How to make the perfect potjiekos this Heritage Day

Cooking over a fire in a cast-iron pot is an age-old tradition that’s close to the hearts of many South Africans.

Popularised in Holland during the 16th century, the tradition was brought to our country by the early Dutch settlers, but today the tradition of cast iron cooking is embraced by a wide variety of South Africans from diverse cultural backgrounds.

The beauty of a potjie is that no two recipes are the same. From hearty beef and red wine recipes to oxtail bredies, chicken dishes and Indian-style lamb curries, there are literally hundreds of ways to combine ingredients and put your personal stamp on the dish.

There are a few basics to remember, though, if you want your fire-cooked pot to be a success.

The ingredients should be layered, in that you add the slow-cooking ingredients, such as meat, at the beginning and faster-cooking veggies towards the end. And most importantly, you should never stir your potjie until the end! If you’re worried about the meat sticking to the bottom, you can gently push a rubber spatula along the sides and bottom of the pot.

The other trick is to regulate your fire. You’ll need a fair amount of heat at the beginning to brown the onions and meat, but after that, it’s a low and slow deal as your meat should simmer for hours until it's tender and almost ready to fall off the bone. The adding of your veggies should be timed according to their ideal cooking duration. It’s usually easier if you have two fires going, with a larger one on the side to create the coals that go beneath your pot. Use a spade to transfer the coals easily.

Chicken will cook fairly quickly, but I’ve found that beef or mutton needs to simmer or at least an hour or more before you start adding your harder vegetables like potato and carrot. Make that at least four hours if you’re cooking oxtail. If you’re using softer veggies like patty pans or mushrooms, they should go in towards the end of the process.

But be sure to brown your meat with a good sear at the beginning and a few spices to add to the aroma. You’ll thank me later. And don't be shy to add some garlic and celery when browning your onions, and even a few chillis if you like things spicy.

When it comes to what liquid to add, this is where your potjie becomes a blank canvas and an opportunity to really make it your own. And here many will argue that their favourite method is the best.

Some like to keep it simple with just a little wine or beer, and some stock. Personally, I feel alcohol is an essential ingredient in any potjie. Go for red wine if you want a hearty taste, or stout beer if you want it really rich, while port or sherry work wonders if you’re after a slightly sweeter dish. The latter, I find, works wonders with oxtail, with a few chopped tomatoes thrown in for good measure.

It’s usually a good idea to add the alcohol after the meat has browned, and be sure to simmer it for at least a few minutes with the lid off - you’ll want the alcohol to burn off so it doesn’t leave a bitter taste in your food. Once the alcohol smell subsides, reduce the heat under the pot and let your meat do its simmering magic until it’s time to add the veggies.

Those seeking rich and saucy potjie often use soup powder to add some flavour and thicken the sauce. But you can certainly go fancier than that with other cook-in sauces or even your own pre-made sauce. Just be careful not to add too much liquid, as the ingredients also release moisture into the pot. If it does end up too watery, cook with the lid off for the last hour or so. As a last resort, there's always Maizena.

Purists might tell you one thing or another, which usually leans towards keeping the ingredient list simple. But when it comes to potjies, there are really hundreds of ways to add your own unique flavour and texture to the pot. South Africans are creative by nature, and there are few dishes out there, if any, that allow the degree of experimentation that a potjiekos affords.

Apologies for misleading you in the headline, but there's no perfect potjiekos, only your perfect potjiekos!

IOL