Did you think the kitchen torch was only useful for caramelizing sugar? Nothing could be further from the truth! This small but mighty ally has so many uses, from finishing recipes with a brilliant touch to using it to prepare foods for what you're going to cook and save time. If you already have a torch —or are thinking of getting one— and want to discover how to get the most out of it, keep reading: in this post we tell you all the ideas used by professional chefs… and that, of course, you can also put into practice at home in the easiest way.
Some uses you'll give the torch (and keep reading, because there are more!):
(From left to right in the image) To give a roasted touch to your dishes, melt the cheese on your American-style burgers, burn sugar, singe the hairs on chicken, pork and other meats, quick gratin, give a smoky touch to salmon, smoke with a hood or even toast a little bread.
1) How to use a kitchen torch and which one suits me
Using a kitchen torch is very simple: you just need to fill it with butane gas (which you can buy at any tobacconist, like the one used for zippo style lighters), turn the +/- valve to release the gas and press the button to create a spark and ignite. With the same valve you can regulate the flame according to your needs, and if you close it the torch will turn off. It's just one click to light the torch!
Once lit, bring the flame a few centimeters from the food and move it in circles to achieve an even browning without burning.
Which torch to buy?
If you're thinking of getting a torch, in our store you'll find two KitchenCraft options that work wonderfully and are very easy to use and store:
- The Soplete Professional Masterclass, sturdy and high-capacity, ideal if you're going to use it frequently.
- The KitchenCraft kitchen torch, practical and perfect for occasional home use.
- One of the most popular and offers great performance, both for individuals and professionals, the Rösle kitchen torch.
All of them are easy to refill, offer an adjustable flame and will allow you to caramelize, gratin or brown your dishes with total safety and chef-level results.
2) What a kitchen torch is used for
A kitchen torch is great for caramelizing the sugar on crema catalana, on a cheesecake, or adding a touch when you prepare a cappuccino.… but it’s useful for much more than that! Here are the infinite uses you can give it:
The torch to prepare the foods you're going to cook
- It's great for peeling tomatoes or peppers: pass the torch over them and remove the skin in seconds (this avoids boiling tomatoes and leaving peppers in the oven).
- It will be great for singing the little hairs on chicken skin, pig legs or ears, and sanitizing other cuts of meat.
Cooking meat with a torch
- Use it to brown bacon or ham, you make it crispy without frying.
- Brown meats or crusts of roasts that turned out pale in the oven.
- You can even use it to toast a bit of bread just before serving, without turning on the toaster or putting them on the grill.
Cooking fish with a torch
- Sear the salmon, leaving the inside juicy, without touching any grill.
- With fish, you can also use it to create a crispy and flavorful skin, and give a more roasted or smoky final touch 🐟 You can apply it to pieces with small, tight scales, like salmon with skin, gilthead bream or sea bass.
- If you like Japanese cuisine, use the torch for raw pieces: Lightly sear the surface and enhance the seafood's flavor without cooking it all the way through. You boost the aroma and transform the texture. It's ideal for shrimp, scallop or fatty tuna nigiri.
The torch in pastry
- Caramelize fruit or citrus to decorate desserts or cocktails.
- Burn the sugar on crema catalana or the sugar you apply to top cream pies or cheesecakes for a beautiful, crunchy finish.
- It's ideal to quickly melt a bit of chocolate, without a bain-marie or microwave, or roast marshmallows for the final touch on cakes —That in a moment!
- To give a toasted finish to a meringue or a pie with meringue.
To finish dishes
- Use it to gratin cheeses over pasta or vegetables without turning on the oven.
- To give a crispy finish to vegetables: for example, quickly gratin the surface of stuffed eggplants or cooked Brussels sprouts to give them a caramelized touch.
- And it's your mega ally when you prepare American-style burgers!
- If you have a kitchen hood, you can also use it so your recipe takes on a smoky touch.
- If you want to serve a cappuccino, you can sprinkle a bit of sugar on the top foam and give it a toasted finish.
3) How to burn sugar with a torch
One of the most common applications with a kitchen torch is burning sugar. If you have doubts about how it's done, you only need a torch. With it you can “burn” the sugar in a controlled way —actually, caramelize it— to achieve a shiny finish and an irresistible flavor touch. To do this, you just have to:
- Sprinkle a thin layer of sugar.
- Light the torch and keep the flame 5–7 cm from the sugar.
- Move it in circles until the sugar melts and browns (you'll see that in seconds the sugar evolves: first it becomes droplets, then melts into a single layer and changes color to golden).
- Turn off the torch when you reach the level of toast you like on the burnt sugar.
- Let it cool for a couple of minutes so the caramel hardens.
4) Can you gratin with a kitchen torch?
Yes, you can perfectly gratin with a kitchen torch, and it's one of its most practical uses. By lighting it and setting the flame to medium intensity, you can:
- Gratin cheeses on pasta, lasagna, vegetables or on the surface of scalloped potatoes without turning on the oven.
- Give a golden touch to bechamels, purées or soufflés that turned out pale.
- Finish burgers by melting the cheese in seconds.
Always keep the torch about 5–7 cm away and move the flame in circles so the heat spreads evenly and doesn't burn a single spot.
Do you already have your kitchen torch? Because, you'll see, once you get the hang of it… you'll use it for a ton of recipes and you won't be able to live without it!
