1
Mix dough
Mix flour, yeast, sugar, salt, water, and oil into a soft dough.
mix
10:00
South Africa | Recipe
Potbrood
South African pot bread baked in a cast-iron pot until crusty outside and soft within.
Country
South Africa
Region
Southern Africa
Time
115 min
Serves
8
Level
medium
Recipe overview
What to know before you cook
Potbrood is campfire and braai bread, baked in a heavy pot with coals around it until it develops a thick crust and soft pull-apart center.
What the dish tastes like
South African pot bread baked in a cast-iron pot until crusty outside and soft within.
When to cook it
Best for Best for braai sides, stews, camping, and outdoor meals., with a medium cooking level and about 115 minutes total.
What to serve alongside it
Butter, jam, chakalaka, potjiekos, or grilled meat.
Regional lane
Braai sides and sweet table. Relishes, custards, puddings, and tea-table desserts.
Chef watch-outs
- Stopping the base before the pepper, onion, or spice edge has mellowed.
- Thinning the pot before the body of the soup or stew has developed.
- Rushing the rest or fermentation period.
How you know it is ready
- The sauce should coat the spoon and taste rounded, not watery or raw.
- The bread or batter should smell pleasantly fermented, toasted, or nutty rather than floury.
- The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.
Pantry lane
curry powder, apricot jam, chakalaka, mince, custard
Recipe photos
See the dish before you cook
Each recipe supports one main image and up to four extra prep, serving, or step photos when they are available.
Chef board
Build the table around Potbrood
Butter, jam, chakalaka, potjiekos, or grilled meat.
Best route from here
Braai sides and sweet table
Collections to keep cooking
How to cook it
Step-by-step method
Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.
4 steps
115 min total
medium
2
Rise
Cover and let rise until doubled.
rise
60:00
3
Shape in pot
Shape dough and place into a greased cast-iron pot.
shape
10:00
4
Bake
Bake covered until risen, then uncover until crusty and hollow-sounding.
bake
40:00
Some loaves include sweetcorn, cheese, herbs, or beer, but the core is a simple yeast bread baked in a pot.