Is the Breville Gourmet Wok something you really need in your kitchen? Or is it just another hyped kitchen appliance you’ll end up storing somewhere in your garage and forget about it? You can read in this article about my experience with this popular electric wok and find out whether it’s worth buying it or not.
I really like cooking Chinese dishes so a year ago I decided to buy an appropriate wok. I owned a wok before but I wasn’t satisfied with the results I was getting. After, looking around I decided to go with the Breville EW30XL Electric Gourmet Wok, my choice being led by the excellent reviews I have read on the net.
When I received the wok I was pleasantly surprised by its sturdy looks (and it weights quite a bit too – 12 pounds) and the simple and clean design.
The same day I decided to make my first dish in the wok (Five spice Beef and Pepper Stir-Fry). I chose on purpose a recipe that included stir-frying because my main concern was whether the wok was able to generate enough heat for this cooking technique. And I have to say I was amazed! It generated heat like a stove top wok. Even more it responded very quickly to temperature changes (the temperature dial has plenty different heat levels – 15 in total).
So, if you’re having your doubts about using an electric wok for stir-frying and searing, let me tell you that you don’t need to, because this electric wok can get really hot (especially on the maximum “high sear” setting).
After having it tested for searing and stir-frying I decided to try a recipe that included steaming (steamed vegetables with ginger miso dressing). Steaming, as you know, can be very tricky. You must find the right measure in the steaming so the vegetables stay crunchy and are not too tender and overcooked. The Breville wok has a great feature for these purposes. The wok comes with a glass lid with a stainless-steel rim, and the lid has a super convenient steam vent. Once you are finished steaming you can open the vent and let the steam out. So, you will be able to keep the food under the lid warm but you will prevent further steaming.
As far as the wok’s surface, it’s really non-sticky so you really need small amounts of oil for cooking. Just make sure you use the spatula gently to prevent scratching the surface. You can use the spatula that comes with the Breville wok but I would advise you to get another one.
Another feature I just love is the detachable base that allows you to put the wok in the dishwasher. The detaching is really easy to do once you get the hang of it. Even so, I try to avoid washing the wok in the dishwasher too often. I prefer to wipe it with a cloth when it’s still warm. In this way I save some energy, water and my wok will last, hopefully, longer.
Overall, I have to say the Breville wok has become my favorite tool in the kitchen. I use it almost every day, for all sorts of dishes (not just Chinese recipes). Because the wok has a temperature dial with so many levels you can use it for deep frying, steaming, boiling, stewing, etc., making it a really versatile tool in the kitchen.
Source by Liz Parker