FAQ: The Best Cookware for Stir Frying
If you want to stir fry with any regularity at all, I suggest you get a wok, and it’ll change your stir frying life.
Why wok? Because with a wok you can actually STIR and toss to your heart’s content without worrying about things jumping out. Yes, you can stir fry with a large skillet, but it’s so much more difficult to try to toss, flip, and stir without having things escape the pan.
If you need to use a skillet, make sure it is LARGE (12-inch at least) and I recommend you practice the “pan toss” – i.e. flipping things in a skillet without utensils – because that will allow you to toss and mix things more quickly and efficiently.
But…what kind of wok?
The best kind of wok is a whole other discussion, and it really depends on your specific needs. If you are a casual stir-fryer who just wants to stir fry with ease and convenience, Korean, flat-bottom, nonstick woks are a great, low-maintenance option. They also come in a few sizes to match your storage needs. That’s what I use at home often where convenience is a priority. You can get them at most large Asian grocery stores, and definitely at H-Mart.
If you want to get serious with stir fries, and you want to get that smoky wok char and use max-high heat, you’ll want to get yourself a carbon steel wok. It comes with some special maintenance however and are generally pretty big if you only have limited space.
For further discussion:
WATCH: My video about the best wok to buy
WATCH: My video about how to care for a carbon steel wok.