Every Grill Girl Needs a Grill Wok

Cuisinart Non-Stick CNW-328 Grill Wok

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Combinations of skewered vegetables, fruit and meat tease our taste buds, while watchfully grilled vegetable mixes taste as good if not better than any steamed vegetables.  Thick asparagus spears and large portobello mushroom caps can sit directly on a grill grate but other vegetables tend to slip through the grates. An inexpensive grill gadget turns meals into culinary adventures and turns grills into kitchens.  If you grill a lot, and you enjoy grilled vegetables, a Grill Wok is a must.

Cuisinart’s Non-Stick Grill Wok makes it possible to grill and char combinations of vegetables over the flames. You won’t need to worry about sacrificing roasted jalapenos to the grill Gods. This makes it safe to cook chopped vegetables, roast peppers, or char green beans. Skinny asparagus cooks betters in the grill wok than directly on the grate. 

11 Inch Square

The wok is an 11-inch square pan that’s approximately two inches deep. The non-stick coated steel pan is durable, the coating provides additional heat resistance. The deep sides contain

the vegetables better than a shallow grill topper. Two nearly five-inch rectangular handles provide a grip for moving the pan but also securing while stirring. The handles are stainless steel and capably handle the heat—you will need grill mitts. 

Every outdoor grill chef should have a grill wok or basket. This is perforated with holes on all sides and the base–this lets the food’s fats or juices cook off.  It prevents vegetables from simmering in their juices; if cooking small pieces of meat or seafood the fats will also cook off.  Cuisinart claims that this is a non-stick coating but I’ve found that food cooks more evenly and sticks less when I lightly spray an olive or vegetable oil coating on the pan before adding vegetables or meat.  

My only complaint is the handle. When stirring a vegetable mix I use a long wood spoon to stir and scrape making sure nothing sticks or overly char in the flames. When stirring the vegetables it’s necessary to hold the handle and naturally that’s over the flames. It gets hot.  I wish that this pan had a singularly long handle on one side and a rectangular grip handle on the other side rather than two rectangular grip handles. Because of the non-stick surface use nylon, silicone, wood or bamboo cooking tools.

The Cuisinart Grill Wok is…

• affordable at less than $20,
• not dishwasher safe (an additional reason to coat the surface before cooking)
• hangs on a pan rack for easy storage.
• safe for use over gas, charcoal and electric outdoor grills

I prefer tossing my vegetables in a little olive oil with a touch of garlic and grilling in the wok–it works for this grill girl.

SUMMARY
PLUS:  sturdy, affordable, easy to clean
MINUS: not dishwasher safe
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING Anyone who moves beyond the standard picnic grill food will want to explore cooking vegetables and fruit outside -- especially when it's too hot to be in a kitchen.