Hot Potting

ps99472

New member
Picked up a new pot from Ranch 99 today:

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Walong product, decent packaging with two styrofoam blocks sandwiching the pot, hot plate, and glass lid.

It's currently on sale for $37 (normally $46).  Our old hot pot was actually an electric fondue pot by Cuisinart and while it worked ok, the non stick lining is starting to deteriorate.  We considered a propane version, but those cans always scare me so we're sticking with electric.

We also got the divider in the middle this time, it's a straight divide, not as fancy as say the ying yang divider but I believe it has a better chance at a complete seal.

Got home, put some cold tap water in both sides and proceeded to test the pot.  Put a teabag in one side to test for leakage:

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Boiled in about 13 minutes, and as you can see, the divider works.  Lid was decent as well.

Can't wait to give it a go tonight!


 
Speaking of hotpot I find that Zion market has a lot of good selections for hot pot meat, sometimes even cheaper than 99 ranch.  Ideally you want to hit up 99ranch for stuff like fish balls and sauces and Zion for additional meats.
 
Finding decent sliced beef for hot pot is a challenge in Irvine.  Ranch 99 use to be my go to spot, convenient and one stop shop for all things hot pot.  But then the meat got thicker and ice damaged.  HMart became the one, rinse repeat cycle, then Zion and now back to Ranch 99 again (who has time for double stops).  But nothing is as good as the ones you get in restaurants.  I even contemplated buying a meat slicer DIY. 

Recently my mom brought me some sliced rib eye from a Korean market in RH:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/premium-meat-and-food-market-rowland-heights

It was the closest to restaurant taste/texture so far.  Thinly sliced, rich and marbly without that heavy beefy taste from being frozen too long.  About the same price as the Korean markets here at about $20/lb.  I'm bringing a cooler next time I venture up to the 626.
 
What about Mitsuwa? I haven't been there in awhile but they used to have some decent waygu/kobe style.
 
B2FiNiTY said:
What about Mitsuwa? I haven't been there in awhile but they used to have some decent waygu/kobe style.

If you're eating waygu/kobe quality beef via hot pot style, you're doing it wrong.
 
Never considered Mitsuwa for anything except maybe some fancy Japanese beer that I don't see anywhere else.  Prices are high and Kobe beef for hot pot is gross and a waste of money.  And the cut is too thick.

Used the hot pot this weekend and have to say it is decent.  Warmed up well with the lid on and the temp settings are easy to adjust.  It does seem to draw quite a bit of juice, hopefully it won't fry any circuits. 
 
ps9 said:
Never considered Mitsuwa for anything except maybe some fancy Japanese beer that I don't see anywhere else.  Prices are high and Kobe beef for hot pot is gross and a waste of money.  And the cut is too thick.

Mitsuwa has high quality beef but you don't need Wagu beef for hotpot. Even their lower end sliced beef blows out the competition. I've eaten cuts from Zion/Hmart side by side with Mitsuwa. There is no comparison, Mitsuwa FTW. It's more expensive but you get what you pay for.

 
Nothing wrong with some good quality meet for hot pot. Just make sure it is sliced thin. We order the good stuff all the time when we are in asia and although it's a lot fattier than leaner cuts, it definitely is easier to "chew" on.
 
MagicJ1zz said:
do you eat pork blood rice cake or pork blood?  I love that stuff in hot pot.

YES!  :p :p
Even better with stinky tofu, intestines, etc..
More ingredients = more flavor!
 
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