How to Use a Fondue Pot Properly

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Fondue pots originated in Swiss and have been around for a long time. And if you wondering what a fondue pot is, it’s a melted cheese dish with a specialized pot that is heated using spirit lamps or candles. Some fondue pots are electrical and determine how savory your dippings and food will be temperature regulation. Owning one means taking your dinner parties to a whole new level.

You can prepare an appetizer, main course, or dessert with these pots. Read on to understand how to use a fondue pot.

What you Need to Know Before Using Fondue Pots

Fondue cooking is something you should practice first before inviting your friends over. It is necessary to see or rather test how the fondue works. But before we go to how to prepare different fondue recipes, some things should be at the tip of your hands. They are: –

Related:

Fondue recipe for meat

1. Designs

Fondue pots manufacturers have produced different pots for different dipping.

• Metal and stainless steel pots can withstand high temperatures. Their ability to conduct heat is superb and they can take intense heat. They are good for preparing meat fondue.
• The enamel cast iron is good for any type of fondue.
• Ceramic pots are perfect for melting your chocolate and cheese.

2. Temperatures

Meat, chocolate, and cheese are prepared at different temperatures.

• Meat fondue- you should use a high flame of about 3750 so you cook quickly.
• Cheese fondue- they need a heavy pot under a low flame. If you use a thinner pot, you will end up with cold and hot spots on your cheese. High heat will make the cheese stringy.
• Dessert fondue- Low flames work best on desserts. A high flame will overheat your chocolate leaving it sticky. And not forgetting that it might burn.

3. Heating Element

• There are different heating elements fondue pots use. They are:

  Burners:

• There are different burners depending on the pots’ style and the fuel they use.
• Screen covered cavity with cotton material on the inside

These are the most common burners in the market. They are fitted with a lid to make the flame smooth. They also have a handle for adjusting the amount of air fed on the flame. These burners use denatured alcohol or gel-like fuel like Firestar. Some also use Sterno/burner paste that comes in a small container resembling shoe polish.  This fuel burns longer and is hotter than any other fuel.

• Butane burners

These burners burn like a gas flame.

• Electric

Electric fondue pots are fitted with cords that you connect to a power source when using the pot.

4. Prices

Different fondue pots have varying prices. High-end pots can be more expensive.

5. Pieces of equipment that goes along with fondue pot

These are some f the things you are going to provide for your guests so they serve themselves.

• Plates

Fondue plates are sectioned to give you a place to put your various foods.

• Fondue forks/skewers

Fondue pots usually come with forks or skewers when purchasing them. The color-coded forks can be used for cooking and dipping. The forks feature long handles to protect your fingers from burning. They also have sharp prongs to easily pierce your meat and vegetables.

You will also need more forks for eating as the cooking forks can be too hot for the mouth. Separate forks also prevent germ spread within the shared fondue pot.

• Napkins

Napkins and serviettes are necessary to keep mouths and hands clean.

Using your Fondue pot for Different recipes

There are so many recipes you can try on your fondue pot. Here are some of the most popular fondue recipes to prepare on your fondue pot.

Cheese Fondue

If you are looking forward to a cheese fondue party, these are ways you can prepare it easily.

When preparing cheese fondue, you should heat it well before transferring it to the fondue pot.

Shred or grate your cheese to melt it quickly and evenly

If you want to enhance the cheeses’ flavor, you can pour some wine or champagne.

Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon to make it smooth. If the cheese doesn’t smoothen, squeeze some lemon juice and stir the mixture.

Pro Tips:

• There will be crust left at the bottom part of your pot, it’s referred to as ”la croute”. You can scrape the delish part and serve it as well.
• If you are a garlic lover, rub the inner pot surface with a garlic clove before pouring the mixture into it.

Items for Dipping

• Bread- crusty, rye, Italian, French
• Meat– chicken, salami, seafood, sausages
• Fruits– apples, grapes, and pears
• Vegetables– Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, pickles, and potatoes.

Cautions when preparing cheese fondue

• Although electric fondue pots can enable you to control the temperature, it can be difficult to avoid the plug when cleaning them.
• Cheese is a delicate dish. You should use ceramic made or cast-iron to prepare them.

Chocolate and dessert Fondue

Firstly, note that you will need chocolate with 50% and above cocoa content.

Some chocolates are also better for melting than others. The higher quality you use, the better and sweeter your chocolate fondue will be.

Heat your chocolate and cream over a double burner, stirring constantly. The cream prevents the chocolate from hardening and also makes the fondue nice and creamy.

Low heat is required to keep the dish warm on the table.

Pro Tips:

• Chill fruits before serving
• Chop the dipping items into bite-sized chunks, so you pop them straight in the mouth.
• Add your favorite liquor (Malibu, Gilbeys) to change the texture and flavor.

Items for Dipping

• Fruits– banana, pineapple, kiwi, cherries, figs, grapes, mango, strawberries
• Cakes– angel cakes, pound, vanilla, cheese, chocolate chip cookies, marshmallows.

Cautions when preparing cheese fondue

• If your guests take long to come, preheat the mixture on a stove before placing it in the serving container.
• Do not place the mixture over direct heat.

Fondue Bourguignon: Meat and raw vegetables in oil

Wash and cut your vegetables, meat, or seafood in small bite-able sizes.

Place the meat and vegetables on separate plates to avoid contaminating each other.

Refrigerate the items until you are ready to cook.

Make sure the meat and vegetables are dry before placing them in the fondue pot.

Pour oil into the fondue pot and heat it under the boiling pot.

You can dip a small piece of bread into the oil to know if the fondue is ready to be transferred in the holder/container at the table.

 Turn the burner on and prepare the meat and veggies for the desired time

• Meat requires:

• 15-20 seconds for rare
• 25-30 for medium-rare
• 40-45 for well-done meat.
• Fish requires 30-50 seconds to cook.
• Seafood requires 2-3 minutes to cook.
• Lamb requires 1 minute
• Poultry requires 2 minutes
• Vegetables need 3-5 minutes to cook.

Pro Tips

• Consider using peanut oil other than your standard canola or vegetable oil.
• You can use the stock as the base liquid.
• Cook your seafood in white wine or champagne.

Items for Dipping

• Any meat, fish, or seafood
• Vegetables- turnips, carrots, potatoes, zucchini, peapods, mushrooms, small sections of corn cob, squash, etc.

Cautions when preparing cheese fondue

• Don’t leave the pot unattended.
• In case of fire accidents, do not use water to stop it. Water will make the fire spread faster.
• Do not transfer hot oil from another pot into the fondue pot.
• Avoid filling pot more than 1/3 to prevent oil splattering.

Tips for getting the best use of your fondue pot

Follow these tips to make the best use of your fondue pot.

• Limit your fondue pot to a certain number of people. If you have a large number of guests, then invest in more fondue pots.
• Use a trivet to protect your table from damage.
• Do not overload the contents in the fondue pot.
• Use only the fondue forks for cooking not eating.
• Always place your container on a flat surface.
• Do not place the container in an oven.

How to clean fondue pots

Hygiene Is very paramount in the kitchen. Here is how you should clean your pot:

• Ensure the fondue pot has completely cooled down before cleaning it.
• Add warm soapy water in a basin to properly clean the pot.
• You can toss ceramic made pots in the dishwasher.
• Clean the burner regularly. Use a damp piece of cloth to wipe the outer surface of the burner. If there are any stains, use a soft sponge and scrub the stain until it clears.
• List Element

Conclusion

You never go wrong with a fondue pot. Try it out at your next party to make top-notch dippings. It’s a fun-filled cooking method to explore even the oddest recipes.