Boerewors Potjie

Boerewors Potjie

Recipes with Boerewors

A slow-cooked South African stew in a three-legged cast iron pot (potjiekos): boerewors layered with potatoes, carrots, beans, and tomatoes, simmered over coals for hours. The lid stays on — no stirring, no peeking. Trust the pot.

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

2 hours

Servings

6

Difficulty

Medium

Ingredients

  • 500g boerewors, cut into chunks
  • 4 medium potatoes, quartered
  • 3 carrots, thickly sliced
  • 1 can (400g) baked beans
  • 1 can (400g) chopped tomatoes
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • Salt, pepper
  • Fresh parsley

Steps

1

Brown the boerewors chunks in the potjie pot (or a heavy Dutch oven) over hot coals. Remove and set aside.

2

Fry the onion and garlic in the same pot until softened.

3

Layer in this order: onions on the bottom, then carrots, then potatoes, then the browned boerewors, then beans, then tomatoes. Pour the stock over everything. Season with salt and pepper.

4

Put the lid on. Reduce the coals to low heat. Cook for 2 hours. Do NOT open the lid. Do NOT stir. Trust the pot.

5

After 2 hours, lift the lid, sprinkle with parsley, and serve directly from the pot.

Tips

The golden rule of potjiekos: never stir. The layers cook in their own steam and meld together beautifully. Stirring turns it into a mush. If you don't have a potjie pot, a Dutch oven on low heat works too.