Potjie

A potjie  (pronounced  poy-kee)  is  a  cast iron pot used in South Africa for preparing Potjiekos (poy-kee-kase)  translated as 'pot food'.  The typical potjie method is layering meat and vegetables  in he pot and cooking over a slow fire. The result is a slow-cooked feast that is both simple and delicious. 

I purchased a 16 quart potjie and have used it several times to cook for our leadership on camping trips; it is a real treat.  Pete's  My Potjie Page has lots of recipes , cooking and care tips.The pots themselves are uncommon but relatively easy to find. I bought mine from an on-line seller that charged a nominal shipping fee and it seems they went out of business. My suggestion is that you search for a seller close  to your  location to minimize shipping costs.   

Comments

[Peter]

Now we're talking. Mielie Pap is worth a try,not sure if you'll be able to find the right maize meal over there. Of course, potjies are good for baking breads as well.

Word of wisdom- when I was on a school camp(7th grade) I got handed one of these and I was told to scrub it "until the black stuff stops coming off". 3 hours later I discovered that the black stuff DOESN'T stop coming off :)

[Peter]

Not to sure what cornmeal mush is, but pap is kind of somewhere between a porridge and mashed potato in texture- the most difficult kind to make is krummel-pap - that crumbles as you serve it- instead of being wet. A good comparison, but made with yellow maize instead of white, is italian polenta. Remove the herbs, change the colour and you have the genuine product.

How did you stumble across the potjie? Incidentally, in South Africa most people call the flat-bottom Dutch Oven a 'potjie'as well, even though it has no legs (a "poot" is a foot in Afrikaans).

Somewhere I had a song called Potjiekos recorded by a rap group from Cape Town called Brasse vannie Kaap, that samples traditional Afrikaans music (think German folk music) and includes a recipe for mutton potjie in the lyrics. I suppose if Murray Head can rap about Chess...

[Garth Andersson]

Potjie's are a real south african traditon, still widely used by all population groups. For my money the potjie and dutch oven(flat bottomed Potjie) are the best cooking pots for a standing camp. The slow cook concept makes meals that have incredible flavour, and the pots retain their heat so well that seconds are still piping hot. Versitility is another feature of these pots. From stews to roasts to cakes, bicuits and puddings. all is possible. I even use them to cook at home with. A Potjie pot is worthwhile additon to any camping kit.

As for cleaning. Scape off any bits, then wash with hot water and a little detergent (which is heresay to some). Do not use a scourer, a cloth or sponge is fine. Rinse and dry over a heat source to remove any moisture from the pot.

My first potjie I inherited from my gran, which had had for about 50years.

Garth (in cape town, south africa)

[lenny]

I haven't bought myself a potjie yet but am dying to get started, I'm not sure what to get though, I heard that the flat bottom ones tend to burn a little easier, also what size do you recommend and how do you keep them simmering for so long?
Thanks

[Garth]

Hi Lenny

For me the trick is not to use excessive heat. Being heavy iron, the pot holds it temperature really well. I also keep the bottom off the coals and put coal on the lid to even heat distribution. If making a stew, once the meat is browned and simmering away nicely, you can lift the pot to reduce the heat.