I do abundantly of wok cooking? I do a lot of wok cooking. I am interested in...
I do a lot of wok cooking. I am interested in a catalogue, but without going to the "commercial" ranges, I can't seem to catch a high enough heat. I end up "steaming" everything instead of true wok cooking. Without going outside on my big wok burner, is there any extent or cooktop that you can recommend for at home use?
I don't infer it's the range, I think it's the method. I stir-fry vegetables beside oil only until basically before serving. If they are still hard and not hot, I make the addition of just a tablespoon of water and stir. Don't cover the wok. Vegetables are perfect undercooked as long as they are warm at least. my ge go to 18,000 on the front burner
I've read that woks are great for over the fire cooking, which they be designed for, but don't do so "hot" on a stovetop. The article I read said that you'll do a much better job stir frying if you use a big heavy (or at lowest possible one with an aluminum disk bottom for more even heating) skillet with elevated sides so it can hold it all.
Oh, and another major problem next to why stirfry often comes out "stirsteamed" is not preheating the pan/oil enough. You hold to use an oil with a giant smokepoint, like peanut or grapeseed oil and bake it until it shimmers. Then add your stirfry ingredients and it will turn out better.
So, having said that, no I don't feel you're going to improve your stovetop wok performance by choosing a unmistaken kind of range. But I infer gas ranges generally speaking, especially those where the flame is closer to the jar, do a better job and are more "controllable" and responsive than electric.
Sorry I can't be more helpful than that.
Answers: I think what you are looking for is the BlueStar! http://www.bluestarcooking.com/ This range go up to 22K BTU. More importantly, the grate comes off so that the wok can sit inside the fire itself. It doesn't just sit over the grate away from the flames, or in a wok ring. It was similar to it was made to do that. The thing that convinced me be the Rosengarten report. Rosengarten is the very well respected author of a foodie newsletter where he compares various products. He compared the BlueStar near DCS, Viking, and Jade. One of the tests he did was wok cooking. The BlueStar Range won that and adjectives the other tests for that matter. Here is the report where on earth he talks specifically about the "wok check." http://www.prizer-painter.com/reviews_de...
I should also add, that the idea of using a skillet instead of a wok, as the creature above stated, was written up in Cooks Illustrated. I do win that magazine, and think it is excellent. Their point was that woks, self round bottomed, aren't meant for flat stove tops. If you use the wok ring, they are even further from the flame. That is what makes the BlueStar Unique. By removing the grate, the wok sits inside the flames thus not above them away from the dignified heat as in every other stove. Even the wok burner on the viking and DCS, which is a rounded burner, did not work as in good health as the BlueStar when I compared them
Go to a showroom, which actually HAS different models and allows for you to COOK on them while in the showroom. That is what I did.