One of the most prized dishes in South Africa (apart from a braai of course) is a traditional potjie kos. A potjie is essentially a stew and it can be made with any cut of meat that allows for longer cooking times but what gives it the unique name and flavour is the method of cooking, the flavour that the stew retains from being slow cooked for hours over a smokey flame is completely unmatched.
This stew is traditionally cooked in a potjie pot aka a heavy cast iron pot with a rounded base that stands on 3 legs (think cauldron here) over an open flame made of wood or coal.
Let’s get cooking…
Start by building your fire over which the stew will be cooked. Once the fire is ready place a potjie pot or heavy cast iron pot over the flames.
Heat the oil and add in the onions and whole spices. Once the onions begin to soften add in the curry powder and turmeric and sauté for 10 seconds then throw in the oxtail and toss to coat in the spice mixture.
Pour in 500ml of water, cover and allow the stew to cook. Check every 15 minutes to ensure that there is enough water and the meat doesn’t burn. The coals burn at a very high temperature so watch closely.
After 45 minutes the meat should begin to tenderise, add in the soup powders and the wine along with another 500ml of water.
Cover and let it cook for a further 45 minutes, adding water as necessary. Then start adding in the veg, put in the hardy veg first, i.e. potatoes, carrots, corn. Allow to cook and add in the zucchini in the last 10 minutes of cooking. You should have a rich glossy stew with a gorgeous, unctuous gravy once done! Serve with rolls.
Other variations…
If you don’t fancy oxtail or you’re having difficulty finding it, it can easily be swapped out for beef chuck roast that has been cubed, lamb or even pasture raised Cornish chicken that tends to be quite tough.
Ingredients
1.5kg oxtail or beef cubes
1 kg mixed veg, I used baby potatoes, zucchini, carrots, corn on the cob although any other hardy veg will do
375ml red wine
1 sachet rich beef soup powder
½ sachet brown onion soup powder
1 stock beef cube
1 medium onion, finely sliced
2 tblsp curry powder
2 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
4 cloves
½ turmeric
Salt to taste
4 tblsp vegetable oil
2 litres of water
Directions
- Start by building your fire over which the stew will be cooked. Once the fire is ready place a potjie pot or heavy cast iron pot over the flames.
- Heat the oil and in the onions and whole spices. Once the onions begin to soften add in the curry powder and turmeric and saute for 10 seconds then throw in the oxtail and toss to coat in the spice mixture.
- Pour in 500ml of water, cover and allow the stew to cook. Check every 15 minutes to ensure that there is enough water and the meat doesn’t burn. The coals burn at a very high temperature so watch closely.
- After 45 minutes the meat should begin to tenderise, add in the soup powders and the wine along with another 500ml of water.
- Cover and let it cook for a further 45 minutes, adding water as necessary. Then start adding in the veg, put in the hardy veg first, i.e. potatoes, carrots, corn. Allow to cook and add in the zucchini in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- You should have a rich glossy stew with a gorgeous, unctuous gravy once done! Serve with Brioche garlic butter rolls .
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