Fondue Night at Home (For Two!)
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What’s Up, Hungry People
Fondue around Christmas and New Year’s Eve has become somewhat of a tradition at my house. Every year, I put together a feast fit for a king – and then I make the king cook it all himself.
If fondue seems familiar, that’s because I’ve shared my fondue line-ups in the past. One year, I even combined fondue with a charcuterie spread. But this year, I decided to keep it simple and focus on high-quality ingredients rather than variety.
Where to get the BEST meats?
Until very recently, I didn’t have a quality butcher nearby. Now, I am definitely spoiled by Keller Meats at the Exchange Market in Medina, Ohio. No – this isn’t a sponsored post or anything, I just have to give a shout out to my favorite butcher and market for bringing in some of the highest quality meats I’ve ever been lucky enough to get my hands on locally.
Do some research on butchers and see what you can find around you. You might be surprised! Butchers are a great way to save TONS of money on meat and still get some of the highest quality meat you can find locally. Most grocery stores will have a lot of a small selection, while butchers will have a small selection of a lot more. Seriously, it is so worth it to have a good butcher in town – or worth a small drive to a nearby town for some of the good stuff.
If you can’t find a butcher, no worries. Your average grocery store should still have reasonably high-quality meats available, but you will probably have to pay a bit more for the high-end stuff.

How To Have a Vintage Fondue Night
Fondue is sort of like raw charcuterie: a nice spread of ingredients that have a variety of tastes and textures. The difference is, you just have to cook everything before you eat it!
Here’s what I included in my fondue spread:
- Prime rib steak
- Shrimp
- Scallops
- Roasting potatoes
- Onions
- Broccoli
- Crusty bread
In my spread, I also included a crock of melted cheese – in most traditional fondue experiences, melty cheese is served first along with bread, crackers, and sometimes small fruits like apples. For mine, I just offered the melted cheese (sans a fondue warmer) to dip the crusty bread and raw broccoli – and it worked out perfectly as a mini appetizer while we waited for the oil to come to temp!

Fondue at Home
Fondue doesn’t necessarily need to be a fancy event – though it does make for a pretty nice date night in. While current global climate (peek that 2020 post date) doesn’t allow for group dining at shared dining experiences like fondue restaurants, having a fondue night in is actually much easier than you might think.
You can serve fondue on a weeknight – for yourself, for your date, for your family – as a simple dinner too!
AVOID CROSS-CONTAMINATION
The most important thing to remember when having a fondue night: keep the raw food separate from the cooked food! And any food that can be eaten raw (even if it is intended to be cooked) should also be kept away from the raw meat.
It’s also important to offer different utensils for eating versus cooking. I used mini fondue forks to skewer whatever was to be cooked and then once the food was cooked, transferred it to a plate ONLY for eating off of with silverware that does not touch raw meat.
DO NOT MIX RAW AND COOKED INGREDIENTS ON ONE PLATE.

Sauces to Serve
Fondue is typically served with a variety of sauces that will complement both the meat and seafood.
- Sweet and spicy Thai ginger sauce – for the shrimp and broccoli
- Creamy horseradish sauce – for the steak
- Spicy brown mustard – for the broccoli, mushrooms, and potatoes (and anything else!)
- Yum yum sauce – for everything!
- Honey butter – for the bread
But feel free to experiment with your own sauce combinations!

Let’s… Fondue
First things first, heat up 2 cups of vegetable oil in a pan on the stove until it’s shimmering hot (about 350-375°F). Carefully transfer the hot oil to your fondue pot over a burner. Adjust the temperature using the burner flame while cooking to keep things just right.
Prep the Ingredients
Cut your steak into bite-size pieces, peel and devein the shrimp, and give those potatoes a good wash. Prepare your raw ingredients on separate plates to keep everything organized and avoid any cross-contamination.
Arrange the Spread
Set up your ingredients around the oil fondue pot so that all items are within arm’s reach of the hot pot and the serving plates. Make sure to keep cooking skewers separate from eating utensils.
Serve and Enjoy
Serve your fondue with crusty bread, cheese fondue, and other fresh vegetables that can be dipped in cheese.

