For searing, how do butane and propane torches compare? Anything to know in advance?
I have a butane torch. It works fine for things like creme brulee, but not so well on meat. Browning in a pan works better. I would use a torch for something delicate, like cooked fish, rather than risk it falling apart in a pan.
In my experience a hardware store propane torch works fine. All the butane torches I’ve seen have wimpy narrow flames in comparison.
I don’t recommend either unless, like Jeff Lichtman said, you’re doing delicate things like fish or eggs. For meat, they don’t sear nearly fast enough or well enough to be worth the time, even the super high end Searzall. Just throw the steaks in a hot pan to crisp up; it works twice as well in a quarter the time.
I bought a Gourmia model 140, it was $100, but I had an ever-present Bed Bath and Beyond 20% coupon that brought it down to $80. I’ve been very happy with it. No bluetooth/wifi on that model, if that’s something you’re interested in (I prefer to keep the Russians guessing about my mealtimes…)
Yeah, I don’t really need to control it from a distance, I could see using wifi to change your cooking times/temp, but Bluetooth seems silly. If I’m that cloe, I’ll just walk over to it!
I had a sous vide supreme, loved it but it sort of melted when the house burnt down. Now we have an Anova, and still love it. We do all sorts of stuff, most recently was a 48 hour batch of really meaty pork ribs finished off on the grill. I like it for poaching chicken to be used as chicken salad or pulled chicken BBQ, the chemo nausea makes chicken fairly ideal in the blandness but baking it makes it dry and mealy, poaching it gives you a pot of rather oddly tasting dishwatery chicken stock, but sealed in plastic and done sous vide, I can cook chicken in one bag, pork in one bag and beef in a third bag and not muddle flavors or ‘dirty’ my water. Not fond of doing vegetables in it, was unsatisfied with how the artichokes came out.