Smoky Beef Potjiekos & Samp

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg beef potjiekos pieces
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp BlixSam Steakhouse
• 2 tsp BlixSam Smoke Craft Spice
• 1 tsp BlixSam Arm Maat
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ¾ cup Smoke Craft Under Fire Sauce – Smoky Sweet BBQ
• 3 cups beef stock
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 carrots, cut into chunks
• 1 tbsp butter
• Black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley to finish

• 2 cups dried samp
• 1 cup dried sugar beans
• Water for soaking and cooking
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp butter
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

1. Soak the samp and beans: Rinse well and soak separately in plenty of cold water overnight. Drain before cooking.
2. Cook the samp: Place the samp in a large pot, cover generously with fresh water and add the bay leaf. Simmer gently until it starts becoming tender.
3. Add the soaked sugar beans and continue cooking until both the samp and beans are completely tender. This can take around 2–3 hours, depending on soaking time and age of the dried beans. Add more hot water when necessary.
4. Season the beef: Pat the beef dry and season generously with Steakhouse, Smoke Craft Spice + Arm Maat.
5. Brown properly: Heat the oil in a heavy pot. Brown the beef in small batches until deeply caramelised. Remove and set aside.
6. Add the onions to the same pot and cook for 7–8 minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
7. Build the smoky gravy: Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the beef stock, Smoke Craft Under Fire Sauce, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Scrape all those dark browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
8. Return the beef and its resting juices. Cover and simmer very gently for 2–2½ hours, or until the beef is almost fall-apart tender.
9. Add the carrots and cook for another 30–40 minutes until tender. Remove the lid for the final 10–15 minutes and allow the gravy to reduce until thick, dark and glossy.
10. Finish the samp and beans by stirring through the finely chopped onion and butter. Season to taste. For a creamier texture, gently mash a small portion of the beans into the samp.
11. Stir the butter through the beef gravy, remove the bay leaves and finish with fresh parsley.
12. Serve: Spoon a generous helping of samp and beans onto each plate and ladle the smoky beef potjiekos and plenty of rich gravy over the top.