Tom Douglas by Pinzon 14-Inch Carbon Steel Unseasoned Chef Wok
by Tom Douglas
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Product Summary
Manufacturer: Tom DouglasBrand: Tom Douglas
Product features:
- 1.0mm carbon steel wok cooks food quickly with minimum of oil
- Unseasoned cooking surface improves with use and seasoning
- Quick, even heating; use for steaming, braising, and deep-frying
- Extra-long handle with hole for easy storage; hand wash only
- Measures 20-1/4 inches by 14-1/4 inches by 4-2/5 inches
- Tom Douglas by Pinzon Stainless-Steel Skimmer with Bamboo Handle
- Tom Douglas by Pinzon 10-Inch Bamboo Steamer Basket
- Tom Douglas by Pinzon Bamboo Tongs, Set of 2
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Tom Douglas by Pinzon 14-Inch Carbon Steel Unseasoned Chef Wok
Customer Review: Pleasantly surprised
Summary: 4 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I should note at the start that there are already four steel woks on active duty in my kitchen: one of the southern two-handled variety (14-inch, bought at the Wok Shop in San Francisco), and three stick-handled (pow wok) types - a hand-hammered 14-inch from Chinatown in Boston, a stainless 12.5-inch from the Kitchenaid Gourmet Excellence line, and a 12-inch flat-bottom stir-fry pan from Joyce Chen (Joyce Chen Pro Chef 14-Inch Flat Bottom Wok uncoated Carbon Steel). So I may not be the typical reviewer.
This wok was mostly a pleasant surprise.
Pros:
- From the dark color in the picture and the cleaning instructions, I expected it to be lacquered for shipping (saves on packaging, but a pain to deal with). Instead, it was bright shiny metal, coated with mineral oil and shipped in a plastic bag (a much better solution, really - just scrub and season, no need to soften and scrape off the coating).
- Unlike many factory-made woks, the edges are very nicely smoothed. (Unfortunately, this doesn't extend to the end of the handle, or the hanging hole, both of which are rough-finished).
- The wok is very light, and actually thinner than 1mm. This is a feature if you want to use the tossing technique, and will make it easier to keep a hot spot in the middle and a cooler area further out.
- The handle is relatively long - this helps balance the wok, and will keep your hand cooler when the wok is on the stovetop.
Cons:
- Because the wok is so thin, it bends easily (a firm press on the rim will deform the shape). If dropped on end, it will probably deform permanently.
- The handle is relatively thick (1.5 inches). Great for a lower heat technique, but for a real bao stir fry, where you need to put a towel or potholder over the handle to keep from burning yourself, it will be a little too thick.
- The bowl is relatively shallow for a pow wok, and more like a two-handle bowl. This is good for letting out steam, and will give a better result on a weaker burner (otherwise you will stew, not stir-fry), but not as good for tossing.
Overall, this wok is a very well done adaption for the American market. It cooks like a two-handle, not a pow. Since most western cooks do a spatula-stir/ch'ao/slop-and-glop instead of a high-heat toss, this isn't a bad thing. The handle will work well to stabilize the wok while you stir with the other hand.
The only changes I would make are to better smooth the end of the handle and the inside of the hanging hole, and to add a helper handle (not traditional, but makes it easier to run the hot wok under hot water to clean it, and to hang the wok with the handle down). The insert that claims the wok is dishwasher-safe is also utterly wrong, and I can only assume that this leaflet was a last-minute addition as the box was heading out the factory door. Seasoning instructions would be more valuable, as noted elsewhere.
A note about braising and steaming - the promo material for this wok says it can be used for braising and steaming, and this is true (also true for all woks). However, you will need a wok ring for either of these techniques, to hold the wok over the burner on your stovetop. Given that the wok is 14 inches in diameter, and the typical American stovetop is 25 inches front to back, split between two burners, this wok will hang over the front edge of your stove. If you are lucky enough to have a fifth burner in the middle, this is a great use for this wok. If you don't, however, especially if you have little ones running around, you may want to think twice before using this technique.
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