Cody Casey
Fondue is a fun and delicious way to enjoy a meal with friends and family. Oil fondue, also known as fondue Bourguignonne, is a type of fondue where diners cook food in hot oil. While meat and vegetables are classic oil fondue dippers, there are many other foods that can be cooked in hot oil. Here are some ideas for what food to fondue in oil.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of food | Meat, fish, vegetables, bread, potatoes, fruit |
| Meat options | Beef, chicken, pork, bison, lamb |
| Fish options | Tuna, salmon, shrimp, scallops |
| Vegetable options | Mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, summer squash, cauliflower, broccoli, parsnips, potatoes, bell peppers |
| Fruit options | Banana, pineapple, marshmallow |
| Potato options | Cubes, wedges |
| Bread options | Baguette slices, rolls, monkey bread |
| Oil options | Canola, peanut, grapeseed, sunflower seed, olive, vegetable, grape seed |
| Oil temperature | 375 degrees Fahrenheit, 190 degrees Celsius |
| Oil volume | No more than halfway in the pot |
What You'll Learn
Meat
When it comes to oil fondue, meat is a popular option. Here are some tips and suggestions for preparing and cooking meat in an oil fondue:
Choosing the Right Meat
Select a variety of meats that your guests will enjoy. Beef, chicken, and shrimp are common choices, but you can also consider options like bison, lamb, pork, or salmon. Cut the meat into bite-sized cubes or thin slices to ensure even cooking. Keep the meat refrigerated until it's time for fondue.
Preparing the Meat
It's important to pat the meat dry with a paper towel before cooking. Any moisture can cause the oil to spit and bubble over. Make sure to season the meat before cooking, and if marinating, consider using a variety of flavours like balsamic, cilantro lime, mustard, or teriyaki.
Cooking the Meat in the Fondue Pot
Fill your fondue pot with oil, ensuring it's no more than half full to prevent splattering. Heat the oil to a temperature between 180-190°C (350-375°F). Use a thermometer to check the temperature. Place a piece of meat on a fondue fork and hold it in the hot oil until cooked to your desired level of doneness. For rare meat, cook for 25-30 seconds, 30-35 seconds for medium, and 45-60 seconds for well-done.
Dipping Sauces
Provide a variety of dipping sauces for your guests to enjoy with their cooked meat. Some popular options include creamy horseradish sauce, spicy brown mustard, sweet and spicy Thai ginger sauce, and yum yum sauce. You can also experiment with your own sauce combinations.
Safety Tips
Always use separate plates and utensils for raw and cooked foods to avoid cross-contamination. Keep an eye on the oil temperature to prevent burning your ingredients or waiting too long for them to cook. Be cautious with the hot oil, and ensure your fondue pot is stable and out of reach of children.
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Seafood
When choosing seafood for your oil fondue, opt for firm fish like tuna, swordfish, or salmon. Cut the fish into 1-inch cubes, making sure to remove any bones. For shellfish, leave shrimp and scallops whole, and peel and devein the shrimp. Clams, mussels, and oysters should be removed from their shells and patted dry with paper towels. Seafood doesn't need to be precooked, as it will cook fully in just a few minutes in the hot oil.
When cooking seafood in the oil fondue, be careful not to overcook it. Seafood can quickly become tough and rubbery if left in the oil for too long. Shrimp, for example, should be cooked for about three to five minutes, or until it turns pink. Scallops should be cooked until they are opaque.
Consider using a separate pot for the seafood, especially if you want to dip the shellfish in tempura batter before frying. Tempura batter is lighter and thinner than pancake batter and will cook to a crispy crunch. Using a separate pot is recommended because bits of batter may fall off into the oil.
To enhance the flavour of your seafood fondue, provide a variety of dipping sauces for your guests. You can offer store-bought sauces like steak sauce, hoisin, barbecue sauce, teriyaki, or honey mustard. Alternatively, you can make your own sauces. For example, combine ketchup and horseradish for a simple seafood cocktail sauce, or mix chopped pickle, lemon juice, and mayonnaise for tartar sauce. If you want to satisfy garlic-loving guests, prepare a simple aioli by mixing mashed garlic with mayonnaise, olive oil, and lemon juice.
