Ok. The results are in. Massive heat definitely produces better stir fry. As if...

M

michael-in-phoenix

Well-known member
...we didn't know!

The chinese restaurants use high heat wok blasters to get that incredible glow in the bottom of their woks. That undoubtedly contributes to the depth of flavor of their finished dishes, stir-frys.

I used a turkey fryer for my stir-frying tonight, one I borrowed from our Grand Canyon trip. I prepared two of our favorite stir-fry recipes, and they had that wonderful, smokey, slightly charred flavor! Woo hoo! The Holy Grail!

What I learned is exactly why most chinese restaurants par-boil their veggies before stir-frying. If you use such high heat, the veggies don't have time to cook before the garlic, ginger and any sauce thats added begins to burn. I will par-boil veggies next time.

Not at all bad, for a first try.

Michael

 
Michael, what's a "turkey fryer?" I thought that was those tall pots filled with peanut

oil? You know...for deep-frying everything.

To your comment about veggies, Barbara Tropp of China Moon was very specific about size....most were cut 1/4" in order for everything to cook quickly and thoroughly.

I minimally par-boil broccoli or cauliflower so they don't get mushy from having to stir-fry so long.

Always wanted to figure out how my favorite Vietnamese restaurant gets grilled shrimp slightly blackened, crisp and flavorful....love it in bun. Didn't push it, though, just in case it was because they never cleaned the grill.

http://www.amazon.com/China-Moon-Cookbook-Barbara-Tropp/dp/0894807544/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210253377&sr=1-1

 
Sorry, I should've been more specific. I used the burner that's in the stand...

...of the turkey fryer. My wok fits nicely right on top of the stand, and it's about 3" to 4" from the roaring flame.

The onions in one dish had a slight bit of char on the edges. Both dishes are family favorites, so we know what they normally taste like, cooked on the wimpy little stove flame. This was a whole new treat!

I wouldn't par-boil the softer veggies like cabbage, etc., but the sugar peas were too raw, and the brocolli needed more cooking as well. I was so impressed with the speed and the flavor that I will fire this baby up every chance I get, from now on.

Michael

 
It's a heavy steel wok I purchased many, many years ago at Williams-Sonoma.

Or is that Sonoma-Williams? (Who really cares, except for those two ennyways?)

It's very heavy. Love of using this monster is part of what keeps me in the gym.

Michael

 
with the oil in the pot, you can fry up a whopper of a fish fry too. And we use it for crab legs.

 
I am wit'ya on this: a chinese place that I talked witn said they used burners . . .

with holes for the flame the size of my little finger.

I currently get good results by heating a HEAVY, BIG cast iron pan till it is really smoking hot and get the nice result you mention, but I cannot do too much or it cools the pan off too much. I usually slice my veggies small and thin and add a couple of tablespoons of water to the pan with the veggies--Man, what a noise it makes, because that pan is soooo hot!

If I use a wok, I only get good results if the amounts I cook are quite tiny.

 
A-ha! I learned a lot here! No wonder my campfire stir frys are so good!

I tend to use tiny pieces of fire wood to drive the heat intense in spots cooking over an open flame. Interesting!

 
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