【Reading】ばーなー

【English Name】Culinary torch

A burner is a device that mixes gaseous or liquid fuel with air and combusts it. In the world of sushi it is known as an indispensable tool for the "aburi" (searing) preparation of toppings.

Burners were originally used widely for industrial and laboratory purposes, and a household gas stove is one type. The ones used at sushi shops are mainly small gas-torch types, many of which use LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) as fuel. The flame jetting from the nozzle is used in a technique that sears only the surface of the topping in a short time, drawing out fragrance and the sweetness of the fat.

Kitchen burners come in several combustion methods, such as the Bunsen type and the blast type. The Bunsen type draws in primary air for mixed combustion, and is widely adopted in kitchen equipment in general. A blue flame with the air volume properly adjusted corresponds to complete combustion, and the upper part of the outer flame is said to reach about 1800°C.

Representative toppings for aburi sushi include salmon, engawa (fluke fin), and shime-saba (vinegar-cured mackerel); by adding scorch marks to the surface with a burner, one can enjoy flavors different from raw. In recent years, aburi menu items have also become standard at conveyor-belt sushi chains, and the burner can be said to be one of the tools supporting modern sushi culture.