Smoky Braai Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg beef potjiekos pieces
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp BlixSam Smoke Craft Spice
• 2 tsp BlixSam Steakhouse
• 1 tsp BlixSam Dop ’n Tjop
• 2 large onions, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tin (400 g) chopped tomatoes
• ½ cup Smoke Craft Under Fire Sauce – Smoky Sweet BBQ
• 2½ cups beef stock
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 medium potatoes, cut into large chunks
• 1 tbsp butter
• Black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley to finish

Method

1. Season the beef: Pat the potjiekos pieces completely dry. Season generously with Smoke Craft Spice, Steakhouse + Dop ’n Tjop.
2. Brown it HARD: Heat the oil in a heavy pot until properly hot. Brown the beef in small batches. Let each piece develop a dark, caramelised crust before turning it. Remove and set aside.
3. Add the onions to the same pot and cook for 7–8 minutes, allowing them to pick up all those smoky browned bits from the bottom.
4. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste and fry for another minute.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and Smoke Craft Under Fire Sauce. Scrape the bottom of the pot thoroughly.
6. Return the beef and all its resting juices. Add the bay leaves, cover and simmer very gently for about 1½ hours.
7. Add the potatoes, keeping them fairly chunky. Cover and continue cooking for 35–45 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the beef is falling from the bone.
8. Remove the lid and simmer for another 10–15 minutes until the tomato, onion and Smoke Craft cooking liquid reduces into a thick, dark smoky gravy.
9. Mash one small potato piece into the gravy if you want it even thicker. Stir through the butter and remove the bay leaves.
10. Finish with fresh parsley and serve piping hot with pap, rice or thick slices of fresh bread.