Blowtorch newbie - tips needed

Treat the end like a hot pan you had on the stove or in the oven, meaning the tip can still be hot after use so obviously don't touch it, becareful what it gets near as you can melt things with it if you are not careful. I always turn the gas on mine off whens etting it down, even for a few seconds. And make sure you light it and it stays lit before you get it near any food, otherwise you can blow raw fule on your food and ruin it. If you have a fuel air ratio adjustment you want the flame to be as blue as possible with no orange, orange means you have incomplete combustion and it will be spewing out nasty unburned hydrocarbons and other chemicals, which will taste bad.

You want something that looks like this.

I just got my blowtorch in the mail yesterday, I had ordered the Iwatani butane torch before I read up on here and found MAPP or propane are preferred. I'm on a budget, so this will have to do for now.

I have never used a torch, and won't even use propane grills because of safety concerns (I'm reasonably sure the propane tank will become a small bomb and explode, or leaking gas will cause a giant fireball when I try to light it. You know, reasonable concerns.

I'm going to be brave and try the butane torch, hopefully it will be straightforward. I will be watching this for good safety tips!

I have the iwatani torch. Its basically as simple as matching up the black tab on the bottom of the igniter with the slit in the canister, turn the knob on the back and pull the trigger. If you notice a yellow flame adjust the grey ring closest to the flame until it burns blue like above. I always torch outside since I have hard wired smoke detectors that also seem to be overly sensitive to the gas from the torches but your mileage may vary.

I recommend always starting and adjusting your flame away from the food so you don't get any expelled gas onto the food itself but otherwise trial and error with your torching technique is the way to go. I've found it best to use almost like a brushstroke move to avoid scorching one area for too long.

Thank you, @Brendan! Do you detach the gas container from the torch when not in use?

Yes, I always let the head cool by itself on a sheet pan and store it detached from the canisters. It stays pretty hot for a while so be careful and don't freak out if it turns red hot when your using it, that's normal.

okay, awesome, thank you thank you! I really appreciate it!

Oh yes smoke, I now do my cheescake brulee or creme brulee next to the down draft on my stove as carmalizing sugar and create some serious smoke (which is normal) I did set off my smoke detectors once by doing this, most home smoke detectors won't be set off by gas such as butane, propane, as they are an atomization type which means they have a photoelectric eye that detects minute particles in smoke (or dust for that matter) If you have a cardon monoxide detector it might also detect gasses, butane is more than twice as heavy as air, propane is also heavier than air, natural gas is about HALF as dense as air so it rises (more like dissapates) All of these gasses have been scented to smell unpleasant, you can definitely torch inside if you are safe, I know that my toaster oven has caused more smoke than my torch, and I have a pretty big torch for food matters.

I get super pissed when that thing goes off so I just take it outside. I don't know if it's just really sensitive or evil.

Built ins tend to be more sensative, is it connected to a home alarm system? Like ADT or what have you?

No just powered by the electrical system so there is no battery shenanigans.

Hmm must just be sensative, better too sensative than not sensative enough.

this is true. Nothing my porch and a sheet pan can't fix though.

My porch is 6F and icy...

@Brendan, hahahahahaha

Mine's 27F so not that big of a deal. People around here freak out at the site of a single snowflake so it's comical to see people look at the forecast for this weekend (possible snow, never lower than 21F) and start prepping for doomsday.

What surface should I put the meat to torch them safely? Besides obviously non plastic or non wooden chopping boards etc?

I use a half sheet pan most of the time since it's large but a cast iron pan would work well or a large skillet.

Thanks @Brendan! Besides desserts, what is great blowtorched vs. searing on a pan?

I would use a wire rack on a sheet pan or just a sheet pan, If you can set the pan on your range that would work fine, Not sure how heat resistant your counter is, mine is tile so I torch on the counter. I Brulee desserts in oven safe ceramic ramekins, I doubt you could really hurt much with your torch as you will be burning meat before anythign else.

I like to torch the skins of of veg, I also like to use it in conjunction with a hard sear ina pan. So when something is searing on what I call the presentation side, I torch the other side to speed up the process.

Johan_Edstrom_5586

I quick roast peppers with it.

Johan_Edstrom_5586

And I have the Iwatani too - easy to get cartridges, wait for blue flame, "brush" like @Brendan says and you can do quite a bit of nice browning with it.

Okay, good! I was afraid I'd get laughed out for having a novice tool.

I saw an article where you can gently torch a hardboiled eggshell for about 60 seconds, rotating the egg as you go; the torch makes the shell brittle and it falls off easier.

I haven't seen that before, very interesting. I'll have to try that out.

Jack_Mayer_85396

@Shannon I have the Iwatani head as well and am satisfied with it. the canisters are pretty cheap. I also use it to brown those areas on a roast chicken that are too pale when it comes out of the oven. I'll also echo the sentiment for 1/4 or 1/2 sheet pans with a rack for finishing your SV proteins. @Brendan thats a cool idea to sear and torch at the same time, I'm stealing it!

@Jack, fantastic, I'm in good company! Now I just have to work up the courage to actually USE mine, hahahaha

Chris_Young_80640

@Grace — Having lived in the UK for 5 years, I would say that you should be able to find a similar type of propane torch at any DIY store like B&Q or Homebase. You just want a trigger-style head with some sort of knob to adjust the flame to ensure you get a fully oxidizing flame. Shouldn't be too expensive. But do avoid those Butane style cartridges and heads, they we're awful in my experience.

Thanks @Chris - your survived the British weather

good man.

Indeed, Homebase seems to have butane/propane mix catridges only, while B&Q surprising carries very little suitable ones.

My search has led me here so far , but it's a little mind-boggling at the moment not being a hardware/DIY/plumbing person at all...

Grace

Chris_Young_80640

@Grace - What you want is this: http://www.tradecounterdirect.com/soldering-brazing/blow-torch/rothenberger-superfire2-blowtorch_type.html

Basically the same as a Bernzomatic