Butane Torch Consider

For years, a butane kitchen torch was one factor I talked myself out of buying. I’d eat crème brûlée at a restaurant, get a hankering for it at dwelling, and add a butane torch to my Amazon cart. Then, I’d hem and haw and decide it was a “want” reasonably than a “need.” As a gear tester, my kitchen (and basement and storage) are already overflowing with stuff. Nonetheless then I examined cocktail individuals who smoke, thought-about certainly one of which obtained right here with a small kitchen torch, and the clouds lifted: I should’ve bought a torch sooner.

Why I Love My Butane Torch

To begin with, a butane kitchen torch is essential to get that crackling, crunchy sugar crust on crème brûlée. Sure, a broiler will do the job in a pinch, nonetheless I’ve certainly not gotten that candy-like, laborious sugar layer with that methodology. Nonetheless a butane torch’s makes use of go far previous this one course of. 

We’ve written about how a torch is an efficient method to get wok hei style at dwelling—a way contributor Tim Chin cleverly calls “torch hei.” He writes, “At first whiff, I’ll detect these tell-tale aromas of a legit stir fry: the greens had been smoky, singed, faintly charred in all of the becoming strategies. Complete, I believed I’d achieved a worthy approximation of wok hei.” 

Together with wok cooking, I’ve moreover turned to my kitchen torch to zhuzh up parts. I reap the benefits of it to brûlée fruit, transforming a banana minimize up proper right into a caramelized, brûléed banana minimize up—fancy! It’s moreover good for searing fish for sushi, resulting in a nice char with out cooking the fish by the use of. Previous this, it has a slew of useful functions: Have a midnight eager for s’mores? Use a butane torch to toast the marshmallows. Is the cheese in your burger nonetheless a bit robust? Blast it with a torch so it is going to get bubbly and melty. Taking endlessly to light briquettes in your charcoal chimney? A butane torch will assist the newspaper catch. 

Oh, and once more to cocktail individuals who smoke, which is how I first discovered the butane torch-shaped hole in my life. Should you occur to buy my favorite budget-friendly cocktail smoker, you’ll desire a butane torch to light it (like this one). I tried igniting the wood chips with an on a regular basis lighter, and all I obtained was a trickle of smoke. Then I broke out the butane torch and development, smoke blasted into my cup with all the strain and smoky power of certainly one of many 4 horsemen of the apocalypse. 

Briefly, a butane torch lets you’ve got pleasurable throughout the kitchen, opening the door for caramelized and seared edible delights with out having to activate the burner or oven. 

Recommendations on find out how to Safely Use a Torch

All that talked about, with good (hearth) power comes good accountability. I’ve accomplished some questionable points with my butane torch, particularly, holding a large ‘n puffy marshmallow whereas torching it—unhealthy thought. As an alternative, take care when aiming the extremely efficient flame, and don’t light it up near one thing flammable. Protect it away from a spread excessive burner when you’ve got a gasoline range—accidents happen and this isn’t an accident you want to mess with. Moreover, make certain that the torch’s safety lock is engaged when it’s not in use. It’d be a nasty time for individuals who by chance hit the set off whereas it’s saved throughout the drawer.

Why We’re the Specialists

• Grace Kelly is an editor at Extreme Eats, the place she’s been testing gear for better than two years. 
• After getting a butane torch to test cocktail individuals who smoke, she fell in love with this kitchen gadget and makes use of it to toast marshmallows and brûlée fruit, amongst completely different points.