Customer Reviews

Joyce Chen Classic Series 4-Piece Carbon-Steel Wok Set

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

We got this a few weeks ago and we use it all the time. We conditioned it before first use and it is relatively stick free. I've done a lot of stir frying with it and it always turns out great. You could use a skillet for this stuff, but the wok heats up a lot faster and has a huge area to work in. The odd shaped wooden spatula is just right for stirring and turning. Use high quality oil and you'll get a dish that will be way better than your usual greasy restaurant stuff. We've been getting our recipes from "The Everything Stir-Fry Cookbook: 300 Fresh and Flavorful Recipes the Whole Family Will Love" by Rhonda Lauret Parkinson. Of the ten or so recipes we followed, we got great results. Good luck and happy wokking.

This is a great wok, but please make sure to follow these steps....don't worry about the instructions the wok came with, TRUST ME, I've gone through two of these suckers.

1. Remove wok from box and attach handle.
2. Fill about 3/4 of the wok with water and boil (this will help get that sticky oil off).
3. After boiling for a few minutes take off the burner.
4. Wash with a copper or steel scrubber and a little soap!!! (wash the entire wok , I mean top/bottom all over to scrub the oil away (this will be the last time you use a scrubber or even soap to wash the wok)
(There is a factory lacquer oil on the wok, you can't see it but you'll definitely smell it, you must get as much of that oil off before starting the seasoning process).

5. Dry (it's okay if you leave a little water since you will put it right back to the burner).
6. Get the wok back on the burner on medium heat, you will notice the bottom of the pan will start developing a golden color, then almost blue, then darker...
7. After the bottom has some color turn the wok to the side to get the side some heat, repeat this until most of the wok is dark goldish brown/blue, it's perfectly fine if it's not dark all around and is blotchy.
8. Remain on medium heat and even the wok back flat on the burner, now get some oil in there, something that has a high smoke point, lard, canola, veggie oil.....and rub the oil with a paper towel all around the wok, let the wok sit on the medium heat burner for about 5-10 minutes, add more oil if too dry, it might get super smokey so get your windows open and fan running.
9. Now, you should have a seasoned wok!
10. Feel free to throw some bacon in the pan to season even more, I did that but did not eat the bacon, just tossed it out.

After you are done just wash the Wok with a soft sponge and warm water, NO SOAP, NO HARSH SCRUBBER, that will take away the hard work you just put in.

I think it's a great Wok, I will give it 4 not 5 stars because I think it could have come with better instructions on seasoning, I ruined my first one, also it would have been nice to know that there was a lacquer based oil on the wok, I didn't realize that either.....

This is an excellent product. The pan is lighweight without sacrificing sturdiness, it has a good thickness for a wok but is still easy to manage. I did not use the booklet instructions to season the wok, rather I used the wok shop directions, they have a lovely video showing exactly how to season the wok. I followed them and it came out exactly as the woman shows, it was a perfect result.
[...] (warning it can become a little stinky, gets much better after charring the veggies stovetop)

I sauteed some sliced up ginger with the green onions (the video shows just green onions) in peanut oil for the first stove top seasoning. The ginger did stick a bit (because it's so fibrous it grabs onto the hot surface while it cures the first time) which was scary, but if you keep going and make sure the heat is high enough and scrape the black bits off it suddenly turns slippery and magical and everything slides around. Note that she heated the wok very slightly before adding the oil, DO NOT OVERHEAT! You can tell if it's ready by throwing a sprinkle of water onto the bottom of the wok, if it dances and vaporizes a second later you can add the oil. Make sure you have your ingredients prepped to throw in right after or you risk catching fire to the oil or making it smoke. I'm buying a second one for myself (1st was a gift) and think I will do only the green onions, and do a second seasoning on the stove with ginger when it gets much more stick proof. The smell that comes off of it the first time you stir fry is heavenly, absolutely worth the steps. If you care for it properly and never use soap on it after the first cleaning (Only very hot water and a plastic scrubbie or bamboo spatula for tooling off food bits), you'll have a lovely blackened wok in no time.

Purchased this wok a little over a month ago, and while shipping was a bit slow, it was well worth the wait. We use the wok weekly and every dish we have tried so far has turned out great. (Since this is carbon steel, this wok will need to be "seasoned" prior to use. I had never done that before, but found the instructions complete and after having seasoned the wok, I find cooking and clean-up a breeze).

Only complaint was the spatula that came with the wok broke with first use (not from abuse). But we have been using a wooden spatula and find that works quite well.

