Potjiekos

Name: Potjiekos
Total time: 4 h 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients: 1.2 kg beef chuck or stewing beef, cut into large chunks; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 onions, thickly sliced; 4 cloves garlic, crushed; 2 tbsp flour, for dusting the beef; 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste; 1 tsp black pepper; 250 ml red wine; 250 ml beef stock; 2 bay leaves; 4 carrots, peeled and cut into thick chunks; 500 g baby potatoes, whole; 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into large chunks; 200 g green beans, trimmed; 1/4 head cabbage, cut into wedges; 2 tomatoes, quartered

by CommunityKitchen

South AfricanMedium4 hr 30 minServes 6

Potjiekos, literally "small pot food", is the communal stew cooked low and slow over open coals in a round three-legged cast-iron potjie, where meat and firm vegetables are layered on top of each other rather than stirred together, so each layer steams in the one below's juices until everything is finally folded together and spooned out at the table.

Per
serving

420kcal

32gprotein

30gcarbs

16gfat

Ingredients

1.2 kg beef chuck or stewing beef, cut into large chunks
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, thickly sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp flour, for dusting the beef
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp black pepper
250 ml red wine
250 ml beef stock
2 bay leaves
4 carrots, peeled and cut into thick chunks
500 g baby potatoes, whole
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into large chunks
200 g green beans, trimmed
1/4 head cabbage, cut into wedges
2 tomatoes, quartered

Before you cook

Cut the beef into large chunks and pat dry with paper towel
Toss the beef chunks with the flour, salt and pepper until lightly coated
Peel and cut the carrots, potatoes and butternut into large chunks, keeping each vegetable separate
Trim the green beans and cut the cabbage into wedges

Steps

Build a hardwood or charcoal fire and let it burn down to hot, glowing coals
Set the empty potjie pot over the coals and heat the oil in it until shimmering
Add the beef chunks in batches and brown them on all sides, then remove and set the beef aside
Add the sliced onions and garlic to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened, scraping up the browned bits left by the beef
Return the browned beef to the pot in a single layer at the bottom
Pour the red wine and beef stock over the beef and add the bay leaves
Layer the carrots evenly on top of the beef, without stirring
Layer the potatoes on top of the carrots
Layer the butternut chunks on top of the potatoes
Put the lid on the pot and let it simmer undisturbed over the coals for 2 hours, adding a few fresh coals occasionally to keep a gentle simmer
Lift the lid and lay the green beans and cabbage wedges on top as the final layer, still without stirring
Scatter the tomato quarters over the very top
Replace the lid and continue simmering for 1 more hour, until all the vegetables are tender
Season to taste with extra salt and pepper, then gently fold the layers together for the first time, right before serving
Ladle the potjiekos into bowls, meat and vegetables together, straight from the pot

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