Creamy Biltong Potjie Recipe (Campfire Comfort Food)
May
This creamy biltong potjie is a one-pot campfire meal built around large pasta shells, a cheesy cream sauce, and plenty of wet fatty biltong. It cooks in a No.3 cast iron potjie and feeds eight, with 10 minutes of prep and around 45 minutes over the coals. The base is bacon (or pork rashers) fried with onion, garlic, capsicum and mushrooms, then the shells simmer in the pot until the water is absorbed. Milk, cream and grated cheddar turn it into a proper comfort dish, South African at heart and easy to cook away from a kitchen.
One thing worth knowing up front: do not add extra salt or pepper. The biltong and bacon bring plenty of their own. The biltong goes in right at the end and just needs warming through, so it stays tender rather than tough. Serve it straight from the pot into bowls with a heavy dusting of biltong powder on top. It sits well over a steady bed of coals, so keep long-handled tongs close and mind the hot cast iron, a folded cloth or heatproof glove for the handle saves burnt fingers. Any leftovers keep for the next day.
Ingredients
Directions
Get your coals hot and set the cast iron potjie over the heat. Take care, the pot and handle get very hot, so use tongs and a cloth or glove. Add a splash of oil, then your finely cut pork rashers or bacon. Toss in the onions, capsicum, garlic and mushrooms. Fry for a couple of minutes until everything is soft and just starting to caramelise.
Pour some water into the pot and add a good, generous shake of Worcester spice to build the flavour.
Add the large pasta shells to the pot. Pour in a little more water if needed, so the water just covers the pasta. Pop the lid on and leave it to cook for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Once the pasta is cooked through and most of the water is absorbed, pour in the milk and cream. Add a generous handful (or more) of grated cheddar and stir well so the cheese melts into a thick, glossy sauce.
Drop in your biltong slices and gently fold them through the creamy pasta. This part matters: do not leave it on the heat for long. You only want the biltong warmed through, so it stays tender rather than tough.
Lift the potjie off the heat, mind the hot handle. Scoop a hearty portion into a bowl and finish with a heavy dusting of biltong powder over the top.
Equipment
Enjoy!
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Frequently asked questions
What size potjie do I need for this biltong potjie?
A No.3 cast iron potjie is the size used here, and it comfortably holds this recipe for eight. Handle it with long tongs and a cloth or glove, cast iron over coals stays very hot long after you take it off the heat.
How long does the pasta take to cook?
The large dried shells cook with the lid on for about 15 to 20 minutes. You want them cooked through with most of the water absorbed before you add the milk, cream and cheese.
Do I need to add salt and pepper?
No. The biltong and bacon bring enough salt on their own, so leave the extra seasoning out. Taste at the end if you like, but you almost certainly will not need it.
When do I add the biltong?
Right at the end, once the sauce is creamy. Fold in the 600 g of wet fatty biltong and just warm it through. Leave it on the heat too long and it turns tough, so a gentle stir off the fiercest heat is all it needs.
Can I make it ahead or keep leftovers?
It is best served fresh from the pot, but any leftovers will keep for the next day. Reheat gently so the biltong stays tender and the sauce does not split.
What can I serve with creamy biltong potjie?
It is a full meal on its own, but a simple green salad or crusty bread rounds it out nicely for a hungry crowd around the fire.
