Let’s talk about meat fondue recipes and what you need to know first. Meat fondue, also known as oil fondue, is a method of cooking all kinds of meat, poultry and seafood in a heated oil pot.
Each person who participates in a fondue experience cooks her meat by placing a small portion or a piece of it on the end of a long fondue fork and placing it inside the cooking oil pot. When the meat has finished cooking in the oil, it is placed on a saucer where each piece of cooked meat can then be dipped into the previously prepared sauces.
Meat fondue recipes can also be made as a stock fondue, replacing the oil with your favorite broth (chicken, vegetable, or beef), to name a few.
Below I’ve provided a pretty organized way to make and eat meat fondue recipes. I hope this helps!
First, it is a lot of fun and an easy way to entertain a good group of friends or family. With fondue, everything can be done ahead of time and your guests will cook their own food! How easy is it?
Oil fondue is used to cook meats such as beef, lamb, chicken, fish, and seafood. The good thing is that you can make oil fondue as an aperitif or as a first course.
Second, you need a good and reliable cooking unit. With meat fondue recipes, the pot should be the one that keeps the oil hot and is safe to use at the table. There is a wide variety of fondue pots in a variety of styles. Some are complete sets that include fondue topping sets and specialty fondue plates and forks, plus a stove, stand, metal pot, and tray to protect the table and catch splashes.
For other types, you will need to purchase each item separately. But this has its advantages, since you can create your own personalized fondue set in the colors you want and the accessories you want to use.
Fondue pots are specially made for a variety of different purposes. Stainless steel, aluminum, copper and silver or sterling silver pans are generally used for meat and oil fondue recipes where cast iron or glazed ceramic pans are used for cheese or chocolate fondue. In today’s market, you can also find nonstick coated fondue pans that make cleaning less of a daunting task.
With the wide variety of cookware and cooking units, it also comes in a wide variety of price ranges, from very cheap to expensive. What to look for, in my opinion, is the robustness in the construction of the vase. If you are looking for a multipurpose container that can be used for more than just oil fondue, make sure the unit has the ability to regulate the heat source.
Bourguignonne fondue is a traditional meat fondue recipe. The pan used for this is wider at the base and curved at the top. Why? Because it eliminates some of the spatter that occurs when raw meat hits hot oil, and the shape helps retain heat. Most bourguignonne pots have a 1 1/2 to 2 quart capacity.
What if you don’t have a fondue pot or don’t want to spend the money on one? You can always improvise with any good heating unit that burns denatured alcohol, canned heat, or butane. The oil container can be any saucepan or mixer. It should be at least 3 1/2 inches deep and no more than about 8 inches in diameter. If it has straight sides and possibly curves inward at the top, even better. Like bourguignonne, it reduces spatter and retains heat.
Some other items used with fondue pots:
Fondue forks and plates are designed for cooking and serving meat fondue recipes and are available in a wide range of materials, sizes, shapes, colors, and of course, price ranges.
Long bamboo skewers can be used in place of forks. The downside is that meat or bread is sometimes more difficult to keep on the grill while cooking, and the oil can be so hot that you risk getting too close and burning yourself.
Fondue forks are long, at least 10 inches long, and have insulating tips to prevent burns when using oil or broth fondues. Fork teeth should be of generous length and not made of brittle materials.