Main
Namibian Potjiekos
- Preparation time
- 3 h 30
- Servings
- 6 servings
Ingredients
- Braising beef — to buy1 kg
- Onion — to buy2
- Garlic — to buy3 gousses
- Carrot — to buy4
- Potato — to buy500 g
- Bouillon cube — to buy2
- Water — to buy500 ml
- Olive oil — to buy3 c. à s.
- Feuille de laurier — to buy2 feuilles
- Thyme — to buy1 c. à c.
Preparation
Heat the oil in the three-legged cast-iron pot (the potjie) set directly over wood embers, on high heat.
Brown the beef chuck pieces on all sides, in small batches so they sear rather than stew, then set them aside.
In the same pot, sauté the sliced onion and crushed garlic for 5 minutes, until translucent and fragrant.
Return the meat to the pot, add the bay leaves and thyme, then pour in the water and crumble the stock cubes over the top.
Cover with the cast-iron lid and let it simmer over very low heat, on gentle embers, for 1 hour 30 minutes without ever stirring: that is the whole secret of potjiekos, the ingredients are layered rather than mixed.
Place the carrot chunks and the potato, cut into large pieces, on top of the meat, without stirring, then put the lid back on.
Continue the gentle cooking for another hour, only checking the liquid level and topping up with a little hot water if the pot looks dry.
Once the vegetables are tender and the meat falls apart with a fork, gently mix everything together, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, and serve straight from the pot with oshifima or bread.