Denningvleis is a traditional sweet, sour, and spicy Cape Malay meat stew extremely popular in South Africa and served with geelrys(yellow rice).
Cape Malay Denningvleis gets its name and influence from Indonesian dendeng, although nowadays, they differ in preparation method and ingredients used. Making denningvleis proudly and uniquely South African.
It's usually made with lamb or mutton, but the recipe can easily be adjusted to use proteins like beef or chicken, and even make it vegan. It's easy to prepare, low effort, and can be made in advance, making it perfect for feeding a crowd or as a meal prep option.
Denningvleis a popular dish to serve at family gatherings with other Cape Malay classics like bobotie, tomato bredie, and for dessert malva pudding.
Cape Malay food has a distinctive, slight sweetness to it, combined with a mild yet warming spiciness from black pepper, clove, and allspice.
This combination makes it easily accessible and popular among locals from all backgrounds and cultures.
Jump to:
Best cut of meat to use
Deboned Lamb shoulder or leg are the ideal cuts due to their balance of meat and fat, which ensures a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Bone-in cuts like lamb neck chops are also great because they impart extra flavor, but make sure to allow for a little longer cooking time. You can also use whole bone-in cuts like lamb shank, which I use to make Jungle curry. Ask your butcher or guy at the meat counter if they have some lamb bones. This makes a delicious, rich stock you can use to flavor your denningvleis.
Lamb is generally on the more expensive side and for a budget-friendly option, you can use lamb stewing meat, which will be a variety of cuts like chuck, shoulder, leg, and belly with good fat and meat balance.
If you’re not a fan of lamb, beef chuck or brisket works great. Beef has a coarser texture, and marbled beef will be more tender but also pricier. If you can find beef cheek or shoulder, use that for the best texture, flavor, and price balance.
Ingredients
- Meat — Lamb or mutton is traditionally used. If you're not a fan of lamb, then simply use beef or chicken. Chicken will cook a lot quicker, so keep that in mind.
- Spices — Allspice, black pepper, cloves, and nutmeg. For best results, you toast these in a dry pan and grind them up yourself. If you feel a bit lazy, simply use pre-ground spices.
- Tamarind — Tamarind paste gives it a tangy sourness and is usually available in Asian and Indian stores in paste form. If you can't find it, replace it with apple cider or brown vinegar.
- Chili (optional) — Chili is completely up to you. Especially if making it for kids. It's not classically a very spicy dish, and heat is very much up to the individual.
- Green pepper (optional) — Green pepper is also not traditionally used, but it is a popular add-in. If you can find them, use them, otherwise simply replace them with more onion.
- Liquid — Preferably use lamb or chicken stock for the best flavor, or water if you don't have any.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Toasting the spices
Toast them over medium heat in a dry pan until fragrant and just starting to smoke. Remove from the heat and blend in a coffee grinder or pestle and mortar until you have a fine powder.
The nutmeg is best grated and left untoasted.
Instructions
- Sear the meat: Salt and sear the meat until browned. Set aside.
- Cook aromatics Fry the onions, garlic, peppers, and chili if using in the same pan you cooked the meat. This picks up all the flavor from browning the meat. Known as the fond.
- Add spices: Once the onions are soft and translucent, add the spices and tamarind.
- Meat and liquid: Add the seared meat stock or water and give it all a mix to combine.
- Cook: Simmer the stew on low heat for about 3 hours until the meat is melt-in-the-mouth tender. Cover with a lid placed to the side or a parchment lid called a cartouche.
- Serve: When the meat is almost soft, you can cook yellow rice or make another side like mashed potatoes to serve with it. Optionally add freshly chopped cilantro last minute.
Watch how to make it
Top Tip
Don’t rush the simmering process — low and slow is the secret to achieving that melt-in-your-mouth tender lamb. If you don’t have parchment for the cartouche, just cover the stew loosely with a lid. The key is slow braising to build depth of flavor. If the liquid evaporates too quickly, simply add a touch more water as needed.
Braising in the oven
Follow the same steps as for stovetop braising — sear the meat in a hot pan, sauté the aromatics, add the liquids and spices, and return the meat to the pan. Then, cover the pan with a lid or foil and transfer it to a preheated 160 °C (320 °F) oven. Braise for 2-3 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender.
