By far the most important accompaniment to raclette is the cheese – but not every type is equally suitable for the table grill: in addition to the right seasoning, it needs a particularly high fat content (at least 45 percent) so that it remains nice and creamy when it is melted becomes. Hearty cheeses from Switzerland, France or the Allgäu are best suited for pure raclette pleasure. Otherwise, you are completely free to choose your side dish, but below you will find a list of the most important ingredients, which you can either buy ready to serve or cut into bite-sized pieces. In any case, various types of meat, fish, cheese and vegetables can be ideally combined with cheese. And if you need to get a new raclette grill in advance, you will also find a few helpful (buying) tips here.
At the end of the day, whether the grill is round, square or oval doesn’t matter at all when it comes to taste. The only important thing is how many pans are needed – before buying, you should think carefully about whether you want to eat raclette more often with two, four or six people. And also whether you prefer a pure metal plate, one made of natural stone or perhaps a combination of both components? Natural stone plates have the advantage that the heat is distributed more evenly and you can bake small mini pizzas on them without any fat. On the other hand, due to the lack of a non-stick coating, pieces of meat in particular stick to it, so the table grill should best be adapted to the ingredients you prefer for raclette. A combination of metal and natural stone panels is also possible, but then you only have half as much space per area. If you still need help deciding, you will find a small selection of different models here:
1. WMF raclette grill with reversible cast iron plate
The smaller version for two to four people can be found here.
2. Severin party grill with natural grill stone plate
There is also a smaller version for up to four people.
3. Solis raclette grill and fondue in one
4. Clatronic grill with hot stone and cast iron plate
The single version for one or two people is available here.
For those who are undecided and cannot decide between raclette and fondue on New Year’s Eve, there is also this practical combination.
You can actually put anything you like on the table grill. However, you must be aware that raw vegetables such as potatoes in particular do not cook and should therefore be pre-cooked. To ensure that your guests are well looked after, both vegetarians and meat eaters, you should, if possible, serve a colorful selection of exquisite ingredients – so there is something for every taste. Starting with the cheese: Here you can either use classic raclette cheese, which you can get ready to cut in the supermarket, or other types such as those already mentioned above. But Emmental, Gouda, mozzarella or Gorgonzola can also be used. Tip: It’s best to count on 200 grams of cheese per person. The following ingredients are also suitable for grilling:
Meat: Fillet pieces are best suited for grilling, whether they are chicken or beef, pork or turkey. It is best to cut the meat into bite-sized pieces before placing it on the cast plate. Alternatively, you can fry bacon, small meatballs or even Vienna sausages. Plan on 150 grams per head here.
FishYou can also use fillets when it comes to fish – salmon or trout are ideal here, but also tuna or shrimp. When it comes to fish (as well as meat), it is important that you do not prepare the raw ingredients in the pans, but rather directly on the grill plate. Otherwise the food will not cook properly. Unless you pre-cook the fish first.
Vegetables In addition to boiled potatoes (it’s best to count on 200 grams per head), tomatoes and onions, peppers and zucchini, corn and mushrooms also go particularly well with raclette cheese. You can of course also use very hard vegetables such as eggplant or carrots, but these varieties remain al dente even after grilling.
FruitFruits can literally sweeten the raclette evening. In addition to pineapple and tangerines, grapes or apples, mango or melon can also be served. Most fruit can be combined with hearty dishes in a pan according to your personal taste. Only sour fruits such as lemons or grapefruit are less suitable.
Bread Baguette, which you can cut into hand-sized pieces, is particularly popular with raclette. But classic toast or wholemeal bread – cut into thin slices – also goes very well with fish, meat and vegetables. Of course, you can also serve nachos in combination with the raclette cheese.
Sauce Last but not least, an all-round successful raclette evening also includes an exquisite selection of dips and sauces: from (homemade) herb butter to hollandaise sauce to classic grill sauces (cocktail, barbecue, chili, curry), there are no limits to the flavors. Here you can dip as much as you want.
Since all food is served on the table unpackaged and cut, it can go bad, dry out or tarnish more quickly. For this reason, time management is crucial for a successful evening. It’s best to proceed as follows: Set up the table grill one to two hours in advance, set the table and distribute all the ingredients that were in cans or jars into small bowls. Fruit and vegetables are then cut into small pieces and nicely served together with the cheese. You can put the potatoes on and cook 30 minutes before the starting signal so that they are still warm when you serve them. It’s best to prepare the meat and fish shortly before your guests arrive – then nothing stands in the way of a delicious evening.
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