Potbrood — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A dense, crusty round bread baked in a cast-iron pot over braai coals, studded with chunks of biltong and cheese — the ultimate braai companion.

Ingredients

500g bread flour
7g instant yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
300ml warm water
2 tbsp olive oil
100g biltong, sliced
100g mature cheddar, cubed
1 tbsp dried rosemary

Instructions

1 Mix flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Add warm water and olive oil. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth.
2 Fold in biltong pieces, cheese cubes, and rosemary.
3 Shape into a round loaf and place in a greased cast-iron pot. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.
4 Place the lidded pot on a bed of medium braai coals. Pile a few coals on top of the lid.
5 Bake for 40-50 minutes, rotating the pot occasionally for even heat.
6 The bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped. Cool slightly before slicing.

Did You Know?

Experienced braai masters can judge the exact temperature inside a potbrood pot by holding their hand over the coals and counting seconds — a technique passed down through generations.