Review on 🍳 Helen's Asian Kitchen Carbon Steel Wok Set - 13.5-inch Flat Bottom Wok with Lid, Stir Fry Spatula, and Recipes Included - Silver/Gray/Natural by Jay Maryland

The sturdy wok is the perfect size for the average family kitchen. There is a lid which is great. It weighs only 3 pounds 7.1 ounces. It must be seasoned. Carbon steel rusts just like cast iron. Fans of this type of pot know this and find it worth the effort and the benefits outweigh the extra steps. Here's what I did: I decided to season the wok inside and out. In fact, only the inside is needed, but each layer of spice will further darken and protect the surfaces. Wash the wok with soap and water and dry completely. Completely remove the long handle and to protect the non-detachable auxiliary handle, cover it with a layer of aluminum foil, a damp paper towel, and then cover the damp paper towel with another layer of foil. Then use a paper towel to apply a (very) thin layer of oil to the surface to be seasoned. I use flaxseed oil because of its low smoke point, but vegetable oil will work too. Place an oiled wok upside down in a cold oven and preheat to 500ºF (260ºC), or as hot as your oven will allow. A (very) thin layer of oil will pass its smoke point (and smoke! but don't worry, open a window) and the oil will char and darken. When the oven reaches the set point, turn off the heat and let it cool. You can open the door a little to speed up the cooling. When the grip is cool enough, re-wrap or wet the auxiliary grip as needed and repeat the process one or two more times; up to six times if you feel like a frog. This method works even better for cast iron. Six layers and a cast-iron skillet will be soot black and outlive us all. For the wok, I chose two layers, mainly for aesthetic reasons. It's protected, looks cool and gets even more non-stick with continued use. Auxiliary handle is firmly attached. The long handle is a wooden tube with an elongated wing bolt running through the middle. You screw the rod through the wooden handle with a hanging ring into the base of the handle. It's pretty solid when ridden. The design of the handle allows me to correct a slight annoyance for me. The sharp angle of the upward end of the handle can be annoying with prolonged use, but it can be rotated 180 degrees to point a wider upward angle, reducing this effect. As a bonus, there is a prominent "Helen Chen" logo on the top of the handle that is not visible when rotated to a more comfortable position.