Country Wok

I wanted to show a unique cooking tool that a friend of mine lets us use when we are doing the park and camp method in the outdoors.  The picture above is of a plow disc that purchased before the disc hole in the center was stamped.  The handles have also been added so you can adjust the outdoor wok on the open fire. 

http://www.maverickfab.net/default.html

The above video is of a company that has taken the cowboy cooker wok to a new level.  From what I have seen most people use turkey fryers (That is what we use) but in the above video they use charcoal in this wild looking propane barrel cap that has been converted and fitted with a hand crank on the side that adjusts the unit up and down depending on your heat need.

These outdoor woks have many names, looks, and sizes but one thing you need to always look for is that they are made from a "plow disk."  That is very important because there are the stir fry woks that restaurant supply companies sell that look the same and are the same size. The huge difference is that they are made of thin steel or plate style steel and you need a completely different style of heat source for those.  Next time you are at one of those asian infusion style restaurants look at their woks and how their heat source works.  It is totally different than campout cookers and charcoal.  The plow disk is heavy gauge steel that helps with retaining the heat.  You can see from the picture above how ours has alot of heat in the center, then a nother ring around that then the third ring of where you would warm the breads.  This is where the heat levels are and you use those areas to cook different types of foods.  To tie these cowboy woks and diabetes together you have to be carefull with what you cook.  Now these things are great for veggies but, they make great fajitas, tacos, and anything you can put in a flour tortilla.  That mixed in with using oils you get great fresh foods but be carefull of the calories and carbs that come with these foods.  Just like asian cuisine you have to be warry of what is in the suce.  I have to limit my intake when we break out the cowboy wok on campouts because of all the carbs, oils, and fatty meats.  I am looking to getting one of these for my personal use and when that happens or if you use one and have some healthy suggestions please let me know!  It always seems that when camping with friends the diabetic loses out when it comes to the menu, and that is why I practice portion control.

In the end if you ever camp with groups of people or are looking for something different to cook on, these outdoor woks are awesome.  I have never seen one item that has wowed so many people so fast.  When the wok comes out we all gather around and everyone helps out cutting foods, stirring the wok, and prepping the sides.  These outdoor woks bring everyone together and give a different element to your camping experience.  I think my friend started camping with us three years ago and now everyone either has purchased an outdoor wok, made an outdoor wok, or wants an outdoor wok.