Can you deep fry in a wok?
Are you the proud owner of a wok? Then you’re in the right place. Since buying your wok, how adventurous have you been? You know by now that a wok is great for stir-frying. Maybe you’ve tried sauteing some vegetables.
But that’s not enough for you, is it? You want to indulge in some fried chicken, fish, mozzarella sticks, french fries, doughnuts…the good stuff! It’s not the healthiest but you deserve to treat yourself once in a while. When cooking with these items the odor can get bad in the kitchen. Turn on your kitchen hood vent to eliminate the odor.
So, can you deep fry in a wok?
Yes, woks are perfect for frying in! With a small bottom and wide edges, woks don’t require a lot of oil. It pools in the bottom nicely. Woks are nice and spacious so you can deep fry food without overcrowding. The walls of a wok are high compared to a frying pan which keeps oil splatter down.
When frying with a round-bottomed wok, definitely buy a wok ring. It keeps the wok stable on the stove top. Hot oil is incredibly dangerous so you want to be 110% sure that your wok is as stable as possible.
You can also deep fry with a flat-bottomed wok. It’s a little more stable since it doesn’t require a wok ring. You’ll need to use a little more oil compared to a round-bottomed wok. Make sure the food is completely dry to reduce the risk of oil splatter.
There’s a lot to learn when it comes to deep frying with a wok. Here are 11 tips on how to fry delicious food safely.
How to Deep Fry with a Wok - 11 Quick Tips
Are you deep frying for the first time? Consider doing some shallow frying first.
This will help you get used to cooking with hot oil safely. It’s like training wheels for deep frying.
You can shallow fry fish, potato patties, vegetables…pretty much anything that you can deep fry, but in smaller batches.
If you’re ready to take the plunge, check out some wok deep frying in action. See how the spring rolls are evenly spaced in the wok? That’s the key to safe and delicious deep frying. If you have more food to cook, just cook it in batches!
Make sure your pan is as stable as possible.
A stable wok is much safer than a wok that moves easily. Secondly, your food will cook evenly. Flat bottomed woks will be more stable than round-bottomed woks because they don’t require a wok ring. Cast iron woks are heavier than other types of woks if you want to ensure maximum stability.
Use high smoke point oils when deep frying in a wok.
Peanut oil, canola oil, or avocado oil are great choices when deep frying in a wok. You want to be able to deep fry without your oil smoking. If it smokes, the oil can burn and release dangerous contaminants into your kitchen.
Use a thermometer to check your oil temperature. It should be between 350º and 375º F.
Before you begin frying, test the temperature of the oil using a thermometer. To reduce the risk of oil splatter, put a lid on the wok. Open it just enough to fit the thermometer in and get the temperature.
If you’re above 375º, reduce the heat. If the wok gets too hot, the oil will start to smoke. This releases some harmful toxins into your kitchen and the oil will start to burn. So make sure the oil doesn’t smoke before deep frying.
Woks can heat up and cool down quickly, so keep a close eye on the oil temperature as you’re frying. Cast iron woks retain heat the best compared to other woks so they are a great option for deep frying.
Don’t deep fry in a non-stick wok.
Consistent exposure to high heat can wear down a non-stick coating. So you should avoid deep frying in a non-stick wok. Instead, season your wok naturally using one of the methods in this article.
If you’re using an electric stove, it takes longer to heat up than a gas stove.
Like gas stoves, induction stoves also heat up quickly. Let’s say you start frying before your oil reaches 350º. The food could get quite greasy and soggy. You don’t want that!
Once your oil is at the right temperature, don’t fiddle with the burners too much. Otherwise, the oil will change temperature which can make deep frying difficult.
When it’s time to deep fry, remove the lid.
During frying, the lid should never be on. If you keep the lid on, condensation collects on the inside and drips back into the oil. This can interfere with the nice crispy taste of fried foods. With the lid off, any moisture evaporates as it leaves the pan.
Use a pair of tongs to grip the food and rotate or flip it to cook it thoroughly.
You can use a spatula too, but, when flipping, be careful not to drop the food into the oil from any height. The oil is incredibly hot and can cause severe injuries if it makes contact with your skin. A metal strainer is a great tool to remove smaller foods like fries and nuggets.
When you’re done frying, you’ll be left with delicious food and a pan of oil. You can’t simply toss this down your sink or throw it in the trash. Here’s how to dispose of cooking oil.
Keep in mind that you can reuse oil a couple of times. If the oil is bad, it will smell rancid.
Keep your fire extinguisher nearby.
Whether you’re deep-frying in a wok, frying pan, or any other cookware, you’re working with high heat. You can never be too careful.
Here’s how to put out a grease fire in case something goes wrong for you in the kitchen.
A wok might not fit large foods like whole chicken breasts – especially a round-bottomed wok.
There won’t be enough space to submerge the food in oil and it may not cook evenly. Flat bottomed woks have a little more room. But your best bet is to cut any large pieces of food into small pieces.
Whatever you’re frying shouldn’t be crowded up against the sides. They won’t get as hot as the bottom so your food will cook unevenly.
Don’t fill the wok more than halfway with oil.
Typically you’ll want two to three inches of oil, sometimes more, to deep fry in a wok. The food should be fully submerged. But don’t fill your wok past halfway. Otherwise, the oil can splatter which is dangerous.
Fill your wok one piece at a time. This minimizes oil splashing on your stovetop. Also if you fill your wok one piece at a time you can be deliberate about the spacing. You want to keep your food an inch or two apart so it cooks evenly.
Can you deep fry in a non-stick wok?
We don’t recommend deep frying in a non-stick wok. The oil must be heated between 350º and 375º F and this can damage some non-stick coatings.
Can I deep fry in a cast iron wok?
A cast iron wok is the best type of wok for deep frying. It has amazing heat retention, it’s durable, and it’s heavy. This means it’ll be stable on your stove top, preventing spills and cooking your food evenly.
How much oil do I need to deep fry in a wok?
You want about two to three inches of oil in your wok. Don’t fill the wok over halfway. You don’t need that much oil to deep fry and it can become a fire hazard.
What pan is best for deep-frying?
Cast iron woks are an amazing choice for deep frying. Any material works well, but cast iron retains heat the best. This makes it easy to ensure your oil is at the right temperature at all times. Cast iron woks are also quite heavy so they won’t move around a lot while frying.
How long does it take to deep fry chicken in a wok?
The amount of time depends on the size of the chicken, oil temperature, and oil depth. With oil at about 350º, the chicken will take about 10 minutes on each side. The chicken is done when both sides are golden brown.
Do you put the lid on when deep-frying?
Don’t put the lid on when deep frying. Condensation will build on the lid and drip back into the pan. This can make your food soggy.
Can you fry fish in a wok?
Yes, heat the oil to about 350º to 375º. Then set the fish in one at a time. Cook until both sides are golden brown. This typically takes about five minutes. But it depends on the size of your fish, the oil temperature, and the depth of the oil.
Can you deep fry chips in a wok?
Yes, you can deep fry chips in a wok. Just make sure the oil is heated to 350º to 375º. Once the chips are golden brown, use a strainer to remove them from the wok. Let some of the oil drain back into the wok and set them on a plate with a paper towel.
Thanks for reading our post on deep frying with a wok. In short, you can deep fry in a wok. Go with cast iron to make cooking easy. Start with some shallow frying to get used to working with oil.
Good luck!