Blue flame from kitchen torch burner on black background
A kitchen torch is a great appliance that will provide great help to your kitchen. If you want to add caramelized or smoky taste to your most preferred dishes, you should get the best kitchen torch. To prevent burns and torch taste, it is important to follow simple safety precautions. The kitchen torch is a simple tool to use and can help you bring taste to a variety of recipes. But using it carefully on your food is necessary, so here are the steps for you to follow on how to use a kitchen torch carefully.
1. Get a Kitchen torch.
Pick a kitchen torch with a fuel gauge so you can monitor the amount of fuel left in the torch. You can use the torch without holding down the on button if you choose one with hands-free operation. A kitchen torch can be purchased online or in specialized kitchen stores. Cheap kitchen torches are available. For kitchen torches, you can use gas, butane, or other fuels. If you buy a torch internet, you’ll need to know where to buy the fuel in your area so you can replenish it. Canisters for fuel are screwed onto the back of a kitchen torch.
2. Stay safe.
You should turn on the fan in your kitchen. The fire extinguisher is located in the kitchen where you can easily access it. Clear a surface for torching by getting rid of any combustibles such as kitchen towels and plastic items. Set up for torching by placing a metal tray or cast iron grill on your kitchen counter. If your clothing gets in the way of the flame, you should wear a kitchen apron. Note that common metals such as aluminium and copper can be melted with a kitchen torch. Fleece jackets and acrylic clothing are likely to be set on fire.
3. Use a strong metal tray to hold your food items.
Prepare your food items before you turn on your torching. Place the prepared food items on a firm metal tray, like a steel cooking tray or a cast iron grill. There should not be plastic items near your torching area.
4. As you light the torch, wait for a blue flame.
You need to light the torch before exposing it to food. Once it is lit, you need to wait a few seconds for the yellow or orange flame to go away. Once you see a small, hissing, blue flame, you are ready to torch. If you torch your food before seeing the small, blue flame, you will get a torch taste which is caused by fuel contaminating your food.
5. Keep the nozzle clean.
The blow torch will get dirty if you use it constantly. Having poor aim could be caused by food items covering the nozzle. If you end up getting old food on the nozzle, it will have a poor flavour on the dish you are cooking. You can clean the nozzle with a clean rag or cloth.
6. Aim the torch away from you.
The torch should be pointing away from your body, including your other hand. It is common to get second and third-degree burns from a kitchen torch. So, you should make sure that you are wearing the right cloth and that it is not close to the flame, to avoid setting yourself on fire.
7. Use in a sweeping motion.
You should carefully move the torch back and forth over the area you wish to grill or scorch your meal in order to torch it properly. If you only focus the torch on one area of your food, you run the risk of burning it.
8. After use turned off the gas.
When you are done torching, turn off the hands-free operation and turn off the gas on the torch. You can store your torch once the gas is turned off. You should release the ‘on’ button and then turn off the torch if you are not using the hands-free version.
Extra Tips
Torch meat, and fish before baking.
If you are baking a meat or fish dish, you can try torching it before putting it into the oven. Torch the meat or fish surface lightly to give it a bit of a crisp outside. Then, put it in the oven following your normal recipe. If you are grilling the meat, you probably will not need to use the torch since you will get the smoky and crispy effects from the grill.
Making grill marks.
If you are trapped indoors, you could use your kitchen torch to recreate the look of a barbeque. Grill lines can be made with your blowtorch after cooking steaks, burgers, or veggies. Just move the torch back and forth over the same area to make a line, and then repeat the process to create a sequence of grill lines on the meat.
Caramelizing sugar on fruits and desserts.
Adding a torch to your desserts will give them an extra depth of flavour that your family and friends will love. If you are making a pie, use your kitchen torch to cook the sugar on top. When the pie is out of the oven, make sure to burn the sugar on top. You also can torch sugar on top of the fruit.
Roasting some peppers.
It is not necessary to buy canned peppers in the grocery store if you are making an Italian or Spanish dish that demands grilled peppers. Buy fresh peppers and then grill them yourself with a kitchen torch. Roasted peppers could be used in pasta sauce to add a smoky flavour.
Please share with us other tricks and tips on how to use a kitchen torch safely in the comment section.
