Yes, you read that right. Summertime is a great time to dust off the raclette grill and take it OUTSIDE! This genius way of tableside cooking and entertainment leaves your home odor-free and your neighbors super jealous (unless you invite them as we did).
What is Raclette
Raclette is a Swiss way of melting a type of Swiss cheese that is also called Raclette. This makes it an easy one to remember! Raclette is also super popular in Germany, especially around the holidays. While I love the winter tradition, I also love finding ways to use large appliances more than once or twice during the winter. So the summertime raclette tradition was born! What I love about the raclette grill is that it combines melting the cheese in individual pans AND cooking meats (and whatever else your raclette-hungry heart desires) on the cast iron grill top. It's how we've always eaten Raclette growing up and it's so good!
Raclette Recipe Idea
So I dusted off my Raclette grill to use it in summer! I know, such a rebel! Or am I a trendsetter? I just love Raclette for its entertaining factor, but I don't love stinking up my home by grilling meats inside. So using it outside with the help of an extension cord was such an amazing changeup! And gladly our neighbors joined us, so they didn't have to smell the goodness without eating it! One challenge with eating Raclette in the summer is that the real Swiss Raclette cheese is hard to find during the off-season (basically from Spring to Fall). So for summer, I am going with one of my top ways to eat melted cheese. I combined camembert melted with lingonberry jam and put that on baguette rounds! It so reminds me of baked camembert that I love eating in Germany.
This flavor combination also goes perfectly with the marinated pork loin that we grilled on the cast iron grill top of the raclette grill. The dry-rub marinade is the same one as used in my Schwenkbraten recipe, including the onions. Except I used pork tenderloin instead of pork chops. The meat was so tender and perfect! I love using my instant-read thermometer (the best one that I've owned and I have owned several) to test that the pork is cooked to 145 degrees Fahrenheit and safe to eat. The onions were perfectly charred and so amazing! We then dipped our grilled Schwenkbraten bites in curry ketchup (Germany loves curry ketchup and this brand is what we always bought in Germany) and an addictive garlic sauce (Knoblauchsosse) that is just perfectly garlicky and creamy. Sadly you can't find it bottled in the USA, so included a simple homemade version in my recipe card. And don't forget about my Oma Sieghilde's creamy potato salad that we served alongside everything. It made the whole meal come together. Finally, some garlic butter makes this meal complete (see notes below). I use it for EVERYTHING raclette related.
Ingredients
- Camembert Cheese. 1 little wheel. If you can't find Camembert cheese, use Brie instead. Cambozola would also be delicious, which is a mix of Camembert and Gorgonzola. I don't like blue cheese (I know), but I will eat Cambozola.
- Lingonberry Jam. In Germany, you would use red currant jam, but that's hard to find in the USA. Lingonberry jam is close and is amazing with Camembert cheese. I usually pick some up at IKEA whenever we go because they have it in a large jar and it's organic. Use leftover Lingonberry jam to eat on buttered bread or make some Swedish meatballs (this is one of my favorite recipes, but I make half the sauce in the recipe).
- Baguette. I slide the melted cheese onto it, then top it with the lingonberry jam. So good! You could also grill the baguette first if you have room on the grill, but that's not necessary.
- Pork Loin 1 large one for 4 people. Then follow my Schwenkbraten recipe for the pork marinade, except make half of the dry rub for one pork loin. Schwenkbraten is a unique way to eat pork chops where I am from and it is so delicious, that you'll be in love!
- Oma Sieghilde's Creamy Potato Salad. My grandma fed crowds with this! I made a half recipe, which would serve up to 8. Leftovers of this potato salad are amazing, travel well with guests, and keep for several days.
- Garlic Butter. I mash some minced garlic into room temperature butter (1 clove per 2 Tablespoons) and use it for EVERYTHING raclette related.
- Curry Ketchup. It's a German classic. Just try it! I promise you'll love it!
- Creamy Garlic Sauce (Knoblauchsoße). The exact ingredients are listed in the recipe card, but it's so easy and so good! In Germany, you can buy it bottled and it's a common grilling sauce.
Tools
- Raclette Grill. This one is a no-brainer. Swissmar's Best Seller is this beauty. I love that the grill top leaves grill marks to get that outdoor grilling feeling and if you turn it over, you have a flat top to cook on. Perfect for an outdoor crepe party! This cast iron brush helps you clean it afterwards. We use ours all the time for our cast-iron pans and indoor grill.
- Meat Thermometer. Using an instant-read meat thermometer is the safest way to o test that the meat is cooked to temperature (that's 145 degrees Fahrenheit or 63 degrees Celsius for pork). I know some of you think this is overkill, but this way you're never playing the guessing game and the meat is always tender. This instant-read thermometer is the best one I have used EVER and I have used a few. It's pricy, but professionals swear by it.
