Mr. Bar-B-Q Cast-Iron Wok
by MR. BAR-B-Q
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List Price: Our Price: $44.00 Availability: Usually ships in 3-4 business days Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Mr. Bar-B-Q Cast-Iron Wok
Customer Review: SERIOUSLY PEOPLE/ 4-5 STARS/ ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
Summary: 2 Stars
This is my 1st Amazon Review and I'm trying to help here as many of your reviews have helped me. I bought this wok because I love cooking with cast iron and I'm cheap...most of the time, and like you I agonized over the reviews: broken, cracked, broken, broken, LOVED IT!!!!, almost vomited after using, Great Deal, etc.
My wok arrived unbroken unlike many of yours. This is CAST IRON, readers. Netflix can send flimsy plastic DVDs in paper envelopes by the MILLIONS and they don't break! 1 star.
I followed the wok's cleaning directions (hot soapy wash, bake in oven) just to see what happens when a novice is faced with cleaning/curing this item. I am currently writing this review in the dead of Winter with all of the doors open in my house because the machine oil smoke is SO RETCHED! This will NOT happen with the "expensive" Lodge wok. Your call. 1 star.
Here's what I would suggest if you do buy this wok. When it arrives, thump it with your finger or a wooden object. If it is not cracked, the wok will sound like a lovely bell. If it buzzes or thunks, stop here, return wok or throw away. Don't waste your time cleaning because it's cracked.
Take wok OUTSIDE and scour it with GOJO (or any mechanics hand cleaner which is a safe but powerful degreaser) and steel wool. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. Repeat scouring with GOJO. Rinse. Repeat. Rinse. Bring wok inside. Wash in warm-hot, sudsy water. Rinse, repeat, rinse, repeat, rinse, dry wok. Place in cold oven. Heat oven on BAKE to 300-350 degrees (hope wok doesn't crack while slowly heating) and allow wok to bake for 30-60 min. YOU WILL STILL GET SOME HORRIBLE OIL SMOKE IN YOUR HOUSE but nothing involving an ER. 1 star.
After 30-60 minutes, turn oven off and let wok cool naturally inside oven. This will ONLY take several hours and allows the stresses inside the iron to gently subside so the wok won't tend to crack in the future. 1 star.
When wok is cool enough to handle, cure it as per the instructions but bacon drippings will cure it better than vegetable oil...my opinion after doing this for a long time. Vegetarians, the oil works fine it just takes longer to build up a nicely cured surface.
OR, you could just spend another $30-$40 and get a Lodge wok and begin cooking immediately. Finally, I am NOT associated in ANY WAY with Lodge, but if the Mr. BBQ ever fails me I will not hesitate to buy the Lodge next time. Good luck and happy cooking! 1-2 stars. 3 stars if you're lucky, cheap like me, and have all day to mess around.
Customer Review: Another one with a crack
Summary: 2 Stars
Arrived w/ a crack in the side. Didn't notice it until after I seasoned it. Its made of really cheap cast iron. Spend the extra 30 or so and get a something that can take the banging around during shipping and will outlast your grandchildren. I'm returning this and getting the lodge cast iron wok.
Ohh, and the oil they treat it with so it doesn't rust before purchase is really hard to scrub off. Get one that's pre-seasoned. You still need to scrub off the wax they use to pre-season then season it yourself in the oven but its not toxic. The oil on this wok is a nasty black/grey color and smells like a gas pump when you season it even after scrubbing it out multiple times before hand.
At least amazon is picking up the tab for shipping this defective item back(reason for 2 stars. The product gets 0 stars). Shipping was speedy but the item was not packed well. Like everything else I order that's not a book and shrink wrapped to a cardboard "plate".
Customer Review: It is heavy...really...
Summary: 2 Stars
It actually has a weight of 13lb, rather than the "8lb" from product description of amazon. It is really heavy if you want to use it as a stir-frying wok. I don't event try to use it when I realize it is that heavy...Customer Review: Home Cook
Summary: 2 Stars
Probibly would have loved it if they had been able to get it to me in one piece! Ordered it twice, the second time it arrived even more dammaged than the first time.Customer Review: Cracked after 3 uses
Summary: 2 Stars
wok quickly cracked after 3 uses (that is counting the seasoning as well) very heavy, made of cheap metal, save yourself the troubles and go with carbon steel woks.