A communal feast featuring homemade chicken stock, a fiery Sichuan soup base, fresh vegetables, premium meats, and irresistible dipping sauces — all cooked right at the table.
Chinese Hot Pot (火锅, huǒ guō) is one of China’s most beloved communal dining experiences — a bubbling pot of fragrant broth set in the center of the table, where everyone gathers to cook fresh ingredients together. This recipe delivers an authentic, restaurant-quality experience at home, featuring a rich homemade chicken stock that forms the backbone of both a mild, comforting broth and a fiery Sichuan spicy base loaded with doubanjiang, dried chilies, and tingling Sichuan peppercorns.
Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or enjoying a cozy family meal on a cold night, hot pot brings people together like nothing else. Dip silky slices of wagyu beef, fresh vegetables, springy noodles, and pillowy dumplings into your choice of broth, then swirl them through homemade sesame and black vinegar dipping sauces. It’s interactive, endlessly customizable, and absolutely delicious.
Place the chicken drumsticks and bone-in thighs into a large stockpot in a single layer.
Add the green onions, sliced ginger, and garlic head (cut in half, cut side down) to the pot.
Pour enough cold water to submerge all the ingredients by at least 2 inches.
Bring to a rolling boil, skim off any foam, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 1.5 to 2 hours until deeply flavored. Strain and set aside.
Blend Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, and cinnamon sticks in a spice grinder until a coarse powder forms.
In a large wok, melt the beef fat over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. Heat until shimmering.
Add the seeded dried chili pods and fry for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and darkened. Remove and blend into a rough paste.
In the remaining oil, add the chopped garlic, sliced green onions, and ginger. Cook over medium heat until golden and very fragrant, about 3–4 minutes.
Stir in the doubanjiang, fermented black bean paste, bay leaves, shiitake mushroom powder, and the ground spice mix. Cook for 3 minutes.
Fold in the blended chili paste and cook, stirring constantly, until the oil turns a deep, beautiful red — about 8–10 minutes.
Add sugar and Shaoxing wine, stir well. Blend until smooth if desired. Transfer to a container and refrigerate until solid (or use immediately).
Fill each side of a divided hot pot vessel with the prepared chicken stock. Place on the portable burner at the center of the table.
Add shiitake mushrooms, white pepper, jujubes, ginger slices, and green onion pieces to the mild side. Season with salt.
Drop a generous block of the chilled spicy soup base into the other side. Allow it to melt and bloom into the stock as the heat rises.
Beautifully arrange the bok choy, mushrooms, napa cabbage, noodles, dumplings, rice cakes, and sliced meats on serving plates around the hot pot.
Turn on the burner and bring both broths to a gentle simmer. The hot pot is ready when bubbles break the surface.
Cook ingredients at the table — dip wagyu beef for just 15–20 seconds. Vegetables and noodles take 1–3 minutes. Serve with rice and your choice of dipping sauces.
The dipping sauce is the soul of hot pot. Mix and match your own signature combination at the table!
Beef timing: Dip thinly sliced wagyu for only 15–20 seconds for perfect silkiness. Overcooking makes it tough.
Separate chopsticks: Use dedicated “cooking” chopsticks for the pot and separate “eating” chopsticks for hygiene.
Serve with rice: Steamed white rice is the perfect accompaniment to soak up the rich broths and sauces.
Cold base advantage: Refrigerating the spicy base makes it solid — you can portion it into cubes and freeze for future use.
Vegetable first: Add hardy vegetables like bok choy before delicate mushrooms for even cooking times.
Maintain heat: Keep broth at a gentle, steady simmer — not a rolling boil — to preserve the broth’s clarity and flavor.
Follow along with the full video tutorial to see every step of this authentic hot pot recipe in action.