In today’s insta-everything world, cast iron reminds us of a simpler time. A time when things were built to last, not break within a year. A well-seasoned pan is a cooking Swiss Army knife. A solid flat pot is the ultimate campfire jack-of-all-trades, and the humble potjie pot is more than just a pot. It’s our version of low and slow and it has some important lessons to teach. It forces you to relax and enjoy the ride, and to realise that the best things really are worth waiting for. It’s a delicious goal for friends and family to come together and work towards over the course of the day. And the best part is that you get to do it while chatting and laughing with a beer in hand.
JUMP TO RECIPE
Stacked Mustard and Cheese Potato Bake
Curry Lamb Ribbetjie Potjie
“This A-grade nuclear lamb-flavour bomb is sweet and spicy, and the best part is, it’s made with our favourite lamb cut – ribbetjies.”
Feeds: 6–8
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 2½ hours
THE BRAAI
2 kg lamb rib, cut into ribbetjies
Oil for drizzling
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
THE POTJIE
Oil for frying
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 large red pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 large yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 stick cinnamon
3 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
3 cloves garlic, chopped
A knob of fresh ginger, chopped
2 Tbsp medium curry powder
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground turmeric
½ C white vinegar
1 tin (400 g) chopped tomatoes
2 C good-quality chicken stock or homemade
½ C chutney
50 g dried apricots, roughly chopped
50 g raisins
5 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
TO SERVE
Coconut flakes, toasted
Fresh coriander, chopped
Cooked rice
Drizzle the ribbetjies with oil and season well with salt and pepper. Braai over hot coals until the exterior is well caramelised, then set aside.
To make the potjie, preheat a number 3 potjie over medium-high-heat coals. Add a splash of oil, then add the onion, peppers, cinnamon stick, cloves and bay leaves and fry until the veggies begin to soften. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for a minute until fragrant. Toss in the spices and fry for another minute until fragrant. Deglaze the pot with the white vinegar, then add the tomatoes, stock, chutney and meat. Mix well to combine. Cover with a lid and cook slowly for 1½ hours.
At the 1½-hour mark, check the lamb for tenderness. If it is still a little tough, give it an extra 30 minutes before adding the apricots, raisins and potatoes. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. Garnish with toasted coconut flakes and fresh coriander. Serve with rice.
BEER PAIRING
Hoppy Amber Ale – the amber malts love the richness of the ribbetjies and the fruity kick from the apricots and raisins. The hops bring enough flavour, bitterness and punch to the party to complement the spicy aromatics.
Hot Sticks Potjie Party
"It’s a hot sticks party and you’re invited. Buckle up and bring some beer to cool those taste bud because after a drumstick or three you’re going to need it."
Feeds: 6
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes + standing time
THE MARINADE
1 C gochujang paste
½ C lager
¼ C brown sugar
¼ C rice vinegar
¼ C honey
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sesame oil
A knob of fresh ginger, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Zest and juice of 3 limes
THE CHICKEN
20 free-range drumsticks
The marinade for brushing
The Potjie
Oil for frying
A big knob of butter
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
The remaining marinade
1 C lager
The braaied chicken
TO SERVE
A handful of sesame seeds, toasted
2 spring onions (green part only), chopped
3 limes, quartered
To make the marinade, put all the ingredients into a small pot and whisk over medium heat to melt and combine.
To make the chicken, score the drumsticks with a sharp knife and brush them with marinade. Don’t go crazy, just brush to coat evenly. Braai the drumsticks in a flip grid over hot coals to char and caramelise the marinade, then set aside. The drumsticks will not be cooked, but they will finish cooking in the potjie.
To make the potjie, preheat a number 3 potjie over medium-heat coals. Add a splash of oil and the butter and fry the onion until it softens and browns. Add the marinade and beer and mix to combine. Add the drumsticks to the potjie, put on the lid and simmer for 30 minutes. Check the pot every now and then to make sure the sauce isn’t catching. Take the pot off the heat and allow it to stand with the lid off for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the sesame seeds and spring onions into the potjie and let your guests get stuck in. Serve with the quartered limes.
BEER PAIRING: New England IPA – it’s all about balance with the fruity hop hit to the head in the pairing. It is best mates with the sweetness in the dark and sticky sauce, and medium to low bitterness means it just gets better and better with every swig.
Butternut Bake
with Baby Spinach and Feta
“This steakhouse classic side is one of Greg’s favourites, so we’ve given it a fireside upgrade. As you’d expect, it’s great with anything off the braai, but it’s just as good as a main eaten straight out of the pot.”
Feeds: 4–6
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Olive oil
2 medium butternuts, peeled and sliced into rounds (roughly 1 cm)
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced
400 g packet baby spinach
3–4 rounds of feta cheese, crumbled
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 C fresh cream
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ C grated parmesan cheese
½ C pumpkin seeds, toasted
Rub the inside of a flat pot with olive oil. Layer the veggies as follows: a layer of butternut rounds, a thin layer of onion slices, a layer of baby spinach and 1 round of crumbled feta. Season with salt and pepper, then repeat the layers until you have used up all the ingredients.
In a separate bowl, whisk the cream, mustard and cinnamon to combine. Pour the mixture over the veggies and top with parmesan.
Put the lid on the pot and place over medium-low-heat coals or next to the fire. Bake for
45 minutes, turning the pot if needed, to avoid hot spots. Place coals onto the lid for the last 15 minutes of cooking to brown the top. Alternatively, bake in the oven at 180 °C for 45 minutes, then grill with the lid off for another 5–10 minutes to brown the cheese, but keep an eye on it.
