The anrkst6973vs bushman5 Potjie/Cast Iron Cookware Cook-Off!

The thing was, I had done my prep. Had a cooler full of ingredients, pots n pans, grill, utensils...all transported by the "modernized" chuck wagon ( 02 Nissan pickup ) then as they say "the merde impacted the ventilator ". So what to do? Cook it. Enjoy it. It is what it is. Here we go...the Junkman draws nigh....

 

My recipe was a Bourguignon favored by the great one , Julia Childs, and listed in one of her books circa 1965. I kinda played fast and loose with it hoping for something my crew of pirates would like.


I wanted mine to be more savory than Julia's, so I got my spice mix bowl and added bits of these until I had a flavor I liked. It seems like a huge pile but mixed up it was only approximately a heaping tablespoon.


I used a 3 evoo- 1 sesame ratio here.


The recipe calls for beef stock but I wanted to mellow the flavor. I used this.


You could use noodles or dumplings in this. I wanted it to be easy and safe to transport. This type of bottle rolling around in an ice chest on some rough a## track or NFS road does nada zip zero damage.

 

Here are a few more things I bottled up in advance. There is 1 photo missing, a stick of real butter in a small Tupperware. Somehow I just plain forgot to get a photo of it. I will give myself 15 lashes with a cat o nine tails. I swear.



I get the feeling I'm going to need the big pot....

 

The meats are drained, cut up, then put back in their Tupperware for leak proof travel.
I used just 1 knife all the way thru. My 25 year old CS Elk Skinner does everything but chop thru bones. For this I just cut around them and they go back in the with the meat.

No finesse. Just cut it into chunks.


I swear they must be getting these chicken breasts off of some Jurrasic Park sized chickens. This cutting board is 9 1/4" wide for scale.


Slice, chop chop chop...my photographer was laughing and wondering how many strays we were going to feed.

 

Julia's recipe says 2-3 strips of bacon, fried crispy. She must have had more substantial bacon, 3 strips would cook down to nothing today.


I cut the bacon like this and used the leaner middle and that big fat end section on the right.


Y'all can dig my "tactical apron" right? Is there anything on this earth that cannot be made cooler by adding Tactical to its name? ( gift from my daughters, damn right I'll wear it.)

 

Potato medley...wasn't sure but w.t.h. Let's try it.


I wish I could remember what these were called. Despite a soft texture they held up better than the Baby Dutch Golds. The Reds still work best for long simmer cook times FYI.


Carrots and celery. I can't cook anything without these.


The pile of containers keeps growing...

 

Mushrooms. Gotta have em.


Buy em whole, cut em yourself. Better flavor and texture. Because you guys are hanging in here with me for this boring post . I'm gonna give away a cooks secret. If you plan to use veg like carrots, taters, celery, broccoli or califlower, cut em up the night before and put them in water. Bowl or Tupperware. Put a pinch of salt in anything except mushrooms. The reason is this, when vegetables are harvested they are disconnected from their roots, they start to dehydrate, dry out, and most have been in transit for a week or more. You soak em, they plump back up, taste more fresh.


Frozen veg mix. I buy big 5 lb bags and transfer them to plastic containers. Got a whole section in my freezer. Peas, corn, green beans, asparagus, just mix, soak, and cook.

 

Well that was prep, we are about to wander off outside to fight mosquitos, breathe smoke, and sweat like a hooker at a tent revival. . Give me just a bit to grab a bite, do some sorting, and I'll be back to add a few more....pages to this thread.

 

Nope.

 

Are you kidding?

I don’t know what Bushy will make, but he will need a pack mule to transport all the garlic.

 

Well now, let's get to cookin shall when?


Remember that seasoned flour from earlier? Bout 1/4 of it on the pork and chicken before you pan it. Snap the lid back on, shake a time or two, and use tongs to send it in a hot pan. Use pats of real butter if you think it needs more oil.


Pretty sure this is the pork. I see a bone over on the right (little pink spot) See my furball back there on the left? That why the "fence" around my cooking area. Sid says "Throw the Stick human!!"


My photographer wandered off. I almost got a step ahead.



It is in fact, a mountain, of meat.

(And we are just getting started. )

 

Time to let loose the big dawg...


Iron that hot, better put some bacon in it.


Let it get crispy brown then pull it, leaving whatever bacon grease there is in the pot. Top that up with your oil blend.
Now fellas, I know we love us some bacon. But don't over do on it here. You could do 4-5-even 6 strips but too much will overpower your layers of flavor. ( there an important step later that shows this)

 

Get your oil blend hot, bout a 1/4 cup here, then potatoes. Let em start browning...


Then the carrots and celery. Stir just enough to coat them with oil. Add a bit more if you feel its nessary.



When you potatoes and carrots get 3/4 done, add the frozen veggie mix.


Liberally spice, do a taste, see if you need a pinch of salt, it's the only way to make a dish you know taste good.

 

go on Mick, you got recipes for that rapidly acquired long pork?

 

Spice implies HEAT...........Yo Mamma hotter than that seasoning mix.........

 

hows about some WIDE-LOAD PORK? about 30lbs worth

 

Now we are gonna turn this into something Julia would be proud of...

Break the glaze. Put 3/4's of a good dark beer in, a stout or ale, something almost coffe like. Bring it up to a good boil for 3 minutes or so...


Then the stock. Again let it come to a good boil before the next step..


Then the brown rice, water and all. Get a good boil, 10 minutes or so...


Then your mushrooms. Rolling boil for only about 3 minutes. Over cooked mushrooms get rubbery...