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Hi vgstephens

I don't regard myself as a pro, but I have made quite a number of potjies in my time.
The secret to a good potjie is SLOW COOKING. I believe a potjie must stay on the coals for at least 3 hours, but 4-5 hours if you make oxtail or ostrich neck (this, by the way is the ultimate!) You can image that this means low temperature.
Don't put your potjie on the fire as seen in the link above (sorry CC - you will end up with charcoal). Rather make a fire with the hardest possible wood (gives the longest lasting coal) and put the potjie close to the fire. Put a couple of coals under the potjie and add new coals as the old ones burn out. You must therefore have a small fire going as a source of new coals. That is why a potjie have legs - to get the coals underneath. Elsa is right that it goes directly on the coals, but not the fire.
If you get to baking bread in a potjie you can place a number of coals on the lid to ensure heat from all around.
I prefer to fry my meat brown in the beginning and therefore I will start with a very hot potjie, but after 10 min it should only simmer. If you hear the potjie boiling it is to hot. It should only simmer and you will learn to hear when your potjie is at the right temperature.
There is a lot of steaming going on in a potjie so don't open it for no reason. Don't stir it either otherwise you are making baby food.

In general you put the food in layers and the food that will get ready the fastest will be the top layers (can be added later.) My order for any potjie is as follows: 1) meat browned in onions 2) potatoes 3) carrots 4) other vegetables like sweet potato, cauliflower, etc 5) mushrooms 6) sauce.

It should not be too difficult to find a potjie to buy. You will find that they come in different sizes, but you simply buy one that looks big enough for your family size. Rather buy larger than smaller.

Enjoy, making the potjie and "kuier" while it is simmering, is half the fun.

Hoephoep

My 5 cents worth.
1) Heat the potjie up first by making a fire with twigs or the smallest pieces of wood in your bag of wood.
2) Fry the meat until golden brown and remove from pot.
3) Fry the onions and garlic.
4) Add the meat and liquids like wine etc.
5) Simmer for 30 minutes
5) Add baby potatoes and simmer for a further 20 minutes
6) Add vegetables like carrots beans etc. Simmer for another 30 minutes.
7) Make sure that you don't drink too much at this stage, otherwise you will be finished before the potjie is finished
Add mushrooms/sauce/cream or whatever you like and simmer for another 30 minutes.

Follow all HoepHoep's tips as well as the following
1) Add bacon to the pot, it gives a nice flavour
2) With a chicken pot, fry a dollop of apricot jam and pickled onions with the bacon
3) Check your pot from time to time and if there is too much water, leave the lid open for a while. This will also ensure that your pot picks up a nice smokey flavour.
4) Buy a good quality pot. Check the inside of the pot, if it is shiny, it is almost ready to be used. If it appears dark and rough inside, you will have to burn it in (if this is the correct term) Use potato peels, and other discarded foodstuff and boil the lot for an hour or so, stirring vigorously as often as you can.

Does anyone have a good old traditional recipe for koeksisters?
I had one, the perfect one but never kept the promise to myself to write it down so the little scrap of paper which I once borrowed from a Huisgenoot in the doctors office must have found it's way to the eternal dumping ground.

Just saw your post go up, Rooies.
Ag no, .... Thanx! You've just tickled my hungry bone!

I have an old one, that I got from an Afrikaans friend of mine that seemed to work very well, will see if I can dig it out from among the pile of recipes.
Haven't made it for years and years now, buy them from our local home industry shop.

That is if RP allows me too post it here, he seems to have some rather "different" ideas of what is allowed and what not.

You can make these at home to take with....

GINGER PEAR PRESERVES

Goes with fish, pork, ham..pretty much anything...

2 Large limes
5 1/2 cups finely chopped pears (1kg)
2 1/3 cups sugar
1 Tbsp grated gingerroot

Using zester, grate 1 Tbsp lime zest. Squeeze lime for 1/3 cup juice.
Place rind & juice in large saucepan.
Add pears to lime mixture.Stir in sugar & ginger.
Stirring constantly to prevent burning, bring to a full boil. Boil uncovered, stirring for 15 minutes or until mixture becomes thicker & starts to gel.
Adjust texture by mashing some of the cooked pears.

Ladle preserves into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4" head space. Wipe jar rims and place on snap lids & screw bands till finger tight.
Cool on countertop until jars pop inwards.

Makes 5-6 125ml jars....

Can in processor if storing out of fridge.


Enjoy!!

I'm sure that most of the s out there can read a recipe RP....

And voila ...the finished product...

Here is the recipe for Koeksisters as I promised, I am not sure if its the original one I had but as I remember it its pretty much the same.

KOEKSISTERS

Syrup

800ml water
1 kg granulated sugar
30ml golden syrup
15ml Lemon juice

Dissolve the sugar in the water and boil for 1 minute.
Add the golden syrup and boil for a further 10 minutes.
Add the Lemon juice.
Take off the heat and cool overnight in a freezer.

The outer crunch of the koeksister is entirely dependant on the syrup being ice cold.

Dough

600gr cake flour
30ml Baking powder
2ml salt
50gr butter
375ml milk

Sift tog the flour, BP and salt.
Rub in the butter until it looks like bread crumbs
Cut in the milk
Knead dough lightly and wrap in cling film and rest for 2 hours (the dough, not you!)
Roll the dough out to 5mm thickness
Keep covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying out.

