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How to make potjiekos: the layering method

A potjie is cooked with a small fire and a lot of patience. Brown the meat, layer the ingredients from slowest at the bottom to quickest on top, add only a little liquid, put the lid on, keep the heat low, and do not stir.

Choosing the pot size

Three-legged pots are sold by number. Sizes differ a little between makers, but as a rough guide:

• No. 1: about 3 litres, feeds 4 to 6;
• No. 2: about 6 litres, feeds 6 to 8;
• No. 3: about 7.5 litres, feeds 8 to 12;
• No. 4: about 10 litres, feeds 12 to 16.

Fill a pot no more than three-quarters full, to leave room for steam. Allow 350 to 400 ml of finished potjie for each adult.

A good second-hand pot is often better than a new one. Tap it: a cracked pot sounds dull.

The method

1. Heat the pot over a moderate bed of coals.
2. Brown the meat in a little oil, in batches, so that it browns and does not boil. Take each batch out.
3. Fry the onions, garlic and spices until soft, then put all the meat back.
4. Add a little stock, water or wine, only enough to cover the bottom by 1 to 2 cm. The vegetables give off water as they cook, and too much liquid turns a potjie into soup.
5. Reduce the heat to a few coals, put the lid on, and simmer gently until the meat is nearly tender.
6. Layer the vegetables on top: hard ones first (potato, carrot, sweet potato), then medium (butternut, baby marrow), then soft ones (mushrooms, peas, green beans) for the last part of the cooking.
7. Lid on. Do not stir.
8. Serve each layer with a spoon from top to bottom.

Get the heat right

Most potjies are spoilt by too much heat, which burns the bottom. A potjie needs only a few coals under it. When you lift the lid you should see small bubbles, not a rolling boil. Keep a small fire burning to one side and push a few fresh coals under the pot as the old ones fade.

To check the liquid without stirring, push a long spoon down the side of the pot. If it is dry at the bottom, add a little hot liquid down the side.

How long it takes

Time for the meat before the vegetables go in, and the rough total:

• chicken pieces on the bone: 30 to 45 minutes, 1 to 1.5 hours in all;
• lamb or mutton neck, shoulder or knuckles: 1.5 to 2 hours, 2.5 to 3.5 hours in all;
• beef shin or chuck: 1.5 to 2.5 hours, 2.5 to 3.5 hours in all;
• oxtail: 2.5 to 3 hours, 3.5 to 4.5 hours in all.

Plan backwards from the time you want to eat.

Looking after a cast-iron pot

Cast iron rusts if it is left wet.

• Season a new pot: scrub it, dry it over heat, rub in a thin layer of cooking oil, and heat it until the oil smokes. Repeat two or three times.
• After each use, wash it with hot water and a brush, dry it over heat straight away, and rub in a little oil.
• Never pour cold water into a hot pot, because it can crack.
• Store it dry, with the lid slightly open.

No wood fire?

A potjie needs low, even heat, not a wood fire. On gas, use the lowest setting.

This guide is based on Chapter 8 of Braai and Outdoor Cooking, which also covers potbrood and samp and beans.