the wok aside to cool completely. This may take 6 hours or overnight.
- Wash and rinse off excess oil and residue from the wok.
- Wipe completely dry and use.
Storing
- Brush a thin layer of cooking oil all around the inside of the wok and store until next use.
- Place an oil splash guard, or separate lid over the wok (optional).
Video
Notes
Tips
- Wipe the bottom of the wok completely dry before setting it on the induction stove. If using a gas stove, this tip can be omitted.
- Ensure the wok is completely dry from heat before adding oil. Otherwise, oil splash may occur.
- Be very careful when handling the wok all through this process, especially when the oil and wok are heated.
- Make sure to completely cool the wok before the second wash. It took about 6 hours for me.
- Right after washing, the cast iron wok is ready to use.
- Cover the cast iron to prevent dust particles from getting to the inside of the wok.
- Make sure to watch the full video to see how I seasoned the wok exactly!