Butane Torch Evaluate

For years, a butane kitchen torch was one thing I talked myself out of shopping for. I’d eat crème brûlée at a restaurant, get a hankering for it at house, and add a butane torch to my Amazon cart. Then, I’d hem and haw and determine it was a “need” slightly than a “want.” As a gear tester, my kitchen (and basement and storage) are already overflowing with stuff. However then I examined cocktail people who smoke, one in all which got here with a small kitchen torch, and the clouds lifted: I ought to’ve purchased a torch sooner.

Why I Love My Butane Torch

To begin with, a butane kitchen torch is important to get that crackling, crunchy sugar crust on crème brûlée. Positive, a broiler will do the job in a pinch, however I’ve by no means gotten that candy-like, arduous sugar layer with that technique. However a butane torch’s makes use of go far past this one process. 

We’ve written about how a torch is an effective way to get wok hei taste at house—a technique contributor Tim Chin cleverly calls “torch hei.” He writes, “At first whiff, I might detect these tell-tale aromas of a legit stir fry: the greens had been smoky, singed, faintly charred in all the precise methods. Total, I believed I might achieved a worthy approximation of wok hei.” 

Along with wok cooking, I’ve additionally turned to my kitchen torch to zhuzh up elements. I take advantage of it to brûlée fruit, remodeling a banana cut up right into a caramelized, brûléed banana cut up—fancy! It’s additionally nice for searing fish for sushi, leading to a pleasant char with out cooking the fish by way of. Past this, it has a slew of helpful purposes: Have a midnight yearning for s’mores? Use a butane torch to toast the marshmallows. Is the cheese in your burger nonetheless a bit stable? Blast it with a torch so it will get bubbly and melty. Taking ceaselessly to mild briquettes in your charcoal chimney? A butane torch can assist the newspaper catch. 

Oh, and again to cocktail people who smoke, which is how I first found the butane torch-shaped gap in my life. In the event you purchase my favourite budget-friendly cocktail smoker, you’ll want a butane torch to mild it (like this one). I attempted igniting the wooden chips with a daily lighter, and all I obtained was a trickle of smoke. Then I broke out the butane torch and increase, smoke blasted into my cup with all of the power and smoky energy of one of many 4 horsemen of the apocalypse. 

In brief, a butane torch lets you may have enjoyable within the kitchen, opening the door for caramelized and seared edible delights with out having to activate the burner or oven. 

Safely Use a Torch

All that mentioned, with nice (fireplace) energy comes nice duty. I’ve accomplished some questionable issues with my butane torch, particularly, holding a giant ‘n puffy marshmallow whereas torching it—unhealthy thought. As a substitute, take care when aiming the highly effective flame, and don’t mild it up close to something flammable. Hold it away from a range prime burner when you have a fuel vary—accidents occur and this isn’t an accident you need to mess with. Additionally, make sure that the torch’s security lock is engaged when it’s not in use. It’d be a foul time for those who unintentionally hit the set off whereas it’s saved within the drawer.

Why We’re the Specialists

• Grace Kelly is a commerce editor at Critical Eats, the place she’s been testing gear for greater than two years. 
• After getting a butane torch to check cocktail people who smoke, she fell in love with this kitchen gadget and makes use of it to toast marshmallows and brûlée fruit, amongst different issues.