Traditional vs. Stainless Steel Wok

As a seasoned home cook, nothing is more tempting than moving beyond your traditional pots and pans to capture the robust, seasoned flavors that come from cooking with a stainless steel wok. While you are likely familiar with different materials for your kitchen pots and pans, if you’re newer to the techniques associated with wok cooking, you may be wondering how a stainless steel wok compares to carbon steel and other materials.

This post helps you understand how a stainless steel wok combines modern convenience with culinary tradition, offering unique benefits to elevate your cooking experience. A stainless steel wok captures the essence of traditional wok cooking while offering durability and versatility that are hard to beat.

Traditional vs Stainless Steel Wok: Which Is More Authentic?

For many, “traditional” sounds like your cooking will turn out more authentic and better than newer versions, but traditional woks don’t take into account how home cooking has evolved and the needs of serious home chefs.

However, the founder and CEO of Hestan, Stanley Cheng, realized decades ago that a wok ring with its wobbly tendencies and terrible heat transfer just didn’t meet the needs of home cooks with Western stovetops. You can’t perform authentic wok cooking without proper heat transfer. So he created a flat-bottomed wok, and to this day, Hestan continues to add features to its designs to create a variety of wok options that any home chef would love to use.

Hestan now offers three different woks to choose from, depending on the material and design you prefer, and the thoughtful features ensure all home chefs can be comfortable expanding their skills with wok cooking. You can choose from the ProBond Stainless Steel Wok, the NanoBond Titanium Wok, and even the NanoBond Titanium Chef’s Pan. Although it’s called a chef’s pan, it’s actually the same as the wok but includes Hestan’s signature handle for those who prefer a stick handle instead of a loop handle.

Advantages of a Stainless Steel Wok

As a seasoned home cook, you're probably familiar with the traditional carbon steel woks, but stainless steel woks not only capture the traditional flavors you want but offer their own set of advantages over carbon steel.

• Durability and maintenance: Stainless steel is incredibly durable and resistant to rust, corrosion, and staining. This makes it an excellent choice for a wok that's going to see a lot of use. Unlike carbon steel, stainless steel woks don’t require seasoning, and they’re less reactive to acidic ingredients, so you can freely use vinegar, tomatoes, and citrus without worrying about the metal reacting or altering flavors.
• Versatility: Stainless steel woks are versatile. They can handle a variety of cooking techniques such as stir-frying, steaming, deep-frying, and even braising. Their ability to heat evenly makes them a great tool for high-heat cooking, ensuring that your stir-fries come out perfect every time.
• Ease of use: Some stainless steel woks are easier to clean and maintain compared to traditional woks. Some stainless steel woks , Some brands claim their woks are dishwasher safe, but the material isn’t the only factor. If you want a safe handling plus dishwasher-safe wok, consider the Hestan ProBond Stainless Steel Wok and NanoBond Titanium Wok, which can go in the dishwasher because they have sealed rims. The sealed rims of these two woks also means you have safe, non-sharp edges, which makes handling them a breeze. Plus dishwasher-safe woks are more forgiving if you accidentally leave food in them or burn something. This makes them very user-friendly, especially if you’re busy and need to minimize clean-up time. To cut cleaning time down even more, features of the Hestan woks, such as their flush rivets, ensures that food doesn’t build up, making cleaning more efficient and simpler.
• Even heating: One challenge with some traditional woks is the uneven heat distribution, particularly on Western stovetops. The ProBond Professional Clad Stainless Steel Wok is made with a pure aluminum core to provide more consistent heat distribution across the entire cooking surface and is induction compatible. This is crucial for achieving that perfect sear and avoiding hot spots.
• Appearance and aesthetics: Let’s not forget the aesthetic appeal. Stainless steel woks retain their shine and look sleek in a modern kitchen. If you have open shelving or hang your pots and pans, a stainless steel wok can be a stylish addition to your cookware.

Advantages of a Stainless Steel Wok with a Lid

A wok with a lid significantly broadens your cooking possibilities by enabling versatile techniques such as steaming, braising, and smoking. The lid allows you to steam vegetables or fish directly in the wok, simmer soups, and braise meats, making it a multifunctional tool that extends beyond traditional stir-frying. This versatility is especially useful for preparing diverse dishes with minimal equipment.

The lid enhances heat and moisture retention, leading to faster and more consistent cooking. It traps heat inside the wok, making it efficient for simmering and steaming, while retaining moisture to keep food tender and flavorful. Additionally, it aids in energy efficiency by reducing the amount of heat required to cook food. This feature is beneficial for recipes that require controlled cooking environments, such as slow-cooked stews or sauces.

Using a lid also contributes to a cleaner kitchen by minimizing splatter and containing strong cooking aromas. This helps maintain a tidier cooking area and reduces the spread of smells.

Stainless Steel Woks vs Other Materials

Cooking with a wok differs from using your traditional pots and pans, but if you’re used to a specific material, you may wonder how a stainless steel wok compares to others, including the traditional carbon steel wok.

