Stuffed Cabbage Potjie – One of Those "What If?" Bush Cooking Moments

A whole stuffed cabbage cooked in a potjie over the coals. One of our favourite bush cooking experiments that turned into a camping classic.

It was one of those camping trips. The fire was going, the kettle had boiled for the third time, and the conversation eventually reached the most important question of the day

So... what's for dinner?

Like most camping meals, it had to be cooked over the coals. Elsabé suggested wrapping mince inside cabbage leaves and making a potjie. Somewhere between that suggestion and another cup of coffee, the idea evolved into stuffing an entire cabbage instead.

Now that's either the start of a brilliant bush recipe or the sort of experiment that has the jackals laughing at you later that night.

Fortunately, this one turned out to be one of the successful experiments.

At first glance it looks a little strange. A whole cabbage sitting proudly in the middle of a potjie isn't exactly something you'll find on the menu at a fancy restaurant. It looks more like something your grandmother would have cooked when payday was still a week away.

But don't let appearances fool you.

Once you cut into that cabbage and all those rich flavours and juices have soaked through the leaves, you'll wonder why you haven't been making it for years.

The best part? You can make it your own. Beef, lamb, venison, chicken.......they all work. Change the spices and you've created a completely different meal. One weekend it might be Karoo Potjie spice, the next Cape Malay, then perhaps a mild curry or even a Mexican blend if you're feeling adventurous.

Around a campfire there are no cooking rules. If it tastes good, you've just invented a new family recipe.

What You'll Need

  • 1 fresh whole cabbage (sized to fit comfortably into a Size 3 potjie without touching the sides)

  • 500 g mince (beef, lamb, chicken or venison)

  • Your favorite spice mix

  • Olive oil or beef tallow

  • 1 onion, finely chopped

  • 1 leek (optional)

  • 1 green pepper, chopped

  • Chilli (optional if you enjoy a little extra kick)

  • 500 ml beef stock (or water with a beef stock cube)

  • Salt and pepper

  • Tomato sauce or tomato paste

  • Worcestershire sauce (chef's choice... and chef's quantity!)

Getting Started

This is probably the only part that requires a little patience.

Cut out the cabbage stem and slowly hollow out the center, scraping away enough cabbage to create a cavity big enough to hold all the mince.

Don't throw away the cabbage you've removed. We'll need that shortly.

Drizzle a little olive oil (or beef tallow if you're a proper bush cook) into the cavity and sprinkle in some of your spice mix.

In a separate bowl, combine the mince with the chopped onion, green pepper, spices, salt, a splash of water, tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Mix everything together thoroughly until nicely combined.

Now firmly pack the mince into the cabbage, pressing it down well. You don't want your stuffing trying to escape halfway through cooking. Bushveld baboons are opportunists enough without feeding them mince.

Chop the cabbage you've removed together with the remaining onion, leek and green pepper.

Into the Potjie

Build yourself a nice bed of glowing coals—not a bonfire trying to launch a satellite. Potjie cooking rewards patience.

Pour the beef stock into the potjie and add the chopped cabbage and vegetables and a little oil or tallow. 

Carefully place the stuffed cabbage upright in the middle of the pot.

Put the lid on and place four or five hot coals on top.

Now comes the hardest part.

Leave it alone.

This is where most South Africans struggle. We simply cannot resist lifting the lid every five minutes "just to have a look."

Don't.

Every peek lets out heat and steam, and unlike a curious warthog, your potjie doesn't appreciate being disturbed.

Leave it to simmer for around 40 minutes. Then check whether the cabbage is tender and the mince cooked through. Depending on your fire, it may need another 15 to 20 minutes.

Remember, every fire has its own personality. Some behave like a calm old elephant. Others have the temperament of a grumpy buffalo.

Time to Eat

Carefully lift the whole cabbage from the pot—it will be surprisingly tender.

Slice it into generous wedges and spoon over plenty of the vegetables and rich broth from the potjie.

Serve with fresh bread, rice or creamy mashed potatoes.

Or simply eat it around the fire while everyone claims they "aren't really hungry"... right before asking for seconds.

It's simple bush food, surprisingly impressive, and almost always gets someone asking,

"Now where on earth did you learn to cook cabbage like that?"

Truth be told...I have absolutely no idea.

It was simply one of those moments sitting around the campfire, staring into the coals and wondering...

"I wonder what would happen if..."

Some of the best camping recipes aren't found in cookbooks.

They're discovered one slightly crazy experiment at a time.

Now, if this one worked...

I'm already wondering what would happen if we cooked a whole chicken standing upright in a potjie.

Watch this space...