Potjiekos - Your favourite?

P

paddy_za

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2010
Messages
626
Reaction score
0
Location
Cape Town
Wuddup!

I experience my first legit potjiekos over the easter weekend and was blown away. It is such an awesome, social way to make a meal. Love how the meat just falls off the bone.

I have subsequently bought my first potjie. It has a '4' on it. Does this relate to its size?

I know there are tons of recipes on the internet for different potjies but was wondering if you guys had any favourites?

Sweet!
 
Good thing about a potjie is that you can throw anything in and it will taste delicious.

Basic recipes are with onions, carrots, potatoes, some greens, and meat.
Fluids; water, beer, wine, stock, coke also works in small quantities.
Time, lots of it.
Only a bunch of coals and a little flame under the pot is required. This is of course after the pot has been preheated. The pot retains its heat quite long.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Sweet! I've also heard cinnamon and curry powder are nice additions? Nice setup HavocXphere. Def gonna try it out this weekend
 
Not being SA i've only had 2 or so potjies but they're fantastic. Friend says it's ALL about the spices. He prepares a sackcloth of spices and puts it in there in the beginning, then adds his garlic and onions and so on with oil... then his meats, lets it simmer however long - longer is better - then the veggies not too early so they'll stay crunchy. Love it!!
 
Definitely Oxtail. Lamb neck & shank is also good.

I do not use any artificial sauces out of a bottle (like chutney) or artificial spices like aromat etc. I stick to wine (red), beer (Guinnes) and try to use fresh herbs where possible.

Also not big on to much vegetables.

paddy_za said:
I have subsequently bought my first potjie. It has a '4' on it. Does this relate to its size?
Click to expand...

The number relates to the volume of the pot:
1 3.0 liters
2 6.0 liters
3 7.8 liters
4 9.3 liters
6 13.5 liters
8 18.5 liters
10 28.0 liters
14 34.5 liters
20 56.3 liters
25 70.5 liters
30 95.0 liters
 
Last edited:
Ah awesome, thanks ponder. Do you need to keep adding coals? And if so do you need to make a separate fire?
 
Paddy,

Yes, you have to keep adding coals. You do not want flame though. A nice way to gauge if the heat is correct is you will essentially have a slow simmer with just a few slow rising bubbles, you dont want the whole thing boiling away. You dont need much coal to heat the pot. Some people manage to burn a potjie.

Initially when you brown your meat & onions in the pot you want high heat so a flame under the pot at this stage is fine if not encouraged ;)

If you can get 'harde hout' to cook with as the coals burn for much longer unlike charcoal and briquettes. Keep a separate small fire going for coals, or just add the odd briquette now and again when you see they are burning out. I would recommend hard wood though.

I prefer cooking for longer/slower, 6-8 hours ;)
 
Thanks for all your advice dude! I am also keen do it for 6-8 hours... At what stage do you recommend adding the potatoes?:)
 
ponder said:
Definitely Oxtail. Lamb neck & shank is also good.

I do not use any artificial sauces out of a bottle (like chutney) or artificial spices like aromat etc. I stick to wine (red), beer (Guinnes) and try to use fresh herbs where possible.
Click to expand...

True, lots of people like to use powdered soups. Not lekker.
 
paddy_za said:
Thanks for all your advice dude! I am also keen do it for 6-8 hours... At what stage do you recommend adding the potatoes?:)
Click to expand...

Depends on the size. You can add whole potatoes or cubes, cooking time is dependant on the size. I usually just cut a potato into quarter pieces and add it, I honestly cannot remember when I add them as I work on 'feel'. Something else that takes long to cook are your carrots which I usually just slice up. I like the little veggies I put in to be soft when they come out, other people like them crunchier, personal preference.

Bottom line is that it's not really a science, wing it :D It's supposed to be fun ;)
 
Last edited:
Man I love making Potjie

@ Paddy

1. Brown your meat with onions, beef stock(or chicken depends on meat),bacon, curry, Garlic, basil leves(must) cayenne pepper x 1ts(A MUST) and any spices you like and a bit of olive oil.

2. Add brown onion soup powder( i don't care what the other guys say) and mix this with red wine or beer or coke or all.

3. Add chutney(125- 250 ml) and cream

4. Let this come to boil and then simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Add onions and potatoes let it come to boil and then simmer till potatoes are done.

6. Add your vegetables

this is my basic recipe, you can add more of what you like. That is what makes potjie lekker it can be different every time.

You can also buy yourself the cadac potjie pot holder and Cylinder if you dont want to struggle with a fire
 
Last edited:
Trotters!!
With some spices, potatoes and some other stuff...
I love it :)
 
Thanks dude! That sounds soooo tasty. Salivating at work. I quite like the idea of doing it over coals though:) Gonna try your recipe first. Peace
 
paddy_za said:
Thanks dude! That sounds soooo tasty. Salivating at work. I quite like the idea of doing it over coals though:) Gonna try your recipe first. Peace
Click to expand...

Yes I agree with some friends make a fire and talk **** :)
 
BTW, do you know you have to "cook your potjie in"( I don't know ho to say this in english :) ) before using it??
 
My favourite potjie is a game pot using what my butcher calls "wildstowe" (the bits that can't be turned into biltong). Here is my mutton pot recipe for you, using a gas potjie cooker (your #4 will be a bit big for that though).
 
No I didnt know that.. How do you do it? Put water in it and leave it to simmer for a few hours?
 
Vercogen said:
BTW, do you know you have to "cook your potjie in"( I don't know ho to say this in english :) ) before using it??
Click to expand...

The word you're looking for is "conditioning" - I'm not sure that it's still necessary though as there's a whole lot less loose carbon in the pot these days.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X