Blog

New Episode: Blowtorches!	Hugh 2008-12-10 12:06:00 UTC
It’s here! This is one of my favourite episodes, as well as possibly our most Top Gear moment to date… . What do you think? Personally, I still prefer my big blowtorch. Have you tried blowtorching in the kitchen, and if so, what’s your preference? If you want more KKC, the Kamikaze Cookery Season 0 Part 1 DVD is available from our shop now.
Robin \| 2008-12-10 13:38:24 UTC I bought mine at a DIY-store. Similar to what you’ve got there. Also with a butane propane mix, but I’m not very happy with it. I don’t have any experience with other blowtorches, but this one burns so very, very intense, things get black easily. You can hardly control it. And worse, I think it leaves a horrible smell. You’d almost think the food is toxic.
Hugh \| 2008-12-10 15:04:32 UTC I think they vary a great deal depending on make. My one very rarely leaves any smell at all. If it does leave a major smell, I’d say that’s probably not good for use with food!
Bjarke \| 2008-12-10 15:23:01 UTC I would have liked to see the blowtorch approach compared to just sticking the creme brulees under the oven grill. I’ve heard that it should be possible to achieve a decent crust that way. Would you consider adding that experiment?
Ian \| 2008-12-10 17:54:00 UTC The hand blowtorch may have won the brulee battle, but that doesn’t necessarily secure its victory in the kitchen war. The plumber’s blowtorch can certainly do things that the hand torch cannot. For instance, I recently tried to finish a sous-vide steak with my hand blowtorch, and it failed miserably. I could get a touch of light brown here and there, but it came nowhere near the ideal browning of a proper Maillard reaction. I had to re-fire the steaks in a hot pan to get what you guys were able to get with the plumber’s torch. So, sure, maybe the plumber’s torch finished a close second here, but on balance maybe it’s the best overall tool to have in the kitchen.
Hugh \| 2008-12-10 18:16:17 UTC @Ian – yeah, I think you’re absolutely right. Actually, what you’re saying is very similar to a post I just made on the other thread on the episode. I think which one’s better depends on what you cook. Into meat? Get the big blowtorch. Mostly a dessert person? The small one’s probably more your bag. Ideally, get both. @Bjarke – We can’t really tack it onto the episode, of course, but if we get the chance, one of us with a working grill (Paul?) will test the browning-under-grill technique. Thanks for the suggestion!
Martin \| 2008-12-10 19:30:47 UTC Funny episode ;) I agree with Ian – the creme brulee is to fragile to favor the proper blowtorch. You should bring in a large piece of meat in a follow up episode on blow torches! After sous vide I agree that a real, proper blow torch would be convenient. And just for reference – why not include one of those really big ones used for removing gras and organic matter from parkways (don’t know what they are called in English…).
Hakuo0000 \| 2008-12-10 23:54:27 UTC I’m all for the huge arse blowtorch, it helps with the overcompensating. It did seem that Hugh didn’t really know all to well what he was doing (the “ZOMG!” faces kind of gave it away. XD) and with practice I’m sure he could caramelize that babeh up. I’m only saying this because good ’ol Alton Brown torched his, with a manly torch, and his came out awesome-tastic. Gwah, it looked good. Took him about a minute, too.
Katie \| 2008-12-11 03:25:35 UTC When I make Creme Brulee (which is rarely, I’ll admit), I brown it under the broil setting in my oven. Works great!
Hugh \| 2008-12-11 11:25:30 UTC Martin – we figured we’d done the meat thing with “Perfect Steak”. But yes, the big blowtorch is the only way to go for that. Good thought on the really big torch – might look into that! Hakuo – I was hamming it up a bit, but yeah, that was the first time I’d use the big torch on a creme brulee – same with Alex and the little one. Practise would help a lot. Katie – interesting. We may have to test…
cha0tic \| 2008-12-12 02:54:14 UTC You do realise the obvious counterpoint of this test is to use each device to dry your hair? When do we get to see that video?
Irene \| 2008-12-12 23:41:58 UTC I’m still amazed that it appears in the UK you can get ready-made Creme Brulee. The nearest thing I can think of here in Florida would be a Jello pudding cup™ with some sugar dumped on it. I mean, seriously. I kept saying to my husband, “No, look! He just took the top off of it and it’s Creme Brulee!!! Isn’t that AMAZING??? Isn’t that BRILLIANT? Why don’t we get neat stuff like that, much less Flake bars and dark chocolate Hobb Nobbs!” He just sighed and shook his head. He does that a lot.
Hugh \| 2008-12-13 16:34:27 UTC Chaotic – just imagine us all running around and screaming with hair on fire, and you’ve got the episode In Your Head already. Irene – what amazed me was that they actually taste really nice. I have no idea how they do that. Either way, yeah, we’re lucky, lucky people.

