Originally Posted by
Spartan
The sky is the limit when it comes to making a good potjie. Here are some tricks I have learned while making quite a lot of them in recent years.
A potjie does not have to be made in the traditional cast iron potjie, you can use a slow cooker or flat-bottom cast iron pot.
Layering the ingredients helps develop flavors. A few slices of onion to avoid the bottom getting burned, veggies and then the meat, spicing the meat as you layer helps.
Don't be afraid to use a lot of spices, buy some individual spices and mix your own "muti" (as I call it). Try different combinations, turmeric, ginger, all spice and some thyme or whatever you prefer. Replace the thyme with smoked paprika for some extra spice.
Step outside of the norm and add some non-traditional ingredients. Buy one or two cook in sauce packets, and pour those over the layers.
Using beer is all good and well, but Sprite and other liquids work just as well. Frankie's Cinnamon Cola works very well, and as I mentioned Sprite adds a really good sweet taste to the potjie, also helps softening up the meat and harder starches.
Buy a can off peaches, drain them and toss them in, they will dissolve into the sauce. You could use thinly sliced apples or pears.
Trick is to do it slowly, the slower the better. Some people rush through it, chucking in really unnecessary stuff. Try and choose meat cuts that are not too fatty, they should have some fat for flavor but try and avoid the really fatty meat like pork ribs,etc. It will make the texture of your potjie stick to your pallet, even if it is very tasty. Opting for smoked meats, like smoked pork shoulder with the fat trimmed off gives the potjie a really deep taste.
As I said, the slower the better. Get a flat bottom cast iron pot, put it on the stove top (if there is no load shedding). Oil the bottom, Layer the onions and the rest of the ingredients, spice and add liquid. Bring to a boil and then turn it down to simmer for 5 to 6 hours. Stirring every 20 or 30 mins.
And one of the best things to add to any meat dish, you can use it as a rub on chops as well. Is peanut butter. It might sound weird but add two tablespoons of peanut butter to the potjie, you won't notice it at first but it does make a difference. Combine peanut butter and spices, rub it on some chops or steaks, put them in the oven to slow roast for 6 hours on 100°C, and the meat will melt in your mouth.
Another tip, never combine potjies with heavy starches, you can add potatoes and similar things to the potjie, but don't make side dishes with heavy starches. They tend to subtract from the enjoyment of the potjie. Get a nice piece of bread, home made preferable, but you can get a nice big loaf of bread from any grocer these days, and use that to nyom the poop out of your potjie.
