Butane torch

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A small butane torch made for kitchen use

A butane torch is a tool which creates an intensely hot flame using butane, a flammable gas.

Consumer air butane torches are often claimed to develop flame temperatures up to approximately 1,700 K (1,430 °C; 2,600 °F). This temperature is high enough to melt many common metals, such as aluminum and copper, and hot enough to vaporize many organic compounds as well.

Applications

Culinary

Using a torch to caramelize a crème brûlée

Butane torches are frequently employed as kitchen gadgets to caramelize sugar in cooking, such as when making crème brûlée.[1] They may be marketed as kitchen torches, cooking torches, or culinary torches. Use of the butane torch in the kitchen is not limited to caramelizing sugar; it can be used to melt or brown toppings on casseroles or soups, to melt cheese, and to roast or char vegetables such as peppers.[2]

Drug use

Butane torches are sometimes used in vaporizing cocaine free base (crack), methamphetamines[3] or hash oil[4] for inhalation.

Other

Other applications include metal and glass working, for which specialized nozzles may be used.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lauterbach, Barbara (2005). The Splendid Spoonful: From Custard to Crème Brûleé. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. p. 50. ISBN 0811845028. 
  2. ↑ Blowtorches. CooksInfo.com. Published 02/22/2007. Updated 12/02/2007. Web. Retrieved 11/25/2012 from http://www.cooksinfo.com/blowtorches
  3. ↑ Lee, Gregory D. (2005). Global Drug Enforcement: Practical Investigative Techniques. Taylor & Francis. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-20348-898-0. 
  4. ↑ Breathes, William (June 10, 2013). "Crazy High Times: The Rise of Hash Oil". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2013-09-23. 
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