Hot Pot City: A Cozy, Customizable Hot Pot at Home

Hot pot is a communal meal in which thinly sliced ingredients cook at the table in a gently simmering broth, then get dipped in sauce. This home version pairs a savory ginger-mushroom broth with beef, tofu, vegetables, and noodles; use a portable burner and adjust the ingredients to suit your group.

Ingredients

8 cups (1.9 L) low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups (480 ml) water
1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced, about 1 oz (28 g)
4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed, about 1 oz (28 g)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce
1 tablespoon (15 ml) Chinese rice wine (Shaoxing), optional; use dry sherry or omit it
1 teaspoon (5 ml) toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon (3 g) dried shiitake mushrooms, about 4 small mushrooms
8 oz (225 g) fresh shiitake or cremini mushrooms, sliced
12 oz (340 g) beef sirloin, very thinly sliced
8 oz (225 g) firm tofu, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
6 oz (170 g) napa cabbage, cut into bite-size pieces
4 oz (115 g) enoki mushrooms, root ends trimmed and strands separated
8 oz (225 g) fresh udon noodles, or 5 oz (140 g) dried noodles
4 scallions, thinly sliced, about 2 oz (55 g)
1 cup (240 ml) dipping sauce, such as a mix of ½ cup (120 ml) soy sauce, ¼ cup (60 ml) water, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) rice vinegar, and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) sesame oil
Chili crisp or sesame seeds, optional, for serving

Instructions

Set out a portable electric hot pot or induction burner on a stable, heatproof surface, away from table edges. Arrange the beef, tofu, cabbage, fresh mushrooms, enoki, noodles, and scallions on separate plates. Keep raw beef covered and chilled until ready to cook; use a separate plate and utensils for it.
Pour the broth and water into the hot pot. Add ginger, garlic, soy sauce, rice wine if using, sesame oil, and dried shiitake. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes so the broth takes on the aromatics. Taste and add a little more soy sauce if needed.
While the broth simmers, stir together the dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Divide into individual dipping bowls and add chili crisp or sesame seeds if desired. Set out serving bowls, chopsticks, and a slotted spoon or small wire skimmer for each diner.
When everyone is ready, bring the broth back to a steady simmer at the table. Add a small handful of cabbage and a few mushrooms. Cook vegetables until tender, generally 2–4 minutes. Add tofu to warm through, about 2 minutes; tofu is ready-to-eat, but keep it in the simmering broth for hot-pot flavor.
Cook beef in small portions, swishing the slices through the simmering broth until no longer pink and an instant-read thermometer confirms 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest for whole cuts of beef, the USDA FSIS safe minimum. Do not let diners handle raw beef with the utensils they use for eating; provide clean tongs or chopsticks for raw ingredients. Keep the broth simmering between batches.
Add enoki mushrooms and cook for at least 2 minutes, until thoroughly hot and tender. Cook fresh udon according to its package directions, usually 1–2 minutes in the broth; for dried noodles, cook them separately as directed, drain, and add to bowls. Avoid overcrowding the pot, which cools the broth and makes ingredients cook unevenly.
Use a clean skimmer to transfer cooked food to individual bowls. Dip each bite in sauce and eat promptly. Continue adding ingredients in small batches, topping up with hot broth if the level gets low; bring any added broth back to a simmer before serving.

Tips

Ask a butcher to slice the beef thinly, or partially freeze it for 20–30 minutes to make slicing easier. Cut across the grain for tender bites.
For a richer, spicier broth, add a spoonful of chili bean paste or chili crisp. For a milder pot, keep spicy condiments at the table instead of mixing them into the shared broth.
Keep raw meat refrigerated until it goes into the pot, and never put cooked food back on a plate that held raw beef. A simmering broth is important, but a thermometer is the reliable way to check beef safety.
Use vegetable broth and omit the rice wine for a vegetarian version. Check labels on broth, noodles, and dipping sauces if you need to avoid particular allergens; soy and wheat are common in these ingredients.

Serving Suggestions

Serve hot pot as the main event, with rice or extra noodles, dipping sauce, and a simple side such as cucumber salad or quick-pickled radishes. Put out small bowls so each person can season their own portion. If cooking at the table is not practical, simmer the broth on the stove and cook ingredients in batches, serving each batch immediately while keeping the remaining food chilled.

Variations

For a seafood pot, replace the beef with peeled shrimp, fish balls, or firm white fish. Cook shrimp until opaque and firm, and cook fish to 145°F (63°C), checking with a food thermometer. Seafood cooks quickly, so add it near the end and use clean utensils to avoid cross-contamination.

For a vegetarian pot, use vegetable broth, omit the beef, and add extra tofu, napa cabbage, mushrooms, and sliced carrots. Thinly sliced lamb, pork, chicken, or other hot-pot vegetables can also be used; cook each safely and thoroughly. Chicken must reach 165°F (74°C), while whole cuts of pork must reach 145°F (63°C) followed by a 3-minute rest, according to USDA FSIS guidance. Ground meat, if used in small meatballs, must reach 160°F (71°C).

Storage and Reheating

For best quality, cook only what you expect to eat. Refrigerate leftover broth and cooked ingredients within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers; keep broth separate from noodles and vegetables when possible. Cooked leftovers keep for 3–4 days in the refrigerator. Discard broth or food that has been left at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C).

Reheat broth on the stove until bubbling, and heat leftover meat, vegetables, noodles, and tofu to 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS safe temperature for reheated leftovers. Add a splash of water or broth if noodles have absorbed liquid. For longer storage, freeze broth and cooked ingredients separately for up to 2–3 months; thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a special hot-pot cooker?
A portable electric hot pot is convenient, but a tabletop induction burner with an induction-safe pot also works. Follow the appliance instructions, keep the cord out of walkways, and do not use a burner on an unstable or heat-sensitive surface.

How thin should the beef be?
Aim for slices about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick, thin enough to cook quickly when swished through simmering broth. If the slices are thicker, cook them longer and verify the safe temperature with a thermometer.

Can I prepare the ingredients ahead?
Yes. Slice vegetables and arrange the dipping sauce up to a day ahead, then cover and refrigerate them. Keep raw beef sealed and separate from ready-to-eat foods until cooking time.

Can I make the broth less salty?
Use low-sodium broth and reduce the soy sauce in the pot, then season individual dipping bowls to taste. Add water if the broth becomes too concentrated as it simmers.

What can I use instead of Shaoxing wine?
Dry sherry is a practical substitute and gives a similar rounded aroma. The wine is optional; omitting it makes the broth a little less fragrant but still flavorful.

Can I eat the broth after cooking the ingredients in it?
Yes, provided it has stayed at a simmer and has not been contaminated by raw-food utensils or left out too long. Strain it if desired, bring it to a boil, and serve it hot; refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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