Top with toasted pumpkin seeds and serve as a stand-alone dish, or as a smashing side next to any steak braai.
BEER PAIRING
Pale Ale – this dish is full of sweet, earthy flavours and needs a beer to echo that. The malt backbone loves the natural butternut and onion sweetness, while the bitter hop snap balances everything out.
Dry-Brined Pork Chops
with Jalapeño and Pear Chimichurri
“Pork chops often get a bad rap, but when treated and cooked correctly they are a thing of beauty. Master the porker and become the chop you were destined to be.”
Feeds: 4
Prep: Overnight + 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes + resting time
THE CHOPS
4 thick-cut pork rib chops (at least 3–4 cm, ask your butcher)
Sea salt
Brown sugar
Oil for frying
Digital thermometer
THE CHIMICHURRI
1 Packham pear, sliced into small cubes
1 jalapeño chilli, finely chopped
A big handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
A handful of fresh oregano, chopped, or 1 Tbsp dried
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/3 C olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
A squeeze of lemon juice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pat the chops dry and place them onto a rack set over a baking tray. Season both sides with equal parts of salt and brown sugar, then place them into the fridge, uncovered, overnight. Bring the chops to room temperature before cooking.
To make the chimichurri, add the pear, jalapeño, parsley, oregano and garlic to a small bowl. Add the olive oil and red wine vinegar and mix well to combine. Add the lemon juice, and season to taste and set aside while you cook the chops.
To make the chops, heat a large cast-iron pan over high heat. Add a good splash of oil and allow it to heat until it just begins to smoke. Cook the chops two at a time, flipping them every minute for 5–6 minutes to build up a tasty, caramelised crust.
Stack the chops next to each other and sear the fat for a minute. Use a digital thermometer to aim for an internal temperature of 55 °C. The chops should carry on cooking by another 5 °C as they rest. Allow the chops to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving with generous helpings of chimichurri.
BEER PAIRING
Saison – with its pepper and citrus aromas, this Belgian ale pairs perfectly on every level, from the caramelised chops to the chilli kick and the herb punch. Its medium bitterness and high alcohol cut straight through the fat with pale malt sweetness for balance.
Stacked Mustard and Cheese Potato Bake
“This is everything you know and love in a good ol’ potato bake, but stacked instead of layered. Not only does stacking look fancy, but it gives all the exposed edges a chance to get crispy and lekker.”
Serves: 8
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
THE POTATOES
2 kg large potatoes, sliced into 2 mm rounds
Olive oil for drizzling
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
THE MUSTARD CREAM
1 C fresh cream
1 Tbsp prepared hot English mustard
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
5 sprigs of fresh thyme, picked and chopped
A small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
THE TOPPINGS
A big handful of grated mature cheddar cheese
A small handful of fresh chives, chopped
To make the potatoes, drizzle the slices with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Stack the slices vertically into a large flat pot in whichever pattern you choose, as long as they are standing up stacked against each other.
To make the mustard cream, pour the cream into a small pot over a medium heat. Add the mustards, thyme and parsley and whisk well to combine. Bring the cream to a boil while whisking, then remove it from the heat.
Pour the hot mustard cream over the potatoes. Pop on the lid and use a spade to create a clear circular space in the coals for the pot. Place the pot into the space, then surround it with medium-low-heat coals, ensuring that no coals touch the pot. Bake with the lid on for 45 minutes, then place a few coals on the lid to brown the top for another 10-15 minutes. Or, bake uncovered in the oven at 180 °C for 45 minutes. Add the cheese and grill with the lid off for another 10 minutes to brown, but keep an eye on it. Top with chopped chives and season with salt and pepper.
Beer Pairing: Stout – this comfort food dish is the perfect vehicle to showcase stout’s roasty, toasty flavours. The bitter malt bill is best mates with the rich mustard cream and amps up the umami hits from the cheese.
One Pan Trek-fast
“A breakfast salute to the trekkers of old who forged their way across South Africa. It’s quick, it’s easy and it’ll keep you going no matter how deep the trenches or how high the mountains.”
Feeds: 4–6
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
1 kg boerewors
Oil for frying
1 packet (200 g) streaky bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, peeled, halved and sliced vertically
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp your favourite braai spice
A small handful of fresh thyme, picked and chopped
A small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
250 g baby plum tomatoes
250 g button mushrooms, sliced
1 tin (400 g) baked beans
6 large eggs
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ciabatta, sliced, buttered and toasted over the coals
Braai or fry your boerewors over hot coals until it’s golden and charred on the outside and still slightly pink on the inside (3–5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness). Allow to cool, then slice into bite-size discs.
Heat a pan over medium-heat coals with a little oil and toss in the streaky bacon. Fry until just starting to crisp. Add the onion and fry until it starts to soften and colour. Stir in the garlic, braai spice and half the herbs. Cook for a minute until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and mushrooms, followed by the boerewors pieces. Fry for 5 minutes before adding the baked beans in dollops around the pan.
Create little pockets around the pan for the eggs and gently crack them into the pockets.
Move to a cooler part of the braai and cover with a lid to cook the eggs the way you like them. Or, put the whole pan in the oven at 180 °C until the eggs are set. Dress the pan with the leftover herbs and season with salt and pepper. Serve with fire-toasted ciabatta bread and butter.
Beer Pairing: Coffee Stout – roasty toasty fire flavours with a coffee kick, and if you drink it in a coffee cup, it looks just like coffee.
Recipes extracted from Beer Country’s Pots, Pans & Potjies by Greg Gilowey & Karl Tessendorf, out now.
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY
The 4 Instantly Warming Curry Recipes You Have to Try this Winter