• 2 kg pork shoulder (deboned and fat removed)
• 1 packet (200g) bacon, diced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 celery stick, chopped
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) chopped garlic
• Olive oil
• 4⁄5 cup (200ml) apple cider vinegar
• 340ml of your favourite beer
• ½ cup (125ml) good-quality barbecue sauce (or to taste)

DRY RUB

• 2 heaped tablespoons (35-40ml) salt
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) onion powder
• ½ tablespoon (7,5ml) fine black pepper
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) smoked paprika
• 2⁄3 cup (160ml) brown sugar
• ½ tablespoon (7,5ml) cayenne pepper

Cut the pork into 80cm cubes.

Mix all the dry rub ingredients in a large zip-seal bag.

Sprinkle half the mixture over the meat. Toss the meat until well coated in spices and refrigerate overnight. Place the rest of the rub in a dry container and keep for cooking.

Heat a potjie over medium heat and fry the diced bacon.

Once browned, add the onion, celery and garlic, and fry until soft. Remove and set aside.

Add a splash of oil to the potjie and brown the meat, then return the bacon mixture to the pot and add the remainder of the dry rub.

Pour in the apple cider vinegar and beer. Cover with a lid.

Simmer for 3 hours. Keep checking whether you need to add more liquid. (Add enough water to keep the meat just covered.)

After 3 hours, uncover and let the liquid cook off. As you stir, the pork will start pulling apart.

Cook until dry, then add barbecue sauce just before serving.

TOP POTJIE TIPS

• It’s always a good idea to share a bottle (or two) with your potjie. Choose a recipe that uses beer, wine or cider as its base, and you are guaranteed a deliciously saucy end result.
• Make sure your potjie is well seasoned (the process will also make it non-stick), or use an enamel pot to prevent the meat from catching at the bottom.
• When adding vegetables to your potjie, always consider what will take longest to cook, adding those veggies first. Then layer from there.