Meat & Hot Oil Fondue
Meat fondue, also referred to as Fondue Bourguignonne, is prepared at the table by cooking bite-sized chunks of tender meat in hot oil. It is usually accompanied by a variety of sauces for dipping.
The Pot
A good hot oil fondue pot will usually be made from steel, copper, or enameled cast iron. It will have short handles to avoid being knocked over and can go up to very high temperatures (375 degrees Fahrenheit). It should be curved at the top or have splashguards to avoid hot oil splatters.
The Oil
Popular oils for meat fondue are vegetable, canola, grapeseed, and peanut oil. Peanut oil and grapeseed oil are the highest quality, but they are also the most expensive. Vegetable and canola oil work fairly well, although vegetable shortening is preferred to either of these because it has less odor.
Oil should be heated to just below the boiling point (about 375 degrees Fahrenheit). A deep-frying thermometer is a handy tool for helping to determine the temperature of the oil.
The Meat
Choose a tender cut of beef such as tenderloin (recommended) or sirloin. The more it is aged the better. Meat should be cut into ¾ inch cubes and have all fat and sinew removed. Plan for six ounces of beef per person.
Meat Fondue Recipe
INGREDIENTS
Beef tenderloin or sirloin
Oil (vegetable, canola, peanut etc.)
1. Trim fat and sinew from beef and cut into ¾ inch chunks. Blot with paper towel and put in refrigerator while oil is heating.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat oil to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Transfer to fondue pot. Do not overfill the pot. About half full works best.
3. Spear a chunk of beef with fondue fork and place in hot oil. Cook until beef is done to your satisfaction (approximately 30 seconds for rare, 45 for medium-rare, and 1 minute to well done).
4. Remove from fork and transfer to plate (fondue fork will be very hot). Eat with sauces of your choice.
Cooking & Serving Tips
Don’t worry if you don’t have a deep-frying thermometer. You can still test the temperature of the oil for cooking. Simply drop a bread cube into the oil and see if it turns golden brown within 30 seconds.
Too many fondue forks in the pot at one time will lower the temperature of the oil and cause the meat to not cook properly.
Serve the meat fondue with a green salad, vegetables, or rice pilaf.