Cooking with Vodka: Flame On (how to flambé with vodka)

Last week I introduced the vodka-loving world to my Apple Vodka Omelet Flambé. I immediately got lots of questions about how to properly and safely ignite vodka in foods. So here are a few vodka flambé tips and hints I’ve picked up over the years.

Use a pan with rounded, deep sides (to avoid the chance of it igniting prematurely from the burner) and a long handle.

Cold vodka will not ignite. Vodka must be warmed to about 54 degrees Celsius (about 130 degrees Fahrenheit), yet still remain well under the boiling point (boiling will burn off the alcohol in the vodka and it will not flame). You can do this in the pan, or the vodka can be warmed in a microwave until it is just warm to the touch. The food to be flamed must also be warm, as cold foods may cool down the warm vodka to a point where it will not light.

Check that all flammable objects are well away from the pan. Using long fireplace matches or a barbecue lighter, light the fumes of the vodka (not the vodka itself) from the edge of the pan. If you have a gas stove, the fumes may also be ignited by tilting the far side of the pan (opposite the handle) toward the heat source. Prepare for a “whoosh” of flames and stand back accordingly. If the dish doesn't light, the vodka is probably not hot enough.

Do not pour vodka straight from the bottle to the hot pan. The fumes could ignite and the flame could follow the vodka stream back to the bottle and cause an explosion. Pour the needed amount into a different container and then add to the pan.

Once you add the vodka to the pan ignite it as soon as it is warmed. The food will absorb some of the vodka -- leaving less to flame and potentially adding a more intense vodka flavor than intended for the dish. For desserts and fruits, sprinkle with granulated sugar before adding the vodka.

If you want a flambé effect without the vodka, soak sugar cubes in vodka and scatter them around the serving dish and light.

Do not carry a flaming dish or pan to the table. The liquid could splash out of the pan -- causing severe burns or a fire. If you are planning a flambé for your guests, light the dish at the table, but far away from guests and flammable objects -- like wives and mothers-in law. I usually dim the lights just before I flame a dish for a more theatrical effect. But be sure you have enough light to see what you're doing, or remember to stop, drop and roll. It scares the neighbors when you run around the house on fire.

Keep those questions coming.

by John Rose, The Vodka Cookbook