Best Review on Breville EW30XL Electric Gourmet Wok
I should say up front that I had never cooked in a wok before I purchased this one. The day that this arrived, I unpacked it, skimmed the instruction booklet, headed to the supermarket, and proceeded to cook one of the best dishes of fried rice that I had ever enjoyed. I've had the wok for about a month now, and have used it at least twenty times, and am very pleased with the results. I'm not going to go into the many virtues of this wok since those have been well covered by other reviewers.
I will say that I have not had any of the problems with the surface that some reviewers have, but neither have I washed the wok since I bought it. I do occasionally disassemble it to clean any bits of rice that have fallen between the cooking surface and the cradle that it sits in, but so far I have found it sufficient to simply wipe clean the cooking surface with a clean dry paper towel while still hot. The surface is so non-stick that all food residue comes off quite nicely, though you do have to be careful not to burn your fingers. The next time I use it, I once again wipe the heated surface with a paper towel before adding the oil. That probably grosses some of you out, but I suggest that if you try it, you will see how clean the wok is between uses, plus you never have soap residue on the wok surface.
The rest of this review, I will give a few tips that may make your wok experience more enjoyable, even though most of the readers probably already know these.
1. Hot wok-Cold oil. Always heat your wok to full heat before adding oil, then immediately add the food being cooked. I prefer peanut oil. That is what is used in most Asian restaurants in the U.S. It has a high smoke point and doesn't add any strong flavors like smoked sesame oil does (though my son loves the food where I use the sesame oil). Experiment with oils to find what you like, but use an oil with a high smoke point.
2. Perfect fried rice. Never use freshly cooked rice to make fried rice unless you like your fried rice to be mushy and gummy. Cook your classic rice a day ahead of time, fluff it, and store overnight (or two or three) in a closed container in the fridge. This will kill the mush and ensure a nice fried rice that is not too sticky.
3. Oyster Sauce - If you've never used it, (or heard of it), it will take your fried rice or lo mein noodles to a whole new level. A subtle flavor that makes a big difference. If you want a nice sweet sauce for your meats that's not overpowering, try Hoisin sausce, or sweet chili sauce, which also has a nice subtle heat but should be used sparingly due to the sweetness.
4. Fresh vs. Frozen - I'm not going to argue that frozen vegetables are better than fresh because they are clearly not. They are, however, easier, cheaper, and faster. My local supermarket (and I live in a very small town) carries a "seasoning blend" that consists of finely chopped red and green peppers, onions, and celery. No time, no waste, dirt cheap, and delicious while adding some nice color to your dish. These always go in second, right after the oil. If you're cooking for your boss, and planning on asking for a raise, use fresh. If you're cooking for your in-laws, use the frozen. They are going to love the food and either love you or hate you anyway. There are a number of frozen vegetable blends that you can choose from.
5. Velveted Meat - The difference that this technique will make for your stir-fry meats cannot be overstated, and it is quite simple. For each pound of meat, (I've used it for chicken, pork and beef), thorougly mix one egg white, one tablespoon of corn starch and one tablespoon of water. Add the mixture to the meat and marinate for at least 30 minutes (I usually do it overnight). You may also add any spices that you wish for the meat. Once it has been well-marinated, bring a sausepan of water just to a boil, add the meat, and blanch for one minute and then drain well in a colander. Then stir-fry as usual. This technique locks in the flavors of the meat and gives it a nice velvety-smooth texture that is unmatched in flavor and tenderness.
I hope that this has been helpful to some of you, and happy woking!
I've done a fair amount of stirfry over the years, and for a long time had a professional level one similar to this Breville. Once it died, I did not get another, and anytime I tried to do stirfry on the oven it was a disaster. Even a new pretty powerful $800 gas oven did NOT get the on-the-stove pan hot enough. I would end up 'stewing' the food, and it bore little resemblance to my stirfry's of the past.
BalasHapusI was VERY impressed with the excellent instructions that are provided in the book this comes with. I studied all their tips for an hour, and was amazed at the things I did NOT know, or had forgotten. Someone who never stirfried before could get first rate results by studying just a few pages. Little things are important - I used to just turn it on, and throw in the oil and wait for it to get hot. WRONG! You are supposed to turn it on EMPTY, let it get VERY hot, and only then put in the oil. And I realized I had started to get lazy, and was not doing smaller batches of items at a time, which does end up with better results.
If I need to get things out of the pan, I just hold a big bowl or plastic container next to it, and slide stuff up the side and out - or I just tip it up and dump it on a plate. Although it is good to know that once every few months I could actually take it apart for an old-fashioned cleaning, all you really need to do is wipe it out with a sponge. The non-stick surface is fantastic. The temperature dial is excellent, and it comes with the most heavy duty cord you ever saw!
