How to Choose the Proper Fondue Pot

Believe it or not, there are different fondues and fondue pots in the world. When people think of fondue, most people think of the metal fondue pot from the seventies, tucked away in the attic or back of a closet. Unfortunately, if that pot were used for the wrong fondue type, it would ruin the evening for everyone. Here’s a handy guide to the types of pots out there.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. 

   Chocolate or dessert fondue needs a ceramic pot that has been glazed. Chocolate burns at medium to high temperatures, so a pot that uses a candle as the heat source is perfect for a simple chocolate fondue. You can use a glazed ceramic pot with a butane heat source, but you need to stir the chocolate at the bottom of the pot frequently to make sure the bottom doesn’t burn. Alternatively, you can buy adjustable flame butane sources and turn the flame down to the lowest setting.

2. 

   Cheese fondue pots originated in continental Western Europe. They are unglazed ceramic pots with a butane heat source. The reason for the unglazed surface is so the flavors of the cheese, wine and other ingredients disperse into the ceramic and gradually lend a complex flavor to your future fondues. The Swiss name for this pot is caquelon. It should not be washed with dish soap; instead, use very hot water to rinse any excess cheese from the sides and pat dry with a dish towel. Washing the pot with soap will destroy any wonderful flavors that have soaked into the ceramic.

3. 

   Broth or oil meat fondue can be served in two different types of pots. The first pot is an all-metal pot. Copper pots lined with tin or stainless steel are the best option since copper heats quickly and distributes the heat evenly. Other options include a stainless steel pot. Since cooking meat in oil tends to spatter the oil, look for a pot that has a slotted spatter guard. The spatter guards fit on top of the pot and have a small hole to insert the skewer. This lessens the area from which oil can spatter.

4. 

   The other type of meat fondue pot is a cast-iron pot. Cast-iron pots take a while to heat up, but they hold the temperature at a steady degree, which is important for not burning the meat or vegetables you want to cook. When using a cast-iron pot, be certain not to touch the sides of the pot and to wait for at least an hour to touch it after you extinguish the heat source. Cast iron will hold the heat from cooking for a while after the heat is gone.

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