Flaming Bourbon

[bluesbassdad]

The Bardstown Bourbon Society website has a recipe that calls for pouring two ounces of flaming bourbon over a steak.

To me this has a ring to it that reminds me of the so-called "Darwin Awards", which allegedly commemorate those people who remove themselves from the gene pool through their own stupidity. (One example: A guy replaces a fuse under the dash of his car with a live .22 caliber cartridge. When he turns on his headlights, the cartridge fires in a manner that doesn't kill him, but does effectively remove him from the gene pool.)

Is there a safe way to handle flaming bourbon for cooking purposes?

Yours truly,
Dave Morefield

[jeff]

At what proof does a bourbon become flamable? I have only used Bacardi 151 while cooking with fire. I don't think a Booker's or Stagg would have any problems, but what about a 90 or 100 proof?

P.S. Maybe someone could better expand on the virtues of flamable alcohol when cooking. The only thing I can figure that it is useful for is the presentation. Maybe for reducing the alcohol content, but I would think that you would have to keep it burning for more than a second or two, and that could be dangerous in an ill equiped kitchen.

[kgiammarco]

at the 2001 bourbon festival 'cooking class' thing, the chef made some sort of thing with bookers bourbon... he poured the bookers in a frying pan and set it on fire, and it made quite a high flame... He said doing so will burn away the alcohol leaving the 'bourbon' flavor... I can tell you i won't be trying that at home, except maybe in the back yard!

[Paradox]

I read about using alcohol in cooking a bit ago and they say to add the alcohol to the pan from a glass not directly from the bottle. Also, remove the pan from the stove before adding. Hold it off to the side add the alcohol and then replace back to the stove. More safety than anything, but when I do add alcohol to meals at home I follow these simple steps.