How Many BTUs Do I Need To Cook A Wok?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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To stir fry in a wok properly, the temperature needs to be able to recover right away the instant the food hits the pan. Restaurants will have burners that are 20 to 50,000 BTU ; some restaurants will even have special wok burners that are 250,000 BTU.

Is 15000 BTU enough for wok?

IMHO, more important to wok cooking than raw BTU is where the heat is distributed. Most home-pro burners are north of 15k BTU which is enough for most people .

How many BTUs does a wok need?

There may be multiple reasons why it is called a burner. As, I have mentioned the best BTU for wok cooking is between 100k – 150k BTU . If you can set up an outdoor wok station, then cooking delicious stir-fry will not be an issue at all.

How much heat does a wok need?

Most should not be heated above 450°F or so . This is far, far too low a temperature for effective wok-cooking. You will achieve no wok hei, no intense smoky, seared-and-crunchy flavors. The best you’ll get is food-court level Chinese food.

What kind of burner do you need for a wok?

A wok burner is a propane burner used for heating up a wok. In fact, it’s no different than a typical burner – what’s important is whether it can fit the wok and provide it with enough heat to cook the food. In fact, the two most basic criteria that you should look at are the said size and BTUs – British Thermal Units.

Are higher BTUs better?

A heater with a higher BTU rating is more powerful — that is, it has a higher heat output — than one with a low BTU rating. It can do more to raise the temperature in your room each hour, so you can either heat a room more quickly or heat a larger space.

Is 20000 BTU enough for wok?

Wok burners are a solution to the problem of supplying enough heat to duplicate true Asian wok cooking. Wok burners can generate 20,000 BTU’s to 100,000 or more BTU’s , which is more than adequate for heating a wok.

How many BTUs do I need to fry fish?

30,000 BTU burners will fry fish. The camnpchef (2 ro 3 burners) will afford you alot of versatility, and ease of portability. However if you are looking for just a dedicated fish cooker, to fry several large batches of fish etc, I would look at those type cookers(single burner) that run 150,000 BTUs.

How many BTUs do I need for my stove?

To best address all your cooking needs, we recommend choosing a stove with a range of BTU outputs. This includes burners that provide low heat at 1000-5000 BTUs and medium output burners at about 9000 BTUs. Typical BTUs of a gas stove should also include at least one high heat burner that generates 12,000-18,000 BTUs.

How many BTUs do I need to deep fry?

But be sure you get a unit with something in the neighborhood of 30,000 B.T.U.’s . This provides enough juice so that when frying, you can get oil back up to heat very quickly. This means you can cook for a big crowd, which is kind of the point of the exercise.

What oil is best for a wok?

For wok cooking, use oils with a high smoke point and low polyunsaturated fat content. Grapeseed oil , peanut oil, etc... Sesame oil and olive oil will burn and taste bitter.

Do you stir fry on high heat?

The key to making a really good stir-fry is using a very high cooking temperature so the food will cook quickly. Since stir-frying involves high heat , it’s important to choose an oil that has a high smoke point. If you don’t, the oil will burn and the whole dish will be ruined.

How long does it take a wok to heat up?

This entire process can take 10 to 15 minutes , so don’t be discouraged if it seems like it is taking forever to get rid of the factory oil. Take the cleaned wok and place it on your stove over high heat. There is no need to dry the wok with a towel because the water evaporates very quickly.

Is a wok burner worth it?

A wok and a double gas stove will undoubtedly make your stir-fry and Asian foods a lot tastier and with more texture and flavour. ... Besides that, a Wok Burner will also give enough heat to boil big pots of soups or curries when catering, but also have the ability to simmer on very low heat if needed.

How powerful is a wok burner?

These burners, both of which put out a maximum of 200k BTU/hr , are designed for brewing. The heat they deliver is spread out across a burner that’s around 10 inches in diameter. A massive amount of energy is lost out the sides when trying to cook on them with a 14 or even 18-inch wok.

Do you need a special stove for a wok?

A gas stove is ESSENTIAL for wok cooking because you need HIGH HEAT! Electric stoves do NOT generate enough heat and because the round bottom cast iron wok shape only gets a small contact area, it won’t work!

Sophia Kim
Author
Sophia Kim
Sophia Kim is a food writer with a passion for cooking and entertaining. She has worked in various restaurants and catering companies, and has written for several food publications. Sophia's expertise in cooking and entertaining will help you create memorable meals and events.