Fondue is a meat preparation technique that uses a boiling liquid in which diners dip morsels until the desired cooking; you can skewer the meat and let it cook for as long as you want. The cooking liquid can be oil, broth or another of your preference. Times vary based on the type of meat you have chosen.
Steps
Step 1. Choose a fondue pot
- Use one made of cast iron, metal, or enamel. The ceramic ones are more suitable for cheese and chocolate fondues.
- Get an electric, alcohol, or butane stove. Fondue sets that use candles do not provide enough heat to cook the meat.
- Choose a pot with edges curved inwards, to minimize any splashes of liquid.
Step 2. Make sure you have enough fondue forks so that each diner has one
It is special cutlery, very long and with two teeth with a colored handle (so that they are not confused).
Make bamboo skewers if you don't have forks. You'll need to soak them in water for 30 minutes first to minimize the chances of them getting burned
Step 3. Buy tender cuts if you plan to serve red meat
When making fondue, the meat is immersed in the liquid for 30-60 seconds, so cuts of meat that are more suitable for stew or braising will be very hard and fibrous.
Step 4. Cut the meat of your choice into small pieces
Step 5. Make a marinade if you want to add a lot more flavor
Step 6. Store the meat in the refrigerator until ready to eat
Step 7. Choose whether to use oil or broth
- Choose broth if you want to add flavor to the meat. You can make the broth with herbs and spices, but make sure that it goes well with the type of meat you have chosen.
- Use oil if you prefer a traditional fondue. You can choose seed, rapeseed, grapeseed or peanut oil. Dry the meat thoroughly to prevent the oil from splashing when immersed.
Step 8. Heat the cooking liquid on the stove in a thick-bottomed saucepan
The temperature should be around 190 ° C, check it with a deep fryer thermometer.
Step 9. Place a trivet on the table to protect it
Step 10. Transfer the boiling liquid to the fondue pot
Fill it about 1/3 or at most half full. Be careful not to burn yourself.
Step 11. Turn on the fondue burner to keep the liquid at the right temperature
You must be sure that it never drops below 190 ° C, as it is the ideal temperature for cooking meat.
- Monitor the temperature with a deep fryer thermometer if you allowed the liquid to cool before pouring it into the fondue pot.
- Use a piece of bread to check the temperature, if you use oil and do not have a fryer thermometer. Put the bread in the oil and wait 30 seconds. If it turns golden, the oil is perfect.
Step 12. Show diners how to cook their pieces of meat
- Skewer a bite with a fork or bamboo skewer.
- Dip the meat into the cooking liquid. Wait 30 seconds for rare, 45 for medium, or one minute for well done meat. The poultry must be cooked for 2 minutes, the lamb and pork one minute.
- Remove the meat from the cooking liquid, remove it from the fondue fork or skewer with a normal fork.
Step 13. Eat the meat as it is or dip it in sauces
Advice
Arrange so that there are 4 people who can use the fondue pot at the same time: if you want more diners, you need to have more pots. Too many dipped forks at the same time cause the temperature of the liquid to drop suddenly and affect cooking
Warnings
- If you are using oil as a cooking liquid and it catches fire, turn it off by placing the lid on the pot. Do not use water or you will spread the fire everywhere.
- Don't use fondue forks to eat. They get very hot and you could get burned, plus it's unhygienic. Always use regular forks to eat the meat you have cooked.
