How do cooks get a huge fire while skillet cooking?

Question

I've seen it on TV and in photos, but I've never understood how cooks get it (or control it for that matter). This is what I mean:

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What is the technique and cause of it? How is it controlled to prevent it getting out of hand? I have a gas / open-flame stove and I would like to learn how to do it just a little to get some of that open-flame taste in my food. Thanks.

Thanks for your responses. I had no idea it did little to add flavor and involved hard booze. With that in mind, I wonder--is it all for theatrics? Why would chefs develop such a technique to be performed in the kitchen, away from the audience? Seems pointless to have such theatrics in cooking without actually doing something to the taste.

Answer 1

That's one of those "don't try this at home" tricks. It really does not add to the flavor of the dish - it's the booze that's poured into the dish and then set alight by the cook - usually just by holding the skillet over an open flame. It burns off the alcohol in the booze, leaving behind the flavor of the other ingredients in the booze. A good many such dishes taste just as good without the booze and the showy flames, but people being what they are, most folks think they're getting something extra from such a spectacle.
I say "don't try this at home" because it's tricky to learn how to do it and in the confines of a home kitchen it's way too easy to accidentally set the curtains on fire or to burn your hand and drop the dish and burn down your house! That ain't very kewl, dude!

Answer 2

Apart from the flame-up that occurs when cooking with alcohol, the presence of flames is usually a bad sign. Too high of a heat setting, overheating of a pan, or burning of cooking oil can cause this. The "open-flame taste" you're looking for isn't caused by this effect either. Try grilling your food outdoors. Most importantly, don't attempt to flame your food at home unless you've got a very good hood fan and a high celiing. Trying to be Emeril might get you more than you asked for!

Answer 3

It is called flambe, and is a technique using liquor. The flame comes from the alcohol burning off.

This technique is used only for certain dishes, and does not impart "open-flame taste."

Most flambe dishes are desserts, such as Bananas Foster, or Cherries Jubilee (both using brandy). But Steak Balmoral also uses Scotch Whisky and the alcohol is burned off leaving the taste of Scotch Whisky behind.

Doc

Answer 4

when the cooking is almost done ,slide the skillet fast and tilted so the flame from the burner will lick the side,the hot grease will burn or add 1/2 ounce of alcohol to a ounce max. depending on the size of the flame you want,and flavor.many cook's use grain alcohol (pure alcohol)

Answer 5

Easily! But it's kinda dangerous ::
They pour a little brandy or other liquor on top!
Some flavor agents are not water soluble but the alc brings it out.
Alcohol is quite volatile and the flame of the stove ignites the vaporized alcohol and the fyre extinguishes itself!