Ingredients

Method

• 1 T olive oil
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 4 carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 dried chillies, chopped
• 1 x 70 g can tomato paste
• 2 x 400 g cans tomatoes
• 1 kg pork loin ribs
• 2 x 340 ml bottles beer or milk stout
• 150 g treacle sugar
• Baked potatoes, for serving
For the chilli-and-mint salsa:
• 2 green chillies, seeded
• 2 t mint, roughly chopped
• 2 t rice wine vinegar
• 2 t caster sugar
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

Ingredients

1. Soften the onions, garlic, carrots and chilli in the olive oil in a heavy-based, cast-iron pot or potjie over the coals.
2. Add the tomato paste and canned tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the ribs and beer or stout. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, mixing halfway to coat the ribs.
3. After 1 hour, check whether the ribs are cooked, they should be tender but not falling off the bone.
4. Remove the ribs from the pot, strain, and return the juices to the pot. Simmer until reduced, then add the sugar and caramelise until syrupy.
5. Use this sauce to baste the ribs while braaiing. Serve with the chilli-and-mint salsa and potatoes.

Cook's note: Slowly, slowly wins the race when it comes to the perfect potjie. If you can, have two fires burning so you can add coals as needed. Keep your fire on the small side – if the pot gets too hot you will burn the food and no-one wants that to happen to these mouthwatering smoky ribs.

Discover more braai recipes here.