Cooking torch
From Cookipedia
(Redirected from 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)