Advice for new wok and meat cleaver.

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elsmandino

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22 Jun 2015
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7:55 AM
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16
Location
Essex, UK
Hi there,

I am on the look out for a new wok - my current one is one of the cheap nasty ones that you get from supermarkets, which has lost all the teflon off the bottom.

I was hoping to buy one from a local chinese store near me but it has recently closed and there are no other places near me.

I am looking to buy something off Amazon and would be really grateful for some help on what to look for. I am also on the lookout for a meat cleaver too.
 
Can't help im afraid as I've never used a wok, but hello and welcome to the forum :welcome:
 
:cook: Thank you - I am bit of an amateur when it comes to the old cooking and hoping to pick up lots of tips on here!
 
Difficult, as I'm in the UK and also don't know your price range. Cuisinart is a good quality make which I'm familiar with. You can get Cuisinart in US (if that's where you are). I'd go for hard-anodized non-stick. Here's a Cuisinart one which is available via Amazon. To me, this would be a fair price to pay for a good non-stick wok (around 50 dollars or 30 pounds sterling).
http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-626-32H-Classic-Nonstick-Hard-Anodized/dp/B0009XAHAQ
 
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Sorry, just to confirm I am based in the UK (Essex).

I have just done a bit more research and the following specs are recommended for a decent wok:

* Carbon Steel
* Wooden handle with smaller helper handle
* 14 inches with 4-5 inch flat bottom
* Not to have a non-stick coating
* 14-gauge/2mm thickness
* Glass lid

Seems very specific but helps to narrow things down a bit.

I have heard that the best value with all the above is a Joyce Chen but typically, it is not available on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Joyce-Chen-21-9978-Classic-Series/dp/B002AQSWMU

I might see if I can buy it elsewhere and then buy a separate glass lid.

What do you guys think?
 
elsmandino said:
Can anyone perhaps suggest a decent meat cleaver? From what I have read,in oriental cooking, a good quality chopper is all that is needed - no need for endless types of knives.
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I was always very happy with the Global knives I had. But sadly they are not cheap. They are an investment for life type of price.
What price did you have in mind for a single knife?
 
Very nice indeed - I had never heard of the Global brand but assume by the price that they are some of the best you can get.

Unfortunately, I was only looking to spend around the £10.00 mark - is it possible to get anything even remotely good for around this price?

One other thing - I have just read that I have made the mistake of using the term "meat cleaver" when it appears that I am actually looking for a "chinese cleaver".
 
elsmandino said:
This looks like just the ticket - good price and has everything I am looking for:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000P5Q4BO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AAGBKF49IVH4X

Can anyone perhaps suggest a decent meat cleaver? From what I have read,in oriental cooking, a good quality chopper is all that is needed - no need for endless types of knives.
Click to expand...

Welcome to the Forum! And apologies @elsmandino , I had incorrectly assumed you were in the US. Top tip, put your location under your picture (see how by looking at @SatNavSaysStraightOn's post in The Lounge):happy:

This is, as you have specified, a carbon steel wok. I believe you would need to season it before use (it doesn't have a non-stick coating). If you are confident doing that and familiar with how to how to maintain it, then fine. Here's an extract from an interview with Helen Chan (well known American Chinese chef) regarding this matter:

"Carbon steel must be seasoned. This sounds like it might make food taste better but it doesn’t, it just keeps the pan from rusting. Takes a good 6 months of almost daily use for a wok to get really seasoned. If you like to season, get carbon steel. If you don’t plan to use your wok more than 3x a week, the oil you use to season it will eventually get tacky, attract dust, and it may rust. When people see rust, they may think they need a new one. Nope! All you need to do is clean the rust off and re-season. In a Chinese kitchen the wok is used daily, and often sits on the burner just waiting for the next meal to be made in it, so seasoning is not a problem."

Also, It doesn't look to me as if it has a flat bottom... (?)

I don't use a traditional wok but a Procook Sauteuse Pan http://www.procook.co.uk/product/procook-professional-steel-sauteuse-28cm
It more or less fits your brief except that it isn't carbon steel. I use this pan virtually everyday, not just for stir-fries but for curry, casseroles (it can go on the oven), frying potatoes, you name it. Its really beautifully non-stick. But it is pricey. For me its justifiable, because I use it all the time. Procook also do a wok with lid which is a bit cheaper than the Sauteuse pan.

Anyway, hope you find what you need!
 
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elsmandino said:
Very nice indeed - I had never heard of the Global brand but assume by the price that they are some of the best you can get.

Unfortunately, I was only looking to spend around the £10.00 mark - is it possible to get anything even remotely good for around this price?

One other thing - I have just read that I have made the mistake of using the term "meat cleaver" when it appears that I am actually looking for a "chinese cleaver".
Click to expand...
I'm not convinved that these are the real thing but this is one option
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Japanese-Na...1_20?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1435126190&sr=1-20

Otherwise look at Tesco's. The online side has a 'reasonable' one at £20. It is the order and pay for it online and collect from a Tesco's store approach. I have at least heard of Richardson Sheffield (My smallest wooden handled knives are stamped with Sheffield) on their blades, but they are 50 or more years old).
http://www.tesco.com/direct/richard...leaver/601-4080.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=601-4080

I don't think you are going to get anything that will handle even vaguely well or stay sharp very long at all for even twice the price you quote to be honest and I would suggest you consider saving up for a few more months to spend £30-40 on one at least. Fake blades (and there is a roaring trade in them) and just basically very cheap ones will dull very quickly and you will need to sharpen then almost every time you use one. Also you do need to know how to use a Chinese Cleaver as well. @Berties is probably the best person here for that advice, and for knives and woks for that matter....
 
If your after a serious knife tsuki knives are really good ,a colleague has a 16 cm cleaver ,sharp and easy to use ,the large cleavers look usefull but I've found them a bit awkward
Santoku knives are more easy for me to use ,global do a great one but it does carry the price
The 20cm cleavers are good for chopping soft bones ,but they will buckle and crack if you ask to much of them
Consider if you require a moulded handle ,these are available for the cleavers ,
It's really down to what you want from a knife
 
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