• Carbon steel: Carbon steel woks require seasoning and can be more prone to rust if not properly maintained. However, they develop a natural non-stick patina over time, which stainless steel doesn’t. Carbon steel heats quickly but might not distribute heat as evenly as stainless steel woks with multilayer construction. You also reduce the nonstick patina with deglazing.
• Cast iron: Cast iron woks offer excellent heat retention but are heavier and slower to heat up. They also require more care in terms of seasoning and maintenance. Cast iron is great for deep-frying and slow cooking, whereas stainless steel excels in quick stir-frying.
• Nonstick: Nonstick woks are easier for beginners due to their nonstick surface but lack the high-heat tolerance needed for authentic stir-frying. They also wear out faster than stainless steel.

Achieving Wok Hei with a Stainless Steel Wok

Wok hei refers to the distinctive and elusive smoky aroma and flavor imparted by stir-frying over very high heat in a well-seasoned wok. The term translates to “breath of the wok” and is a key characteristic in authentic Chinese cooking.

Wok hei is not just a flavor but an indication of culinary skill and technique. It’s highly valued in Cantonese cuisine and other Chinese cooking styles for its ability to transform simple ingredients into a dish with depth and complexity. Achieving wok hei is often seen as a hallmark of a seasoned chef and brings authenticity to stir-fried dishes.

Even though a stainless steel wok won’t gain the seasoning of a traditional wok, you can still achieve the same results.

To capture the key elements of wok hei, follow these tips when cooking with your stainless steel wok:

• Use high heat throughout the entire cooking process. Achieving wok hei requires cooking over very high temperatures, typically around 392°F to 572°F (200°C to 300°C). This intense heat is essential for caramelizing the food quickly, searing the outside while keeping the inside tender. High heat also helps with the Maillard reaction. The Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned food its distinctive flavor. At high temperatures, this reaction occurs rapidly, contributing to the complex, savory flavors associated with wok hei. If you want authentic wok hei, you can rely on the NanoBond Titanium Wok and even the NanoBond Titanium Chef’s Pan to withstand temperatures of up to 1050°F (556°C).
• Preheat properly. Preheat your wok before adding oil. Stainless steel doesn’t have non-stick properties, so this helps create a natural non-stick effect. You can test if it's hot enough by sprinkling a few drops of water into the wok; if they evaporate immediately, it's ready. Preheating is crucial to achieve the high heat you need, so preheat the wok until it is smoking hot.
• Use the right oil. The oil used in the wok not only prevents sticking but also carries the flavors and helps in developing the smoky aroma. The oil should have a high smoke point, such as peanut or soybean oil, to withstand the high temperatures without burning. Add a small amount to the preheated wok and swirl it around to coat the surface.
• Stir-fry in batches. To avoid overcrowding and steaming your food instead of stir-frying, cook in batches. This helps in getting that coveted wok hei (breath of the wok) that enhances the flavor and texture of your stir-fry. Small batches also allow you to maintain the high heat. Overcrowding the wok will lower the temperature and steam the food rather than sear it.
• Move and toss the food frequently. The technique of tossing the food in the wok helps to evenly distribute the high heat, allowing all surfaces to cook quickly and uniformly. This rapid movement also helps to incorporate the smoky flavor into the food. The combination of caramelization and slight charring of ingredients at high heat creates depth and complexity in the flavors. It brings out both sweetness and bitterness, enhancing the overall taste profile of the dish. So keep the food moving by tossing or stirring constantly. This prevents burning and ensures even cooking.
• Deglaze for flavor. Deglaze the wok with a bit of broth, wine, or sauce after stir-frying to lift the caramelized bits stuck to the surface, which adds extra flavor to your dish and eases clean up.
• Finish quickly. The cooking process should be fast, typically only taking a few minutes. Remove the food from the wok as soon as it’s done to avoid overcooking.
• Clean up properly. While stainless steel woks can be easier to clean, they can sometimes develop stubborn food residues. For a deep clean, soak the wok in hot water and scrub with a non-abrasive pad. For discoloration, a mixture of vinegar and water or baking soda paste can work wonders. If you want the easiest clean, then consider any of the Hestan wok options that include flush rivets so avoid food buildup and sealed rims, making them safe to handle, dishwasher safe, and incredibly easy to clean.

Wok hei is the unique, smoky flavor that defines well-executed stir-frying, achieved through high-heat cooking, proper technique, and the right equipment. It elevates the taste of stir-fried dishes, making them richer and more aromatic.

Stainless steel woks are a fantastic choice for home cooks who value durability, ease of maintenance, and versatility in their cookware. They offer a balance between traditional and modern cooking needs, making them a worthwhile investment for your kitchen. If you enjoy a blend of high-heat cooking and the convenience of easy cleanup, a ProBond Professional Clad Stainless Steel Wok, NanoBond Titanium Wok, and the NanoBond Titanium Chef’s Pan from Hestan might be the perfect addition to your cookware collection.