- Raclette/Fondue Plates. These guys are so cute and functional. Made from ceramics, they keep your dipping sauces and salads separate from your cooked meats etc. I got the round ones, but they also come in a pretty square shape.
- Raclette Dish Holders. To save room on your plates and not ruin your table. These are great for holding your hot raclette pans before they go back in the Raclette grill.
- Cheese Knives. This set is so gorgeous and such a good price!
- Pepper Mill. This mill is beautiful, works amazingly, and will go with most decor. I love the marble top and the olive wood is stunning! I always love adding a bit of fresh cracked pepper to my grilled meats and salads.
- Salt Keeper. I like not to add too much salt to my food, but some like it saltier. This salt keeper is also made from olive wood and perfectly matches the mill. This is my favorite salt to use for it.
Raclette Wine Pairing
I paired a crisp Rosé that paired perfectly with our raclette meats and the melted cheese with lingonberry sauce that I chose. Depending on how hot it gets where you are, serving Frosé with your summertime raclette is also a great way to keep everyone cool. I have used this Frosé recipe over and over again using different fruits and it's always a hit. I now try to keep some frozen Rosé handy at all times, so I blend up some Frosé on a whim!
Does Sitting Outside Bug You? Quite literally? I have tried everything from candles (usually not strong enough to keep them away) to sprays (not a fan of the smell and texture), and they always still find me and my poor babies. So I like to keep the Bug Bite Thing handy to suck out the mosquito saliva after we see the itchy swelling appear and it's helped me sleep itch-free! Get yours now!
Sponsored Content and Affiliate Links Disclosure
Although this post is sponsored by Swissmar and Bug Bite Thing, all opinions, thoughts and recipes are my own. This post contains affiliate links, which means that I may be compensated if you click certain links.
Raclette in Summer
Equipment
- cast-iron brush
- Raclette Dish Holders
- Cheese Knives
- pepper mill
- Salt
Ingredients
- 1 wheel camembert cheese
- 4 Tablespoons lingonberry jam
- 1 baguette
- 1 pound pork tenderloin or up to 2 pounds depending on how much meat your guests eat
- ½ recipe Schwenkbraten dry-rub marinade and onions You'll need salt, pepper, fresh garlic, dried bay leaf, whole juniper berries, ground cloves, ground allspice, dried or fresh thyme, dried or fresh oregano, one yellow onion. You'll use half of the marinade from my Schwenkbraten recipe.
- ½ recipe Oma Sieghilde's creamy potato salad I made half of the recipe and we still had plenty of leftovers! It's so good!
- 4 Tablespoons garlic butter I make my own by combining 2 cloves of minced garlic with 4 Tablespoons of room temperature butter and a little sea salt. I use it for grilling the meat, spreading on bread, putting in the raclette pans.
- curry ketchup a German favorite! This is the brand we used to buy growing up. Just give it a try if you haven't!
Creamy Garlic Sauce
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 1 handful finely chopped chives
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 Tablespoons mayo
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Marinate The Meat
- Cut the pork tenderloin into bite sized pieces and prepare ½ of my Schwenkbraten marinade (including onions). Rub in and let sit in the fridge for 2 hours or up to 24 hours.1 pound pork tenderloin, ½ recipe Schwenkbraten dry-rub marinade and onions
Make The Garlic Sauce
- Combine all ingredients and set aside until ready to serve.3 garlic cloves, 1 handful finely chopped chives, ¼ cup sour cream, 2 Tablespoons mayo, salt and pepper to taste
Cook the Meat
- Add a little garlic butter to the top of your raclette grill, then add the meat. Cook until browned on the outside and the internal temperature has reached 145° Fahrenheit or 63° Celsius. I love using this Instant-Read Thermometer to give me peace of mind that the pork is cooked.4 Tablespoons garlic butter
Melt the Cheese
- Place a piece of camembert and lingonberry sauce in a small pan and cook until bubbly. Place over a piece of sliced baguette. Take it to the next level by grilling the baguette with a little garlic butter. SO GOOD!1 wheel camembert cheese, 4 Tablespoons lingonberry jam, 1 baguette
- Serve with my Oma Sieghilde's creamy potato salad, curry ketchup, creamy garlic sauce and more baguette. Guten Appetit and happy racletting!½ recipe Oma Sieghilde's creamy potato salad, curry ketchup
Notes
- It doesn't stink up the house
- There is no designated grill master that doesn't get to spend as much time with everybody.
- It brings this giant appliance out of the box more than once or twice a year (Raclette is typically only enjoyed around the holidays in Germany and that's it).
Leave a Reply