Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 2: Preparing food and alcohol
• Method 2 of 2: Flambing the dish
• Warnings
• What do you need
• Additional articles

Flambling means setting fire to alcohol-drenched food. Alcohol burns out quickly, but this does not in any way diminish the effect that flaming produces. However, this cooking method can be dangerous. To learn how to safely showcase your culinary prowess to your guests, read this article.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Preparing food and alcohol

1. 1 Buy the right kind of alcohol. You should only use 40% alcohol. All drinks with a higher strength can be a fire hazard. If the alcohol is less strong, it may not catch on fire.
   • If the recipe does not specify a specific type of alcohol, choose one that will work with your dish. Use whiskey or cognac for main courses; For fruit or dessert dishes, use a fruit brandy.
2. 2 Prepare the dish to be flamed. Follow the recipe you have. Traditional flambé dishes include: Crepe Sousette, Foster and Chateaubriand bananas.
3. 3 Heat the alcohol. Cold alcohol will be less effective, so you should heat it up.Pour the alcohol into a high-rimmed saucepan. Heat alcohol to 54 degrees C; you should notice the formation of bubbles on the surface.
4. 4 If you prefer to use a microwave oven, heat the alcohol in a microwave safe container. Turn on full power and heat the alcohol for 30-45 seconds.
5. 5 Take precautions. Make sure you have a metal lid large enough to cover the dish you will be using. If the fire gets too high during the flambing process, cover the dish with a metal lid. This will extinguish the flame, as the fire requires oxygen to burn. To do this, the lid must fit very tightly to the dish.

Method 2 of 2: Flambing the dish

1. 1 Never pour liquor directly from a bottle near an open flame. Strong alcohol is incredibly flammable. If you pour it in close proximity to a fire, the alcohol can catch on fire. The fire will go into the bottle and it will explode.
2. 2 Pour alcohol over the dish you are going to flambé. If you do not have special utensils for this, use a large skillet with a long handle and high sides. Keep matches or a lighter nearby.
   • If you are doing this over the stove top, pour the alcohol over the dish and tilt the pan much.
   • If you have a gas stove, remove the pan from the heat and then drizzle with alcohol.
3. 3 Light the alcohol immediately. Don't wait too long for your food to taste like alcohol. Light the edge of the pan, not directly the alcohol. Use a long lighter or barbecue matches.
   • If you are doing this over a stove top, touch the edge of the lighter or match with the edge of the skillet and then let the flame spread over the entire surface of the dish.
   • If you have a gas stove, put the pan back on the fire and then tilt it slightly so that the alcohol fumes ignite.
4. 4 Cook until alcohol burns out. You will know this as the flame will disappear. It will only take a few moments, but it is important that the alcohol vapors burn out.
5. 5 Serve to surprised guests.

Warnings

• The flames caused by alcohol spread very quickly. Make sure your guests are at a safe distance to avoid burns.
• Always keep a tight-fitting metal lid on hand because you don't know when a flame might get out of control.
• Never pour alcohol directly from a bottle into a dish. The flames can spread onto the bottle and cause serious damage.

What do you need

• Flambé dish
• Alcohol
• Lighter or matches
• Non-flammable container from which you will pour alcohol
• Tight-fitting pan lid
• Electric or gas stove

Additional articles

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