The Lamb Shoulder Ouma Made | Potjie Sealed & Slow Cooked to Perfection

South African Lamb Shoulder Potjie cooked low and slow over the fire — just like Ouma used to make. This slow cooked lamb shoulder recipe was inspired by my South African grandmother long before I ever tasted lamb in France. After a meal in Avignon reminded me how incredible simple food can be, I came home and recreated Ouma’s lamb shoulder potjie the traditional way — sealed over the fire, cooked low and slow in cast iron, and finished with balsamic shallots, cherry tomatoes, and rich pan juices. If you love: South African food Potjie recipes Slow cooked lamb shoulder Outdoor cooking Cast iron cooking Braai and fire cooking Traditional family recipes …this one’s for you. Cooked in a cast iron potjie pot with coals on top, this lamb shoulder becomes fall-apart tender after hours over the fire. Served with roasted potatoes, balsamic sauce, shallots, and tomatoes — simple ingredients done properly. This is heritage cooking. Slow food. South African comfort food at its best. 📌 FULL RECIPE Ingredients 1.2kg lamb shoulder (bone-in) 1 carrot 1 brown onion 150ml balsamic vinegar 1L reduced salt chicken stock Small bunch thyme 1 tbsp cornflour Salt & pepper Olive oil for searing Balsamic Shallots 6 banana shallots 20ml olive oil 40g butter 50ml balsamic vinegar 3 sprigs thyme To Serve On-the-vine cherry tomatoes Roasted potatoes cooked in cast iron over the fire METHOD Season the lamb shoulder generously with salt. Heat olive oil in a heavy-based pan and seal the lamb on all sides until deeply browned. Remove the lamb and caramelise the carrot and onion in the same pan. Deglaze with balsamic vinegar, then transfer everything into the potjie pot or Dutch oven. Place the lamb back into the pot, add chicken stock and thyme, then cook low and slow: Outdoor oven with coals: approximately 1½–2 hours Conventional oven: 80°C for 7 hours For the final 30 minutes, add balsamic shallots and cherry tomatoes. Strain the cooking liquid, reduce into a rich sauce, thicken slightly if needed, then pour over the lamb before serving. Serve with roasted potatoes cooked over the fire. CHAPTERS 0:00 — Ouma always made it this way 2:41 — Preparing the vegetables 4:37 — Sealing the lamb shoulder 5:50 — The meal in Avignon that confirmed everything 8:08 — Deglazing with balsamic vinegar 9:28 — Low and slow in the cast iron pot 14:13 — Building the pan sauce 17:22 — Shallots & cherry tomatoes in the pot 21:21 — The reveal 24:10 — Taste test ABOUT THE CHANNEL Welcome to Travel, Trails & Taste — South African food, fire cooking, road trips, heritage recipes, and outdoor adventures around the Western Cape and beyond. If you enjoy: South African recipes Potjie cooking Braai food Outdoor cooking Cast iron cooking Road trip food Traditional family meals Subscribe and join the journey. #SouthAfricanFood #Potjie #LambShoulder #OutdoorCooking #Braai #CastIronCooking #SlowCooked #FoodOverFire #SouthAfrica #ComfortFood