Topside Pot Roast

Potjie  No: 4
Serves: 12 – 14
Cooking Time: 3 hours

Ingredients
2.5-3 kg topside (in one piece)
2 cloves garlic (slivered)
30 ml butter
30 ml cooking oil
2 large onions (cut into rings)
1 green pepper (seeded and cut into strips)
1 beef stock cube
250 ml dry red wine
250 ml boiling water
12 medium potatoes
1 large butternut
10 small carrots
1 kg green beans
1 sprig fresh rosemary (or 5 ml dried)
5 ml salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
12 button mushrooms (optional)
½ packet rich oxtail soup powder

Method
Make small incisions in the meat and insert slivers of garlic.
Heat butter and oil in a potjie over medium heat.
Place meat in pot and brown on all sides.
Add onion rings and green pepper and saute until golden.
Heat stock cube, red wine and boiling water in a smaller pot and add to meat.
Reduce heat, cover pot and allow to simmer for 1.5-2 hours or until meat is almost tender.

Prepare vegetables while pot is simmering.
Scrub potatoes and butternut, but do not peel.
Halve potatoes and cut butternut into portions after removing seeds.
Leave potato and butternut in cold water until required.
Scrub carrots and top and tail green beans and set aside.

Check liquid in potjie after 1.5 hours.
Add more boiling water if necessary.
Season meat with rosemary, salt and pepper.
When meat is almost tender, add potatoes and butternut.
Allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
Arrange carrots, beans and mushrooms in layers on top of meat and allow to simmer for another 15 minutes.
Mix packet soup to a paste with cold water and add to meat to thicken gravy.
Allow to simmer for another 10-15 minutes.
Use a fork to test whether potatoes and butternut are done.
To test whether meat is tender, pull off a strand of meat with your fingers.
Remove meat from pot and place on a carving board.
Slice thinly and serve with the vegetables and gravy.