Most families have one: a potjiekos king (or queen). While we don’t suggest you get into an argument about their sacred methods, here’s what you need to know if you plan to become a contender for the title.
Without wasting any time, we turned to an expert and asked Jenny Morris for her potjiekos secrets. And here they are, short and sweet.
- It’s vital that the pot isn’t too big for the volume of ingredients. Heating a large pot to make a small potjie will take ages and turn everything into a mush.
- Use hard wood to make two fires. Yes, you read right: the potjie fire has to keep going for hours and you need the wood from the second fire to feed it.
- First pour some oil into the bottom of the pot, then the onions and meat. Brown it slowly and then stir in the garlic. Add a little stock or wine and braise the meat until it’s three quarters done. Then add the vegetables, layering them from hard to soft, for example carrots, potatoes, pumpkin, cauliflower and broccoli. Mushrooms and courgettes should be added right at the end, about 20 minutes before the potjie will be done.
- Never use frozen vegetables.
- Cover the pot after adding the vegetables and spices and do not stir.
- Always check that the stock is enough to cover the ingredients but not so much that they are swimming in liquid. When adding stock, pour it down the side of the potjie, not on top.
Tip: If you’re worried about overcooking the vegetables, make a veg-less potjie like this beer potjie and serve the vegetables on the side.
In addition to recommending that you always use the best ingredients possible, our butcher has a few other pointers too.
- Don’t add too much liquid at the start. Vegetables are 80% water so wait until they have begun cooking before adding more stock.
- A potjie takes a long time. If you’re using meat cuts like oxtail that take longer to cook, wait an hour before adding the vegetables.
How long is long?
Oxtail and ostrich neck: 3 – 4 hours
Venison and mutton: 2 ½ hours
Lamb and pork: 2 – 2 ½ hours
Chicken: 1 – 1 ½ hours
Seafood: 40 minutes – 1 hour