I did Shabu shabu for a couple last week and, as we were finishing the last of the veggies, the fire on my Burtan Burner went out. Replacing the fuel
cell didn’t help as we discovered that the plastic igniter control switch had shattered.
Alas, the Burtan is no longer made. So here we have a new burner. This unit, goes for about $50 and boasts 12,000 Btu. It is better made throughout than the Burtan, though it too has a plastic igniter and control switch.
Who needs one? It is more fun to do shabu shabu, sukiyaki and fondues with a fire source at the table so all can swish and dip in a communal hot pot. They’re also great outdoors for picnics and cookouts to keep the shredded beef, pork, chili or beans hot. The caterer I cooked for years ago had four of them for table top omelets, soups and other food. We used all of them to make scrambled eggs, served in paper cones, at the annual White House Easter Egg Hunt.