A number of reviewers praise this product so I ordered it. It came today. Opened the package and accomplished the little bit of assembly required without fuss. Then I followed the instructions for seasoning the carbon steel. I should have realized there was a problem when the instructions said to hold all sides of the wok over the burner. I have an electric stove with a glass top. There is no "burner." I wanted a wok with a flat bottom because of my glass stove top. Anyway seasoning per instructions I oiled the wok and set it over an eye on medium heat. This resulted in a burned wok and a near-kitchen fire. The wok is burned beyond recognition. It just went down the trash shoot. BTW this wok is only vaguely flat-bottomed. It will not sit on a flat surface w/o rocking. If you have an electric stove with a glass top, look for other choices.

Decent quality basic wok for beginners and budget buyers (i.e., not top of the line quality, but not junk either). Lowest priced, decent set I could find with an included cover at the time I purchased. Eventually I will probably buy something higher end, but this is working well for now. I like the wooden knob on the lid, the wooden main handle and wooden helper handle, all of which make it easy to maneuver this wok without burning yourself and which have a very nice finish. Decent quality domed lid. Wok body is carbon steel and conducts heat rapidly which is great - also has a flat bottom which means you do not need a wok ring which is another plus for simplicity - but also means you need to be extra vigilant when stir-frying so you don't let things burn at the bottom. Included booklet has seasoning directions and some nice recipes which is a nice touch. Note that if you season over too high a flame, you may burn the oil too much - medium to medium high flame takes longer but produces better finish. I managed to season this without too much difficulty and dishes I've cooked have come out very well so I'm happy. Cleans easily if you wash it while still very warm - don't scrub too hard or it will ruin the seasoning and do re-oil it after each use and it should hold up well. Mine is doing fine and so far no rusting. So, recommended.

This is my first wok, so it is a learning experience. This wok has a somewhat flattened bottom, which is not necessary if you have a wok ring or cook outdoors over a gas burner. Seasoning was some work, but not difficult. My first dish worked very well. Be sure to rinse, dry thoroughly and oil after each use. The spatula is too short, so go ahead and buy a long wok spatula when you buy this wok.

Update: Sis used the Seasoning recommended prior to use (I had reminded her of this from the Ebook Sample I downloaded). She had no cleaning nor sticking problems, just the food was too spicy for hubby and teenager.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I purchased this as part of a list my Sister gave me for Christmas. I went more by reviews than the price of the item. I also asked if she wanted one for the stove, or an electric plug in device.

Turns out - this was THE PERFECT Wok. After purchasing some books (in particular - Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge - previewed it first), a carbon steel wok is the best to cook with. I also wanted to introduce her to some e reading.

She enjoyed that there was more than just the Wok in her package. Since her Hubby was a little stingy (Scroogy?), she claimed this was her most favorite gift.

So far, this earns a 5 star review. She says I'm invited over sometime next week for Stir Fry - after that - if I need to edit the stars .... ;-)

PS - for her hardcover tastes, and those beginning lessons - I also included Wok Cooking Made Easy: Delicious Meals in Minutes (Learn to Cook Series)

I purchased this Wok on a Monday and received it on Wednesday ... quick shipping even with free super saver! I didn't use the directions that came with the wok when I seasoned the wok. Instead, I used the video suggested on the WOK SHOP website (oven method and stir frying ginger and chives). The wok turned into a beautiful patina color in just 15 minutes. It was very easy to season using the oven method. I do recommend opening the windows and running the overhead fan in your kitchen as the wok will smoke in the oven. I have not used the wok yet except to stir fry the chives, but so far I am very pleased. The quality seems very good. No problem with the handles, lid, etc. The only thing I am a "little" upset about is the price dropped almost $8 just five days from my date of purchase date. Grab it now while the price is good! :)

The seasoning of the wok was successful as evidenced by my first dish: shrimp with bok choy in lime and honey sauce. The shrimp did not stick at all! The pan did not rust. I washed it just with hot water and a nylon scrub pad (gently so as not to scrape off any of the seasoning of the wok) and dried it immediately, wiped oil on the inside and outside and put it away. No rust. Reviewers who are not having success have not read all the most positive reviews and have not done any research to have their purchase succeed. I realize that sellers could try harder to inform us how to succeed, but we know that is not going to happen.

Earlier review:
This review will be edited after I cook. I began the review because I could not attach the long wooden handle without it spinning around. Had I removed all the parts provided, including the knob for the lid, I would have found the piece that prevents the wood from spinning around. So I am now proceeding to season the wok per the instructions of The Wok Shop as an earlier reviewer suggested. These instructions seem to call for a more thorough process than the ones provided with the Joyce Chen 14" Carbon Steel. I note also that the leaflet which came with the carbon steel wok also has instructions for seasoning a non-stick wok. Perhaps the lack of success some have had with this item was because they followed the incorrect set of instructions? Just a thought.