How to: Cook The Perfect Steak with A Blowtorch
A properly blowtorched steak is more delectable to the taste buds than it is manly-sounding to the ears. I thought this was a fun gimmick when I first encountered it, but it turns out, blowtorching a steak to perfection is actually not that uncommon. Chefs often do it to thinly sliced steaks after preparing them sous vide, which is wonderful rabbit hole entirely worth travelling down.
But first, check out the video below featuring the skills of David Arnold, founder of the New York-based educational nonprofit Food and Drink Museum, as he explains the maillard reaction, the process by which proteins and sugars chemically interact to produce that tasty, crisp, roasted outer layer of the steak. You need high levels of heat to get that delicate balance of taste and texture, and a blowtorch is a perfect tool for the job, especially if you use something to slightly diffuse the heat such as a Searzall.
Justin
