Cooking torch

Finishing sweet corn with a blowtorch

Rothenberger MAPP blowtorch.
Next to a 400g can of baked beans

A cooking blowtorch (culinary blowtorch, chef's blowlamp, culinary torch) allows a cook to direct a precise jet of flame onto food to sear or to brown the surface to enhance the flavour and visual appeal.

Foods cooked by the sous vide cooking method are often browned by a cooking torch before serving.

The torch shown is a butane blow-torch, refilled using a standard cigarette lighter refill. £17.13 Amazon UK

The MAPP blowtorch, by comparison, is huge. It works brilliantly and most importantly, does not taint the food. £79.99 Screwfix UK

Types of blowtorch

Butane (or propane)

• For
  • Cheap (£17.00)
  • Easily available
• Against
  • Can leave slight odour of butane on food
  • Does not really burn hot enough

MAPP (methylacetylene-propadiene propane) or propylene gas

• For
  • Burns at an extremely high temperature
  • Leaves no odour
  • Sears food very quickly
• Against
  • Expensive (£80 +)
  • Not obviously available as a culinary tool (usually sold as a soldering or braising torch)
  • Bulky (for storage)

Find recipes that contain 'Cooking torch'

#cookingtorch #sousvidecookingmethod #sear #tools