As seen on Mary Berry - Cook and Share Episode 5, this culinary technique dates back to the middle ages when cooks would slow roast joints of meat in the fire place and use off-cuts of fat for basting.
What is a flambadou?
A flambadou consists of a long handle connected to a metal cone with a small opening at the bottom. The cone is placed in a live fire to get extremely hot before adding some animal fat into the larger opening of the cone. The fat should ignite and immediately render down through the hole in the base of the cone, and onto whatever food you wish to baste.
Flame basting has seen a renaissance in recent years with Michelin Starred Chef Niklas Ekstedt’s famous tallow basted oyster delighting diners in Stockholm since 2011. In the summer of 2021, we supplied Ekstedt’s new outfit - Ekstedt at The Yard with a special order of flambadous for use in their fire-only kitchen. You will be in good company.
Be sure to check out the Fire Chef AKA Chris Roberts AKA The Flame Baster for endless inspiration on how to use the perfect gift for the bbq enthusiast in your life.
The Axel Perkins Flambadou has been made with modern outdoor cooks in mind. It’s short enough to fit perfectly in kettle barbecues but long enough to keep your hands safe when using. The hole is sized to work with compound butters, tallow, lard and any other solid fats you can get your hands on.
Try whizzing your chosen fat with hard herbs and any aromatics that suit the food you’re cooking. If you’re struggling for bbq present ideas, look no further.
Add toasty, smoky flavour to blank canvases like chicken or fish. Give a lick of fire to dishes best served raw like oysters.
Finish pre-cooked prawns with a compound butter. Wow your guests at your next barbecue with a bombastic pyrotechnic display. Honestly one the best things I’ve done with it is give a chicken sandwich a lift with a lick of molten beef fat.
And forget brushes or pipettes, this is the perfect turkey baster.
I use as much recycled material as possible when posting our items so please forgive me if your packaging looks somewhat unsophisticated. If you are buying something as a gift, please let me know.