Extra Tips for the Perfect Fondue Night
- Temperature Control is Key: Keep an eye on the oil temperature. Too hot, and you risk burning your ingredients; too cool, and you’ll be waiting forever for things to cook.
- Separate Plates for Raw and Cooked Foods: This cannot be stressed enough. Always use separate plates and utensils for raw and cooked foods to avoid any chance of cross-contamination.
- Experiment with Sauces: Don’t be afraid to try out new sauce combinations. Mixing up your usual sauces can bring a whole new level of excitement to your fondue night.
- Keep it Simple: Fondue nights are all about enjoying good food and company. Don’t stress too much about having a huge variety of ingredients. Sometimes, less is more!
- Safety First: Be cautious with the hot oil. Ensure your fondue pot is stable and out of reach of small children to prevent any accidents.

Cook Time Guide
Here’s a general guide on how long to cook each item to perfection in a preheated fondue pot. Please note cooking times are approximate and may vary based on your personal fondue pot temperature/settings.
- Steak
- Rare: 1-2 minutes
- Medium Rare: 2-3 minutes
- Medium: 3-4 minutes
- Well Done: 4+ minutes
- Shrimp
- 30-90 seconds for small shrimp
- 2-3 minutes for large shrimp
- Scallops
- 3-4 minutes for large scallops
- 1-2 minutes for smaller scallops
- Broccoli
- 30-60 seconds
- Roasting Potatoes
- 4-5 minutes
- Onions
- 2-3 minutes
- Mushrooms
- 1-2 minutes
You can also include things like mini meatballs or chicken wings – whatever you can deep fry, you can fondue too!
I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for fondue nights to be a tradition for a long, long time. It’s fun, romantic – AND DELICIOUS.

Do You… Fondue?
Fondue night at home is a fantastic way to bring a bit of fun and flavor to your dinner table. It’s an interactive meal that brings everyone together, making cooking part of the enjoyment. With high-quality ingredients and a variety of delicious sauces, you’re set for a memorable evening.
Whether it’s a special occasion or just a weeknight treat, fondue offers a unique dining experience. Gather your favorite people, skewer some tasty bites, and enjoy the satisfying sizzle of fondue. Here’s to many more fondue nights filled with laughter and great food! Happy fondue-ing, Hungry People!

Fondue Night at Home (For Two!)
Equipment
- fondue forks
- serving plates for raw food
- serving plates for cooked food
Ingredients
- 16 oz prime rib, filet mignon or ribeye cut into 1×1 thick pieces
- 16 oz raw shrimp peeled & tail on
- 6 large scallops
- 16 oz broccoli florets
- 8 oz roasting potatoes
- 8 oz onion chopped
- 1 loaf crusty bread
- 2 cups cheese fondue optional
- 2 tablespoons creamy horseradish
- 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey butter
- 2 tablespoons yum yum sauce
- 2 tablespoons Thai ginger chili sauce
- 2 cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- Heat 2 cups of vegetable oil in a pan on the stove until shimmering hot (about 350/375 F). Carefully transfer the hot oil to the fondue pot over a burner. Use the burner flame to adjust the temperature of the oil while cooking.
- Cut the steak into bite-size pieces; peel and devein the shrimp; wash the potatoes; prepare the raw ingredients on separate plates.
- Serve ingredients around the oil fondue pot so that all items are within arm's reach of the hot pot and the serving plates. Take care to keep cooking skewers away from eating utensils.
- Serve with crusty bread, cheese fondue, and other fresh vegetables that can be dipped in cheese. Enjoy!
RECOMMENDED COOK TIMES:
- Steak: Rare: 1-2 minutes / Medium Rare: 2-3 minutes / Medium: 3-4 minutes / Well Done: 4+ minutesShrimp: 30-90 seconds for small shrimp / 2-3 minutes for large shrimpScallops: 3-4 minutes for large scallops / 1-2 minutes for smaller scallopsBroccoli: 30-60 secondsRoasting Potatoes: 4-5 minutesOnions: 2-3 minutesMushrooms: 1-2 minutes