How To Season Your Brand-New Wok

A wok is the one pan every serious cook must have in her kitchen. But before it can give you years of service and a lifetime of delicious stir-fries you must season it so that the pan ages well and develops a patina, giving it a natural, nonstick surface that seals it from rust. Sounds daunting? Actually, it's not! Seasoning a wok is dead easy to do. All you need is a good quality wok to start with, some dishwashing liquid, a good scourer, and a small amount of oil (peanut or vegetable, it's up to you). Don't worry if the first time you season your wok it looks mottled or has some areas that are blacker than others. You haven't ruined it! The patina will gradually darken the more you cook with it, giving your wok an ebony-black look over time.

For a simple step-by-step guide, watch our video here:

Try out these recipes with your newly-seasoned wok:

Teriyaki Salmon Stir-Fry

Tofu And Chia Stir-Fry

Pork And Green Bean Stir-Fry

For more like this, go to our recipe archive here.