Cut into 5cm x 1cm strips.
Wind the strips tog. like a sort of plaiting.
Pinch ends tog and cover with damp cloth again
Allow to prove for 15 mins.

Deep fry in hot oil and immediately plunge into the ice cold syrup pushing them under with a potato masher.

NB In order to keep the syrup ice-cold, keep the bowl in a bath of ice cubes or have 2 bowls of syrup and keep one in the freezer alternating them from time to time as the syrup gets warm.

Thank you Elsa!!
I believe "they" say that the recipe without eggs is the one to make so I'm sure this is that one!

No wine to go with the rest? ...... Oh, the dough not me.

I would like to share the following Chicken marinade that I make in the Kruger. Not only is it great, but once you start reading it you will see that it is great for keeping away the mozzies!

Kruger Park Chicken
Dried Garlic Flakes - as much as you want!
White wine - 1 cup
1/2 cup Tomato sauce
1/4 Cup Braai sauce
50ml Soya Sauce
50ml Worchester Sauce

Mix all the ingredients together, and add 2 x chicken braai packs. Marinade for 12 hours. Braai and marinade during braaing process and "OMG" enjoy!

Let me know what you think!

Here is another one..

This marinade and basting sauce is brilliant for steak.

1 Cup of Vinager
1/2 cup Tomatoe sauce
1/4 cup of Worchester sauce
1/4 cup of Chutney
1 x Onion (finely diced)

Add all ingredients together and simmer until the mix has thickened. Allow to cool and VOILA.

Does anyone have a good recipe for Ginger beer? My late mother had one but it disappeared. The colour of the beer was yellow to orange. I know that she put in orange peels and I think yellow sugar.

Just invented a quick easy recipe as I was searching for something to make for lunch.

Chopped up an onion that was lying around and quickly fried it up a bit. Then added a tin of chopped tomato with basil, oregano and garlic. Threw in a tin of 4 bean mix and then decided to add a tin of shredded tuna. Once nice and hot I grated in some cheese, and as that melted sliced open a roll and had some of the mix on a roll - just added some black pepper for a bit more flavour and it was delicious. Still have more left that I may put with pasta, or rice, or Idahoan......

I came across this recipe and thought I'd share it with you.

Roosterkoek recipe
Recipe for a South African braai essential - Roosterkoek. Serve warm with lots of butter!

Ingredients
300g plain flour
10ml instant yeast
5ml salt
15ml sugar
30ml sunflower oil
180-200ml warm water

Directions
Mix the yeast and sugar together in a small cup together with a little of the warm water and stir. The mixture should foam after a minute or two.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and salt, then add the oil and water while mixing continuously. When the mixture comes together to form a dough, add the yeast and sugar and mix well.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes. Place the kneaded dough in a lightly greased plastic bag or in a lightly greased bowl covered with a damp tea towel and allow to rise for about an hour, or until it has doubled in volume.

Divide the dough into 12 roughly equal pieces and shape into slightly flattened balls on a floured surface. Place on a baking sheet and cover with cling film. Leave to rise for another 15 minutes.

Place the braai grid over evenly distributed direct coals and allow to heat for 5 minutes. Lightly grease the grid and place the rolls directly on it for about 15-20 minutes. Alternatively, place the baking sheet in an oven at about 180C/350F for 15-20 minutes.

When half the cooking time has elapsed, turn the roosterkoek over. The roosterkoek are done when they are lightly browned, crispy on the outside and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from the fire/oven, split open and serve hot with butter.

Comments
Make sure the dough is on the stiff side (reduce the liquid if necessary). If it is too runny, the dough is going to drip through the grid before the rolls have a chance to bake!

Get your braai grid as clean as possible if you are going to make roosterkoek - blackened reminders of the Ghosts of Braais Past clinging to your roosterkoek is not pretty or clever.

To stop the rolls from sticking to the grid, lightly oil your grid. Also make sure the rolls are shaped on a floured board so that they have a little some flour clinging to the outside.

Be very careful with the fire you plan to cook these on. It should be neither too large (i.e flames licking the rolls!), nor too hot (black outside + runny inside = "No thanks, not really hungry today!")
Servings
Makes about 12

And another for Braai broodjies basically braai toasted sandwiches.

Recipe for cheese and tomato Braai Broodjies - a quick and easy snack.
Ingredients
8 slices White bread
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
As much mature cheddar as you want ( I like it super cheesy!)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions
Spread the bread with butter on both sides. Top with the sliced tomato, cheese and onion and season generously.

Place the sandwiches on a braai grid and "toast" over the fire until the bread is nicely toasted and the cheese is melted.

Serve warm.

Servings
Makes 4 sandwiches

These you can make ahead and would go nicely with coffee or tea at your first stop of the day..(or anytime )



Chocolate chip shortbread squares

1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
2 cups choc chips-divided

Preheat oven to 350. Beat together butter & sugar till creamy, add egg &
vanilla, gradually beat in flour. Add 1 cup of choc chips and stir.
PRESS into bottom of ungreased 9x13 pan.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until top is light brown.
Immediately sprinkle with remaining choc chips. Let stand for a few minutes
until chips start to melt, then spread evenly all over,
Cool completely in pan on wire rack, cut into squares-Enjoy!!