Stir-fry is my teenaged son's favorite meal, and without a good wok, I hardly ever cooked it for him. Now when I tell him we're having stir-fry, he's thrilled. Remember this thing would be good for a lot more than just stirfry too. I was amazed that it could slow cook as well. I can make beef stew a one pot dish. Can't wait to try it out on tempura, which it will also be great for! There are also a lot of great recipes in the book.
I had originally purchased a Rival stainless W73 wok about 11 months ago. The legs loosened and the plastic BB bumps that sit in holes broke off. Those plastic bumps prevent the legs from turning. My wife was last stir frying with it sitting on a measuring cup. I love strir fry and knew that if that continued she would not want to use it so I called the company and their customer service responded by emailing me only one sentence. We have no more legs. To simply state that I was ticked is an understatement. I then read the above reviews on the Breville so I ordered one. I was impressed by the weight and the well thought about design and quality. It is not a light weight by no means. I used the Braise setting tonight and it seared the chicken immediately. I like the selector on the lid for the vent so I can steam vegetables and then after serving I can open the vent and put the lid back on to keep them warm and prevent further steaming. I liked the temp selector how it locks in when you plug it into the wok and then you grasp the side lever on the selector when you go to pull it out and it releases. The big knob on the bottom turns to remove the fry bowl to wash it. To put it back you simply set the temp plug housing into a cradle and then reach underneath to lock it. I also noted that because of the bowl shape I can put my serving plate against the outside of the wok and then drag the stir fry up the inside until it lands on the server plate. No spills and no picking up and tipping. I used very little peanut oil and it cleaned up great with a sponge. I'm already planning the next dish from my Madame Wong's Long-Life cookbook.
BalasHapus
BalasHapusWithout going into too much detail, you NEED this wok!! The wok gets flaming hot, and food tastes just like it came out of the finest pan-asian restaurant. This piece of equipment is sturdy, and built for the long run, not like some wok-shaped electric frying pans out there. The only gripe I have is that the included spatula has melted a bit...Breville should either include a better one or leave it out altogether...but the wok itself is a definite winner!
BalasHapusI bought this wok based on the great reviews, although I still had some trepidation about how well a non-stick, electric wok would perform. After using it for a while, I can say that my worries were baseless; this is a great wok.
BalasHapusThe other reviews are spot-on. Some real thought went into this wok's design; it's well made and a pleasure to use. It gets super hot for searing the food, responds quickly to temperature changes, and cleanup is a snap. I've made some excellent Chinese dishese with this wok.
The only negative thing I have to say is that you can't easily lift and pour from this wok while cooking. For example, let's say you are deep frying some meat, and then need to pour off most of the oil and reserve a couple tablespoons for stir-frying. Although the wok detaches from the base, you need to manipulate a dial on the underside of the base in order to do so. Your other option is to lift the entire thing, including the base, but remember that the cord is plugged into the base. This kind of thing can be worked around, though, so I didn't think it was a big enough deal to dock a star. Just something to keep in mind.
By A Customer
BalasHapusThis Wok has some serious heat. As a professional chef with Asian style recipes on the menu I've used many a stove top wok. Until now I'd never found an electric wok that could generate enough heat to sear in the flavors of meats and vegetables. Not only does the Breville Electric Wok deliver as much heat as a top of the range stove top wok, its surface is non-stick so I can use less oil for healthier results. Every thing about the wok is clever, from the detachable base, to the dishwasher safe parts, to the cook and look glass lid. Whoever designed this is in to wok cooking in a big way. Very clever, very stylish, very hot.
BalasHapusThis electric wok is fantastic. Just disregard all you've heard about how electric woks don't match up. The Breville EW30XL is different and it rates 5 stars by many people for good reasons. This wok is extremely well made and should last a lifetime. It gets so hot on the highest setting, that it melted the end of a plastic wok turner I purchased to use with it (use good quality hardwood and toss quickly). It's non-stick coating is there to stay and because of it, you use less or even no oil (be sure to use appropriate oils). Peanut oil is a perfect choice. This is a high quality wok that you will enjoy for years to come.
BalasHapus5.0 out of 5 stars
BalasHapusHottest Wok I've Ever Used, September 2, 2003
BalasHapus
BalasHapus326 of 332 people found the following review helpful
BalasHapusThis is one amazing wok!!! Our cheap little aluminum electric wok died after 20 years of hard use. We were going through stir-fry withdrawls and needed a replacement fast. In comes the Breville wok to save the day.
BalasHapusAll kidding aside...this is a quality device! VERY sturdy construction, excellent attention to detail, and most importantly it cooks like a champ. One can also use it for a slow cooker or deep fat fryer.
If you are in the market for an electric wok, you are bound to be satisfied with the Breville. Top notch all the way!