Delicious Springbok Potjie

Delicious Springbok Potjie

Don’t be tempted to leave the anchovies out, although they are not traditional, they are the ‘secret ingredient'. The potjie can be done over open coals, on the weber, or in the oven.

For the meat, you will need 3 springbok shanks and 1 lamb shank, cut into 5 cm pieces. Brown the shank pieces in about 3 tablespoons of canola oil. Remove to a plate and season with 1 tablespoon of meat spice. Brown the 1 chopped onion in the remaining oil, then add 2 large sliced carrots. Add 50 g tinned anchovies and all their oil to the vegetables and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes

Add a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes and 1 cup Sun-dried tomato pesto. Stir through. Add ½ cup of water and 2 cups (500 ml) of beef stock.

Return the meat to the pot. Place the lid on the pot and heap some coals onto the lid. Cook on a very slow fire for about 2 to 3 hours. Make sure you keep heaping coals on the lid if cooking on an open fire – otherwise keep the lid of the Weber tightly closed. It can also be cooked in a casserole dish in the oven at 150°C for 2 ½ to 3 hours.

In a large frying pan with a lid, steam cook 700g – 1kg baby pearl onions (peeled, but kept whole) in ½ cup of water until just tender. Add ¼ cup brown sugar and ¼ cup balsamic vinegar. Remove the lid and shake the pan over high heat to roll and caramelize the onions. Add the caramelized onions to the potjie. Taste for seasoning

Prepare the rosemary gremolata by chopping and mixing 3 tablespoons of rosemary, 4 cloves of crushed garlic and the grated rind of 1 lemon. Sprinkle over the meat. Serve with polenta with mielies (fresh) to absorb the delicious sauce