Remember to always exercise caution when working with hot oil. Ensure the oil has cooled completely before handling or disposing of it. Enjoy your seafood oil fondue!
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Vegetables
When it comes to vegetables, the options are endless. However, it is important to avoid frozen vegetables, as they can cause the oil to boil over. If you want to include potatoes, it is best to pre-cut and slightly precook them, as they will take a long time to cook from raw in the oil. Waxy potatoes, like yellow potatoes, tend to work better than other varieties.
It is recommended to include a mix of vegetables to add flavour and nutrition to your fondue. Just make sure to wash and thoroughly dry the vegetables before adding them to the hot oil to prevent spitting and bubbling.
Some vegetables that work well in an oil fondue include mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, summer squash, cauliflower, broccoli, parsnips, potatoes, pearl onions, bell peppers, okra, brussels sprouts, and cherry tomatoes.
Remember to cut the vegetables into small, evenly-sized pieces to ensure even cooking and to allow for enough space in the fondue pot. Experiment with different combinations to find your favourites!
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Dipping Sauces
When it comes to dipping sauces for oil fondue, the options are endless. Having a variety of sauces allows your guests to mix and match different flavours to create unique combinations.
You can also mix different sauces to create custom dips. This is a great opportunity to use up any extra condiments in your refrigerator.
- Steak sauce
- Hoisin
- Barbecue sauce
- Teriyaki
- Honey mustard
- Satay (combine peanut butter, sugar, soy sauce, and stock)
- Seafood cocktail sauce (combine ketchup and horseradish)
- Tartar sauce (mix chopped pickle, lemon juice, and mayonnaise)
- Aioli (mash garlic and mix with mayo, olive oil, and lemon juice)
- Soy and sesame
- Lime, parsley, and sour cream
- Garlic butter (combine softened butter, garlic, chives, and lemon juice)
- Bernaise sauce (combine vinegar, water, pepper, egg yolks, butter, lemon juice, tarragon, salt, and pepper)
- Sour cream and A-1 sauce
- Salsa
- Mango chutney
- Béarnaise sauce
- Curry dip
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Oil Type and Temperature
When preparing for an oil fondue, it is important to choose a neutral oil with a high smoke point. Oils like sunflower, canola, peanut, grapeseed, or even grape seed oil are good options. Olive oil, despite its delicious flavour, is not ideal for fondue because of its low smoke point.
When heating the oil, you want to aim for around 350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (180 to 190 degrees Celsius). You can test if the oil is hot enough by dropping in a cube of bread. If it browns evenly in 20 to 30 seconds, the oil is ready. If you don't have a thermometer, another way to test the oil is to drop in a piece of meat. The oil should bubble, but not spatter.
It is important to note that the amount of oil in a fondue pot is not enough to maintain the temperature when cold food is added. So, when you first add food to the oil, it will get a sear, and then the temperature will drop and the food will essentially poach. To maintain the right oil temperature, balance the amount of food you add to the pot with the time it has to recover. As a rule of thumb, do not cover more than 60-70% of the pot's surface with food.
Additionally, be mindful of the volume of oil you use. Do not fill the fondue pot more than halfway, as the oil will expand and bubble when heated. Overfilling the pot can lead to a dangerous mess.
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Frequently asked questions
Meat and vegetables are classic choices for oil fondue, but you can use anything that can be cooked in hot oil. Good options for meat include beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, and scallops. For vegetables, try mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, and potatoes.
It's important to choose a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as canola, peanut, grapeseed, or sunflower seed oil. Olive oil has a strong flavour and a low smoke point, so it's not the best choice.
Use a thermometer to ensure the oil is hot enough, aiming for around 190°C or 375°F. If you don't have a thermometer, you can test the oil by dropping in a cube of bread. It should brown evenly in 20 to 30 seconds.
