Potjiekos
Non-vegetarian
A layered meat and vegetable stew slow-cooked over coals in a three-legged cast-iron pot without stirring. A weekend social ritual in Namibia and South Africa.
Potjiekos is a Namibian stew from South Africa, ready in about 3 hours 25 minutes and made with lamb shoulder and carrot. It serves 6 and is rated intermediate to cook.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 3 h
- Total
- 3 h 25 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Intermediate
- Calories
- 674
Method
Step 1
Heat the oil in a cast-iron potjie or heavy casserole over hot coals (or medium-high heat) and brown the meat in batches.
- 15 min
- medium-high heat
- Dutch oven / casserole pot (opens in a new tab)
Food safety: Wash hands and boards after handling raw meat.
How it looks · Photo: Skylar Kang on Pexels Step 2
Add the onion (opens in a new tab), garlic (opens in a new tab), paprika (opens in a new tab) and curry powder (opens in a new tab) and fry until soft. Add the bay leaves (opens in a new tab), stock, wine, salt and pepper (opens in a new tab).
- 8 min
- medium heat
How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels Step 3
Cover and simmer very gently over a few coals (or low heat) until the meat is nearly tender.
- 90 min
- low heat
Step 4
Layer the vegetables on top in order of cooking time: carrots (opens in a new tab) and potatoes (opens in a new tab) first, then butternut (opens in a new tab), then green beans (opens in a new tab) and mushrooms (opens in a new tab). Do not stir.
- 5 min
Step 5
Cover and cook gently without stirring until the vegetables are tender, adding a little liquid only if it threatens to catch. Serve straight from the pot.
- 60 min
- low heat
About this dish
- Origin
- South Africa · Commonly attributedRooted in Afrikaner and Dutch settler cooking; equally loved in Namibia.Also popular in Namibia, BotswanaMore food from South Africa
- Dish
- Lunch · Dinner · Stews & braises · Main courses
- Cooking method
- Slow-cooked, Stewed
- Taste
- savoury, rich, smoky
- Diet
- No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-proteinWithout the optional extras: Alcohol-freeWith the listed swaps: Beef-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Non-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Pork-free · High-protein - Good for
- One-pot · Festive & celebration · Batch cooking
- Cook more with
- Lamb shoulder · Carrot · Onion · Garlic · Paprika · Bay leaves
- Techniques
- Charcoal grilling · Simmering · Stewing
Allergens
- May contain: Mustardfrom curry powder
- May contain: Celeryfrom curry powder, beef stock
- Contains, can be adapted: Sulphitesfrom dry red wine
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
674 kcal per serving
Calculated1 serving ≈ 534 g · recipe makes 6
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 19%
- Carbohydrate 24%
- Fat 57%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g* |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 674 kcal | 126 kcal |
| Protein | 33 g | 6.2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 41.4 g | 7.8 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 34.9 g | 6.5 g |
| Sugars | 6.8 g | 1.3 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fibre | 6.5 g | 1.2 g |
| Fat | 43.2 g | 8.1 g |
| Saturated fat | 16.9 g | 3.2 g |
| Trans fat | — | — |
| Cholesterol | 100 mg | 19 mg |
| Sodium | 856 mg | 160 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 2.1 g | 0.4 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 1582 mg
- Calcium
- 104 mg
- Iron
- 4 mg
- Magnesium
- 101 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 647 µg
- Vitamin C
- 48 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 µg
- Vitamin B12
- 3.1 µg
- Folate (DFE)
- —
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
- Optional ingredients are not included: curry powder, dry red wine, mushrooms.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Tips
- Resist stirring: the layers steam above the meat and keep their own flavours.
Common mistakes
- Too many coals under the pot: a potjie should barely bubble.
Serve with
- Serve with rice, pap or potbrood.
Storage
- Keeps 3 days in the fridge.
Reheating
- Reheat gently, covered, until piping hot.
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
Recipe DNA
How this dish is built
Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.
What the dish is built around
Main ingredient
- Lamb shoulder, bone-in neck or shoulder, in chunks1000 g
- Carrot, thick chunks3 piece · 180 g
- Potato, halved4 piece · 800 g
- Butternut squash, peeled and cubed400 g
- Green beans, trimmed150 g
- Mushrooms, halved (optional)150 g
Masalas in this recipe
Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.
Dry spice blend
Everyday curry powder (British-style)
This recipe uses 1 tsp (2.1 g for 6 servings).
Reviews & corrections
Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.
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