How is Potjiekos made?

• Place the pot on the fire and heat the oil.
• Add the onions and fry until soft and translucent.
• Add the lamb and the ginger and garlic paste and brown on all sides.
• Add salt and black pepper.
• When the meat is brown, add the diced tomatoes and the bay leaves.
• Put the lid on and gently simmer for approx an 1 hour.

How do you make a Potjiekos fire?

Method

1. Place the pot over coals to heat through.
2. Season the meat with salt, then brown the oxtail in the bacon fat.
3. Remove the pot from the heat.
4. Rearrange the coals for low-heat cooking and place the pot back over the coals.
5. Add the garlic for the last minute or two and cook, stirring.
6. Remove the pot from the coals.

How do you prepare a Potjie for the first time?

Do this before you use your potjie for the first time:

1. Fill the potjie with boiling water and wash it inside with dishwashing liquid.
2. Dry the potjie and lid carefully with a clean cloth.
3. Grease the potjie and lid with cooking oil.

What is South African Potjie?

Potjiekos, pronounced ‘poi-key-cos,’ is directly translated as ‘pot food. ‘ The dish consists of a variety of ingredients, typically meat and vegetables, layered in a round cast-iron pot and placed on open coals.

What is Potjiekos served with?

Potjie can be served over traditional accompaniments such as flavoured or plain, pap, rice or even noodles. A couple of mixed salads, potato salads or another South African favourite, Three-bean salad. Everyone loves home made bread. Try potbrood, homemade wholewheat bread or vetkoek.

What did the Voortrekkers eat?

Next to grilling the meat over an open fire, the “Voortrekkers” often made a stew of venison and whatever vegetables they could find, in a three-legged cast iron pot, hence the name “potjiekos” (potfood). As each animal was shot, it was cut up and added to the pot.

How many briquettes do I need for a potjie?

Place four or five good size coals under the potjie to heat the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the meat (if applicable) and braise well. Close the lid of the potjie pot. The stew will now have to cook for 2-3 hours.

Why don’t you stir a potjie?

Everything should then be wonderfully soft, tender and juicy. The difference between a “potjie” and a stew is that a “potjie” is never stirred during the cooking process! Once you have built your “potjie” and put on the lid, you will not lift it again unless it is to serve up the dish.

What does the rings on a potjie mean?

Did you know? The number of rings on your potjie pot multiplied by the size of the pot equals the number of servings it can make. For example, this size 3 pot has 4 rings on the outside, therefore it can hold up to 12 servings of your favourite, homemade potjie!

How do you clean a rusted potjie?

Removing Rust

1. If you find rust, scrub the rust off with fine wire wool and hot soapy water until the rust is removed.
2. Then be sure to repeat the curing process before cooking in it again.

Who invented Potjiekos?

Voortrekkers
Potjiekos originated with the Voortrekkers, evolving as a stew made of venison and vegetables (if available), cooked in the potjie. As trekkers (pioneers) shot wild game, it was added to the pot. The large bones were included to thicken the stew.

How do you thicken a potjie?

When you reduce your sauce, it’s important to remove the lid and cook the potjie on low heat. This will thicken the sauce perfectly. Never forget though, that the less liquid you add, the better, as most of the broth will only be visible closer to the end.