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I just received this wok/fry pan today and used it this evening, with excellent results. I wanted a 12 inch pan because the 14 inch normal size was too large for a single person. The 12 inch pan is perfect for one or two people. My choice was between this pan and Joyce Chen's 12 inch Peking pan. The differences are the Peking pan is somewhat thicker and has a narrower base which was the deciding factor for me. A wider base allows food to be spread out over a greater heat area to cook evenly I like to roast red peppers and the wider bottom allows them to be spread out and blacken more evenly.
As for seasoning the pan and removing the coating used to protect it in transit, that turned out to be quite easy. There is a reviewer/expert on Chinese cooking who produced a YouTube video on just those tasks. Her first step was to scrub off the lacquer coating. I started doing that but it looked like too much work. I found a commenter on Amazon who shared his technique which worked quite well:
First of all, I did this outside to prevent inside heat and smoke. I used an induction cooktop that worked out very well. The technique for cleaning the lacquer was to boil water with about 10 black teabags for about 20 min. I left it on for about 30 min. and saw the loosened lacquer float to the top which I skimmed off. After that I let it cool and washed the pan in the sink with a little soap and water. For any spots that appeared to still be present I just ran some steel wool over the area with moderate pressure.
The next step was to season the pan. That too was very easy. Again, I did this out of doors to prevent smoke indoors. I first heated the pan up at a high temperature, at which point the pan started changing colors and darkening. This is normal. After the pan was heating for a few minutes I poured some oil into the pan and using wadded paper towels and a tong to hold the towels, I spread the oil over the inside of the wok. I lowered the heat and let the oil cook in for about 15 min. then let the pan cool down. I then washed the pan again with little soap and for any residual spots including some residual oil that turned sticky, I lightly ran some steel wool over the area. I could have stopped there but, perfectionist that I am, I repeated the heating process once more. The pan was then "seasoned" well enough to start cooking on it. After I completed that process I noticed that the wok would fit into my toaster oven (with the handle hanging outside and the door partially open). So, again, I moved my toaster oven outside, put a little oil in the wok, and then turned on the broil function for about 15 min. This was to take care of the sides of the wok which were not really affected by my first steps. Because the handle hung out of the toaster oven, I shifted it from one side to the other and again ran the broiler for another 15 min. The final result was a seasoned wok on which I cooked my first meal that evening, with excellent results.
The steps may sound somewhat complicated but they are well suited to quickly seasoning a wok with a minimal of time and effort. I didn't have to stand over a sink and with great effort remove the lacquer since it easily came off just by boiling. And the seasoning was actually very easy and required little effort.
I had previously purchased a nonstick wok. I liked it but there is no comparison to a seasoned carbon steel wok. I always had the fear, with a nonstick wok, of emissions and I found the coating did not last much more than a year or so. I got better results on my new, seasoned wok.
As for cleaning, I found this works very well: when you finish cooking, while the pan is still hot, pour a little water into the pan and you can then easily scrape off any residual stuck food. Then quickly rinse the pan in hot water, put a little oil on it, and you are done. This takes about 30 seconds. I usually dry the wok with a little paper toweling and about 15 or so seconds on the range. Make sure you rub a little cooking oil into the wok when done, to prevent rusting.
Edit: occasionally there will be some burnt spots. These are very easy to get rid of. First, try adding a little water to the hot wok and scrape using whatever utensil you have. If that doesn't clear everything up then try briefly scrubbing with a soft scrubber under hot water. If that doesn't work then use a copper or steel scouring pad. There is no need to press hard and just use whatever pressure it takes to clear up the spot. Don't worry about the "patina" since it will take care of itself as you continue cooking. Another hint, is to occasionally use a drop or two of liquid dishwasher soap. There is nothing wrong with this and it will do no harm whatsoever to the wok. What it does is remove excess carbon that could discolor food the next time you use the wok (try rubbing a paper towel with a little oil in the wok and you will see what I mean). Always remember, after washing and drying the wok, to put a little oil in it.
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Totally disregard the previous 1 star review. They must have never owned a carbon steel wok.I wanted a smaller wok than the 14 incher I've owned for over 30 year. I live alone now and didn't need all that room. This one fit the bill perfectly. It's almost 1/2 the total size of the 14 inch in volume. It's way lighter and much easier to toss the food in.
I did the seasoning process 4 times and it blackened up very nicely (see photo). It's now totally non-stick and cleans up easily with a bamboo brush. The steel is as thick and as good a quality as my old wok.
NEVER SOAK A WOK OVER NIGHT! It's steel not stainless steel! It will rust and you'll need to scrub it up and season it again.
I would have given this 5 stars if it wasn't for the coating you have to steel wool off before seasoning.
Best Deals for Joyce Chen 21-9979, Classic Series 12 Inch Carbon Steel Stir Fry Pan
I'm on my second on of these (for reasons explained below). All in all this is a good wok with a couple of silly flaws that increase the learning curve for people new to carbon steel cookware.The good:
+ Over time and with frequent use the seasoning on the pan will build and form a natural nonstick layer. It's important to note that this takes 1) time and 2) frequent use. I think manufacturers' (all manufacturers) instructions are misleading because seasoning the pan is not a one-time thing. My first pan I did not enjoy cooking with until after a few months of sparse use, and during that time I treated it more like I treat my stainless steel pans. After that the bottom of the wok had turned black and I found that if I cooked more like I was using a well seasoned cast iron pan it performed very well. After 5 years it was so nicely seasoned that my mom preferred it to her new calphalon non stick and stole it from me. Hence, I bought a new one.
+ The handle is so much more ergonomic than the cheaper carbon steel pans you can get elsewhere. Some might say this is a dumb point, but having the width and length for grip and leverage as well as the wood for insulation makes holding the wok to tip food out with one hand so much easier than doing so with the small ring handle you find on so many cheaper woks.
+ I find the 12in size a little more convenient.
The bad:
Another reviewer noted this but for some reason the Joyce Chen wok ships with some layer of lacquer/resin. I am guessing that this is to prevent any oxidation while shipping and storage and some cast iron cookware also ships this way. The problem is that the resin needs to come off before use, either by extensive scrubbing or by heat. I'm guessing some of the difficulties others are having with sticking and funny flavors have to do with this resin.
It can rust. This is true though of almost any pan that needs seasoning, and the one star review complaining about this is someone who just didn't do their homework. However there is an easy way to avoid this: dry the pan after washing. For me, rather than toweling it off, I put it back on the range I just used so that as the range cools it helps to cook off any moisture on the pan.
Honest reviews on Joyce Chen 21-9979, Classic Series 12 Inch Carbon Steel Stir Fry Pan
Just sharing because I noticed so many poor reviews because of seasoning issues. First, I sprayed my wok with oven cleaner which removed all the lacquer coating. After washing it in the dishwasher, it promptly rusted which (as proof the protective lacquer was removed), was easy enough to remove before seasoning. A quick, thin coating of peanut oil and baking in the oven a few times gave it a nice even brown sheen before the serious business of scorching it on a burner with bacon grease. By all means, try some oven cleaner first to remove that stubborn lacquer. Worked great for me...Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Joyce Chen 21-9979, Classic Series 12 Inch Carbon Steel Stir Fry Pan
The purpose for having a larger flat bottom in this pan is to use it on an electric or a conduction stove that has a flat surface. However the bottom forms "hills" after being heated. Such unevenness makes the pan unstable on a flat-surface stove (the heavy single handle only makes it worse). Additionally the hot/burn spots due to point contacts render the pan useless.
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