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MAP-Plus Gas

I'm looking to purchase a bigger gas torch that will double as a Sous-vide meat-searer and to finish off Creme Brulee as my small kitchen torch is just not up to the task.

Rather than regular propane this is MAPP gas. Is this food safe or will it leave an aftertaste?

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  • MAPP is also fantastic for sweating (soldering) copper pipes
    – Joe
    Oct 21 at 14:05
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    Just a note, true MAPP gas (methylacetylene-propadiene) is almost completely unavailable nowadays. Most of what is sold as a substitute now is propylene. Still burns hotter than propane but is it isn't quite MAPP.
    – Joel Keene
    Oct 21 at 15:34
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    This question is NOT a duplicate, because the other question does not address the food safety of MAPP gas; it isn't asked, and it isn't answered.
    – FuzzyChef
    Oct 25 at 1:02
  • @FuzzyChef - Totally agree - I specifically was asking about MAPP gas.
    – Greybeard
    Oct 25 at 17:00
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    Seeing that there were strong opinions about this closure, I reopened. I still recommend that people read the old question, since it does have an answer about MAPP, including a comment discussion: cooking.stackexchange.com/a/33116/4638 There's also cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/6899.
    – rumtscho ♦
    Oct 29 at 17:03

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Propane and butane are very commonly used fuels in kitchen torches, MAPP gas is less common but can also be used on food. Propane burns hotter than butane, and MAPP gas is even hotter, so if you're used to butane be aware things will sear faster.

As for imparting flavor any gas will do that if the flame is not right, or you put the wrong part of the flame on the food. If the flame is yellow at the tip it's a reducing flame which is a sign of unburned hydrocarbons, you want a blue flame all the way. If you put the flame too close to the food you'll get into the inner blue flame where there isn't enough oxygen to combust and you'll also get unburned hydrocarbons on the food. The trick is take the time to adjust the torch correctly before you start cooking with it.

Note that the flame will spurt orange and yellow when you are applying it to your food, even when it's adjusted right, this is normal. (I'm sure you're aware of that @Greybeard, I'm adding that to make it a more well-rounded answer)

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    I can confirm it worked well with flame adjusted and there was no discernible after-taste.
    – Greybeard
    Oct 30 at 20:37

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