Heatguns - wattage and weird uses!

[(Just) Allan]

Hi folks... I want to buy a heatgun... for my... wife! But that's not the best part - it's so she can "crackle" the skin on pork roasts! : )

Our oven never crackles pork and it always comes out like tough leather. The butcher said his wife uses a heatgun and crackles the skin before even placing the roast in the oven.

So, to my question... I have the choice of a 2000W Makita, or a 1600W Bosch. The Bosch is about half the price of the Makita, but the wattage is 400W lower. Anyone know if 1600W would still crackle pork?

LOL!

Allan.

[George]

Browning in a fry pan would certainly do it. Probably why cookbooks recommend it.

[No]

[Robatoy]

HD sells one made by Wagner under the name (believe it or not) Milwaukee. I have the 'digital' one. I use to remove tile. 1200 watt, me thinks... lots of heat.

To crackle the fat..use a propane torch. Works great.

(PS.. if this is a troll, it's a cute one.)

[Patriarch]

Robatoy wrote in news:design- [e-mail]:

Milwaukee.

thinks...

I generally do pork roasts on the Weber gas grill. Low & slow for shoulders, not so slow for loin roasts. Crunchy crust is never a problem, except that everyone wants a samle, before it gets to the table.

Like Emeril says, "It's a pork fat thing."

Patriarch, thinking this should cross-post to a.f.b.

[Andy]

I like the propane torch idea. I think Robatoy was referring to one of the little ones you put on a 16oz propane can, but you could probably speed up the process with a big one used for burning the weeds off your sidewalk - would 750,000 BTUs be enough? Check out

[Robatoy]

Got one 5 years ago. Got to love that Q.

[Robatoy]

maybe...how big is the roast?

=o]

[Patriarch]

Robatoy wrote in news:design-FE9362.13155914092005 @news.bellglobal.com:

Mine's about worn out. At least that's what I'm telling the wife. Gets used all year, (We're in California) and I do most of the grilling. I LOVE being able to put four pork shoulders in the racks, though, and go to sleep, not having to tend the fire. It's not exactly authentic, but it's really close.

One of those big, shiny stainless steel things is calling my name. Haven't figured out which one yet, or how much budget to blow. Maybe a closeout will come along in a timely manner. ;-)

Patriarch

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

I had a break in years ago and somebody stole my heat gun. Considering the low quality of criminals around here, I figure they thought it was a hair drier. I can only hope....

[Edwin Pawlowski]

[Rick Samuel]

Bending PVC pipe comes to mind. Be very careful doing that. GOOD ventilation is a must. Outgasing. Don't remember what gas, but very harmful.

[(Just) Allan]

No, definitely not, LOL! In reply to the guy who said use a pan... I don't think it would work, since I'm told you need a hot, dry, heat - which is why our oven doesn't work - it's not fan-forced.

Allan.

[Larry Jaques]

On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 22:21:06 +1000, with neither quill nor qualm, "(Just) Allan" quickly quoth:

You have another choice. The HF model is just $10 on sale now. I've had one for a nigh onta 3 decades now and it's still going strong. Either the 630F or 1,000F oughta crackle your porkies.

---- A mostly meat-powered woodworker, and proud of it. Website Application Programming

[Roy]

Wow, does this bring back memories. I bought a Vigilant in 1980, and burned 5-6 cords of oak, ash, beech and hickory each year to heat my home in Ohio at the time. Loved that wood stove. Looks like the company has GREATLY expanded their offerings over the years.

[Patriarch]

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in news:zNZVe.22326$Qv6.665 @trndny04:

Yeah, that looks about right. The Extreme series, perhaps.

Who was it that said that nothing succeeds like excess? ;-)

Patriarch

[George]

That bends with hot water, so you certainly don't need the extra danger save in extraordinary circumstances.

[(Just) Allan]

[nailshooter41]

I have to laugh when I read this. I hadn't used my heat gun for anything but small paint removal on tough areas for some time.

Then my coffee roaster broke. Tragedy. A day without home roasted coffee sucks.

Used to hang out at alt.coffee and there was a dangerous breakaway faction there that decided that $300-$600 for the accepted roasters was just too much. So the HGDB (Heat Gun Dog Bowl) clan was born, much to the disgust of the hard cases on that group.

So in panic with no way to roast, I pulled out my notes, took a stainless pan outside and roasted coffee with my heat gun. Those renegade were right! It is easy, makes a great roast with very little practice, and it is CHEAP.

One of my amigos that is interested in roasting bought the HF gun and he came over and we roasted a couple of pounds - he's hooked!

This just proves there is no such thing as too many tools, even if you don't use them.

Robert

[Badger]

Useful for other recipes too!