Advice needed: Best oil for Fondue Bourguignonne

Food & Drink, Events and Entertainment
1
So - which type of oil is best for this? Googled but got such a variety to choose from, am wondering about some EF personal recommendations?

Am planning an evening for after Christmas for extended family and don`t want to make too many mistakes

That IS the fondue where the meat pieces are cooked in hot oil? ... not the broth version.

Any tips for home-made sauces also welcome so I don`t have to rely on Betty Bossi!

2
I'd immediately think of groundnut oil, which is what we use for most purposes. High smoking point, very little inherent flavour, quite light.

Others, such as rape or sunflower seed oil, just have too much of their own flavour for my liking.

3
I as a rule use the Biskin block version, comes in large brick sized packages, made from vegetable oil, minimal smell and easy to dispose of later as it returns back to hard fat that can be thrown away, problem is I have not seen it here in CH, last time I did was Kaufland in Konstanz.

4
I'm a big fan - and user - of rapsöl (rape seed oil) for about all forms of cooking. It's also one of the least unhealthiest of oils, and almost good for you.

Failing that ...... goose fat.

5
- Grape seed oil is a good option

- a very original recipee is to use red wine instead of oil....but leave it for another time once you tried it.

regular sunflower oil would work but make sure to add thyme, garlic, rosemary, laurel leaf, clove to add some flavours.

6
The oil should be hot enough to seal the meat as it goes in so wouldn't herbs and garlic burn and become bitter? Or do you just add it quickly and then remove?

Smoky be prepared to wash all your curtains and soft furnishings afterwards.

7
Pretty sure my OH's family always uses sunflower oil.

8
Just shouted upstairs to ask OH - he comes from Burgundy and is rather partial to his fondue bourguignonne - and he shouted back "huile de pépin de raisin" - grape seed oil. It makes sense when you think about it ..

9
We used coconut oil, in the blue tub from Migros. In the winter we would put the used oil back in the tub and put it out for the birds.

This was before the siege of cats, of course!!

10
Fondue bourguignonne has its origin in Switzerland and not in Burgundy despite the name. The original swiss recipe used meat from charolaise cattle (Charole being in Burgundy).

11
+1 on peanut oil.

Tom

12
I like fondue chinoise best and i'm guessing that wasn't invented by the chinese???

13
Avoid olive oil. Thats outright dangerous.

I tried it once, and after ca. 30 minutes, there was small explosions in the pot, and oil splashes jumping ca. 5 cm over the top of the pot, with increased danger of injury.

Doc.

14
Doesn't that cost a fortune?

15
Suprema brand bottle: 4.30CHF for 0.5L at LeShop

16
I use this as well, I think the taste is lighter than other oils I've tried.

You can also put a small potato in the oil to keep it from splattering everywhere.

17
Thank you everyone for your suggestions.

I put it out for the vote this weekend, and a "hobby chef" guy voted for the peanut oil (Erdnussöl) with the potatoe in to stop splashes.

So ..... that is what is used?

I rather fancy the coconut fat story, and the after-use for the birds - but seeing as how most reccomend the nut oil, guess will try that.

.........................

As an aside here (off topic) I had the most disgusting Cheese Fondue this weekend! No wonder some folk hate it!

Was invited for it on Saturday night - should rather have just chewed thru a block of lard!

The cheese was swimming in a pool of oil/fat. No other taste than melted fatty cheese. 5 people = 1,250kg cheese (!) half of half a bottle of cheap "fondue" wine, 2 drops of lemon juice, 2 tsp. Maizena (I asked the hostess politely WHAT she`d used - (so I don`t ever make the same mistake!) No nutmeg, no Kirsch, no pepper, no anything else!

Felt sick later, could not sleep, could not eat the entire Sunday - could not even vomit it all up. Cannot face Fondue, even if properly made, for the rest of this winter!

18
+1 on the coconut oil, it's what all my Swiss friends use too.