Make a comment

ALL links are stripped from comments - sorry about this, it's to get rid of our spammer plague. If you're a spammer, don't let the ass hit you in the door on the way out. Edit | Back

New Episode: Blowtorches!	Hugh 2008-12-10 12:06:00 UTC
It’s here! This is one of my favourite episodes, as well as possibly our most Top Gear moment to date… . What do you think? Personally, I still prefer my big blowtorch. Have you tried blowtorching in the kitchen, and if so, what’s your preference? If you want more KKC, the Kamikaze Cookery Season 0 Part 1 DVD is available from our shop now.
Robin \| 2008-12-10 13:38:24 UTC I bought mine at a DIY-store. Similar to what you’ve got there. Also with a butane propane mix, but I’m not very happy with it. I don’t have any experience with other blowtorches, but this one burns so very, very intense, things get black easily. You can hardly control it. And worse, I think it leaves a horrible smell. You’d almost think the food is toxic.
Hugh \| 2008-12-10 15:04:32 UTC I think they vary a great deal depending on make. My one very rarely leaves any smell at all. If it does leave a major smell, I’d say that’s probably not good for use with food!
Bjarke \| 2008-12-10 15:23:01 UTC I would have liked to see the blowtorch approach compared to just sticking the creme brulees under the oven grill. I’ve heard that it should be possible to achieve a decent crust that way. Would you consider adding that experiment?
Ian \| 2008-12-10 17:54:00 UTC The hand blowtorch may have won the brulee battle, but that doesn’t necessarily secure its victory in the kitchen war. The plumber’s blowtorch can certainly do things that the hand torch cannot. For instance, I recently tried to finish a sous-vide steak with my hand blowtorch, and it failed miserably. I could get a touch of light brown here and there, but it came nowhere near the ideal browning of a proper Maillard reaction. I had to re-fire the steaks in a hot pan to get what you guys were able to get with the plumber’s torch. So, sure, maybe the plumber’s torch finished a close second here, but on balance maybe it’s the best overall tool to have in the kitchen.
Hugh \| 2008-12-10 18:16:17 UTC @Ian – yeah, I think you’re absolutely right. Actually, what you’re saying is very similar to a post I just made on the other thread on the episode. I think which one’s better depends on what you cook. Into meat? Get the big blowtorch. Mostly a dessert person? The small one’s probably more your bag. Ideally, get both. @Bjarke – We can’t really tack it onto the episode, of course, but if we get the chance, one of us with a working grill (Paul?) will test the browning-under-grill technique. Thanks for the suggestion!
Martin \| 2008-12-10 19:30:47 UTC Funny episode ;) I agree with Ian – the creme brulee is to fragile to favor the proper blowtorch. You should bring in a large piece of meat in a follow up episode on blow torches! After sous vide I agree that a real, proper blow torch would be convenient. And just for reference – why not include one of those really big ones used for removing gras and organic matter from parkways (don’t know what they are called in English…).
Hakuo0000 \| 2008-12-10 23:54:27 UTC I’m all for the huge arse blowtorch, it helps with the overcompensating. It did seem that Hugh didn’t really know all to well what he was doing (the “ZOMG!” faces kind of gave it away. XD) and with practice I’m sure he could caramelize that babeh up. I’m only saying this because good ’ol Alton Brown torched his, with a manly torch, and his came out awesome-tastic. Gwah, it looked good. Took him about a minute, too.
Katie \| 2008-12-11 03:25:35 UTC When I make Creme Brulee (which is rarely, I’ll admit), I brown it under the broil setting in my oven. Works great!
Hugh \| 2008-12-11 11:25:30 UTC Martin – we figured we’d done the meat thing with “Perfect Steak”. But yes, the big blowtorch is the only way to go for that. Good thought on the really big torch – might look into that! Hakuo – I was hamming it up a bit, but yeah, that was the first time I’d use the big torch on a creme brulee – same with Alex and the little one. Practise would help a lot. Katie – interesting. We may have to test…
cha0tic \| 2008-12-12 02:54:14 UTC You do realise the obvious counterpoint of this test is to use each device to dry your hair? When do we get to see that video?
Irene \| 2008-12-12 23:41:58 UTC I’m still amazed that it appears in the UK you can get ready-made Creme Brulee. The nearest thing I can think of here in Florida would be a Jello pudding cup™ with some sugar dumped on it. I mean, seriously. I kept saying to my husband, “No, look! He just took the top off of it and it’s Creme Brulee!!! Isn’t that AMAZING??? Isn’t that BRILLIANT? Why don’t we get neat stuff like that, much less Flake bars and dark chocolate Hobb Nobbs!” He just sighed and shook his head. He does that a lot.
Hugh \| 2008-12-13 16:34:27 UTC Chaotic – just imagine us all running around and screaming with hair on fire, and you’ve got the episode In Your Head already. Irene – what amazed me was that they actually taste really nice. I have no idea how they do that. Either way, yeah, we’re lucky, lucky people.