Garlic & Onion Beef Potjie Stew

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg beef potjiekos pieces
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp BlixSam Steakhouse
• 1½ tsp BlixSam Garlic Melt
• 1 tsp BlixSam Arm Maat
• 4 large onions, thickly sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ cup BlixSam Garlic Sauce
• 3 cups beef stock
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp butter
• Black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley to finish

Method

1. Season the beef: Pat the potjiekos pieces dry and season generously with Steakhouse, Garlic Melt + Arm Maat.
2. Brown it hard: Heat the oil in a heavy pot. Brown the beef in small batches until deeply caramelised on every side. Remove and set aside.
3. Caramelise the onions: Add all the sliced onions to the same pot. Reduce to medium-low heat and cook slowly for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beautifully soft, golden and caramelised.
4. Add the crushed garlic and cook for another 1 minute. Don’t let the garlic burn.
5. Build the gravy: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes. Add the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and BlixSam Garlic Sauce.
6. Scrape the bottom of the pot thoroughly to release all those dark caramelised beef and onion bits into the gravy.
7. Return the beef and its resting juices to the pot. Add the bay leaves, cover and simmer very gently for 1½–2 hours.
8. Once the beef is fall-apart tender, remove the lid and simmer uncovered for 15–25 minutes. The onions should begin melting into the cooking liquid, creating a naturally thick, glossy dark gravy.
9. Stir through the butter for extra richness and shine. Remove the bay leaves and finish with fresh parsley.
10. Serve piping hot with stiff pap, creamy mash, rice or fresh bread, making sure every serving gets plenty of that caramelised garlic-and-onion gravy.