In-home chef circles as well as professional workplaces the most common question arises; do I need a Wok or Skillet? And what is the main difference between them? Well, both wok and skillet are widely popular and the most important tools that you ever need in your kitchen. It’s pretty tough to find out the actual differences between these traditional cooking vessels.
However, if you’re confused to figure out which one you should buy then this is the right place for you. In this post, I’ve shared a comparison of Wok Vs Skillet along with some other important things. So, let’s began it.
What Is A Wok?
Woks are one of the most amazing and versatile pieces of cookware in the world. The simple and unique design of the wok was invented in China and now used all over the world. They come in a wide variety of forms and materials but the signature style of these round cooking vessels is as beneficial as it is detectible. Most of the traditional woks are made from carbon steel metal and they require proper seasoning before their first use.
What Is A Skillet?
Skillets have been essential as well as efficient items of cookware for thousands of years. Nowadays skillets come in a variety of materials and designs but their basic feature and functions have remained practically untouched. They’re also well-known as fry pans or frying pans which can complicate things a bit for those that new to cooking.
Key Differences Between Wok Vs Skillet
Wok vs cast iron skillet or wok vs pan has some specific differences between them based on their materials, structure, versatility, and many more. Let’s check this following list to know more.
Material
The most common and popular materials for making wok are cast iron and carbon steel. However, you can also find them in aluminum, stainless steel, ceramic, copper, and non-stick coating. Carbon steel is the most used and traditional material used for creating woks. It’s lightweight, durable, heats-up evenly also quickly, less expensive and with proper care can become naturally non-stick.
For skillets, cast iron, anodized aluminum, stainless steel, ceramic, and copper are the most popular materials. Many skillets are made of a combination of two or more materials such as enameled-coated cast iron, stainless steel bonded with aluminum, and non-stick coated. They are also widely known as Fry Pan or Frying Pan.
Shape or Structure
One of the most obvious features of a wok is its shape. It’s featured with a rounded bottom that maintains sides somewhat similar to a giant ball that’s been cut in half. The most traditional woks come with a handle of both sides. The rounded bottom of a wok transfers heat fast and helps to cook food items quickly and perfectly. Besides, many woks have a flat bottom for ease of use on electronic cooktops.
A skillet, on the other hand, has some similarities with a sauté pan when it comes to their shapes. Both of these items are featured with a flat-bottomed structure. However, there’s a clear difference in their sides, skillets come with slightly flared sides, while sauté pans have straight ones. Compare to woks, a skillet is the shallower meaning you can use it for stir-frying, though not as effectively. Woks are 2 to 3 times deeper than a skillet which makes them ideal to flip veggies and meats while stir-frying.
Utensils
If you have a few special tools you can get the best result when cooking with a conventionally shaped wok. A metal wok spatula with its long handle and curved-head will work great to reach the bottom of the wok. With this metal wok spatula, you can stir up those small pieces of garlic and ginger before they burn. Additionally, if you’re convenient with chopsticks, you can use them to mix ingredients while stir-frying.
When cooking with a skillet, it’s important to use a spatula that’ll be compatible with your pan. Silicon spatula works great if you’re not using over 600 degrees Fahrenheit. Tongs also work well at mixing and lifting ingredients out of both skillets and woks. However, if you’re using a wok or skillet with non-stick coating, it’s better to avoid using metal utensils.
Heat Resistance Capacity
Woks are usually made for cooking over a high heat temperature. This Chinese vessel is ideal for flash-cooking food like vegetables or meats which need a small blast of high heat. It always works great for stir-frying, noodles, and rice dishes which need to be cooked fast at a high-heat temperature. This amazing piece of cookware item helps to archive crunchier vegetables and deliciously burnt meats.
The skillet that is made from cast iron material can be used both on the stove and in the oven at any temperature. It distributes heat uniformly and remains hot for longer after removing them from the burner. It will keep your cooked food warm up for a long time or you can cook your meal thoroughly with its residual heat.
Versatility
The concave shape of a wok makes it perfect for versatile use. You can use your wok for making soup, braising, deep-frying, dry-frying, steaming, and many more. Moreover, it’s large enough for mixing up your favorite veggies salad or make a large batch of popcorn. However, when it comes to stir-frying, it’s quite difficult to beat a wok.
A skillet is an all-time convenient as well as versatile cookware item for any kind of kitchen. With a skillet, you can fry, roast, braise, sauté, and can do many more things that you cannot even imagine. But it works amazing especially for browning meats, preparing grilled-cheese sandwiches, or cooking over-easy eggs.
[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kqdk86cogw”]
Comparing Wok with Others
Wok Vs Frying Pan
Frying pan and wok, both of these cookware pieces are considered as an essential part of our daily cooking method. But these cooking vessels are completely different when it comes to their designs or structures. A typical frying pan comes with a flat-bottom and moderately sloped-sides which allow oils to rest evenly across the bottom of the pan. Woks, conversely, have rounded bottom and deep sloping walls which trap heat inside and enable food to cook quickly.
Wok Vs Dutch Oven
A Dutch oven is handy and will suit for deep frying, braising, stewing effectively. However, this piece of cookware is not compatible with regular use because of its size and weight. A wok, on the other hand, compatible to use on high heat and also for daily cooking. When compared to a Dutch oven, woks require very little maintenance and care which makes it more convenient to use.
Wok Vs Stir Fry Pan
Like the skillet or a regular frying pan, a stir fry pan is also different than Wok in structure, size, shape and even in its application. A wok would be a great fit for a commercial kitchen with a gas stove where a stir fry pan is perfect for a home kitchen. It can be used with both gas or electric stove.
And like the wok, you can use a stir fry pan for various recipes that can be done a wok. Compared to the wok, a stir fry pan can be used by anyone even a new cook. So if you are new in the kitchen, a stir fry pan is the best option between stir fry pan vs wok.
Final Words
So why use a wok instead of a frying pan or skillet while both of these cookware items are versatile but they’re not interchangeable. If you want the best stir-fry or steam vegetables, use your carbon steel or cast iron wok. Additionally, skillets are slightly more versatile when compared to a wok and you can use it after years efficiently. However, if you’re ready to spend more bucks and have enough space in your kitchen then it’s best to get both of them.
Helpful Links
- When Is a Wok Better Than a Skillet? – Los Angeles Times