Substitutions and variations
- Meat — You can use whichever meat you prefer, like beef or chicken. Or use shrimp for a seafood version, or make it vegan by using pumpkin. Each of these has different cooking times. Beef will take the same amount of time as lamb and chicken will be ready in 20 - 30 minutes. Pumpkin around 15 minutes and shrimp will be ready within 2 minutes. This means you need to cook and reduce the sauce first if making these changes.
- Tamarind — For some, this will be hard to find. Use vinegar, lemon juice, or lime juice instead.
Serving suggestions
Traditionally, you serve denningvleis with geelrys. It also goes well with creamy mashed potatoes or spiced couscous.
Storage and reheating
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To reheat, simply warm it up on the stove or in the microwave, adding a little extra stock or water if it’s too thick.
- Freeze it for up to 3 months. Just make sure to cool it completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container.
FAQ
Yes. Denningvleis tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop. Simply refrigerate it overnight and reheat it before serving.
If tamarind paste is unavailable, vinegar is a great substitute, but tamarind gives the dish a unique flavor that you won’t quite get with vinegar alone.
Absolutely! You can use bone-in lamb, beef, or chicken. Just note that cooking times will vary, and you’ll need to account for the bones when cutting the meat into portions. The bones can also add a nice richness to the stew.
More South African recipes
If you found this post helpful or have learned something, please comment, subscribe, and follow me on social media for more delicious recipes.
This site contains affiliate links. I may earn a tiny commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. By bookmarking these links you help support the upkeep of this site.
Recipe
Denningvleis - Traditional Cape Malay Meat Stew
Ingredients
- 900 grams (2 lb) lamb - note 1
- 24 grams (2 tablespoon) olive oil - or canola oil/ lamb fat
- 350 grams (2 each) onion - 2 large onions
- 40 grams (5 each) garlic - 5 large cloves
- 10 grams (1 ⅔ teaspoon) salt
- 1 (1 each) green pepper - optional
- 4 grams (1 teaspoon) allspice - ground
- 2 grams (1 each) nutmeg - ground
- 5-8 (5-8) cloves - ground
- 3 grams (1 teaspoon) black peppercorns - ground
- 3 -5 (3 -5) bay leaves - dried or fresh
- 25 grams (2 tablespoon) brown sugar - or regular white sugar
- 40 grams (3 tablespoon) tamarind - paste or replace with vinegar - note 2
- 500 grams (2 ¼ cups) stock - or water
Instructions
Prep the Ingredients:
- Dice the onions as finely as possible, taking care with your knife.
- Mince or crush the garlic, and slice up your green chili if you're using it.
Toast the Whole Spices:
- In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the cloves, allspice berries, black peppercorns, and nutmeg until they begin to smoke and release their aroma.
- Grind the toasted spices into a fine powder using a pestle and mortar or a coffee grinder.
Sear the Meat:
- Heat some oil in a large pan and season the lamb with salt.
- Brown the meat in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Set the meat aside once seared, and let the fond (those brown bits) stay in the pan – they’re full of flavor.
Cook the Onions and Garlic:
- Add a touch more oil to the pan and toss in the diced onions, garlic, and chili (if you're using it). Salt immediately to help release the juices.
- Stir occasionally, scraping up the fond from the bottom of the pan, until the onions become soft and translucent.
Add the Flavorings:
- Once the onions and garlic are soft, add the tamarind paste, brown sugar, spices, and bay leaves to the pan.
- Stir to combine, then add the seared lamb back in with any juices from the bowl.
Simmer the Stew:
- Pour in your stock (or water) and give everything a good stir. Bring it to a simmer.
- Cover the pan with a cartouche (a piece of parchment paper), or lid slightly ajar. Let the stew simmer for up to three hours, or until the meat is tender and falling apart.
To serve
- Serve with geelrys(yellow rice)
Video
Notes
- I use deboned lamb shoulder for ease and flavor, but you can use stewing meat or bone-in cuts like lamb neck chops or lamb shank. You can also use beef or chicken instead of lamb. Cooking times will vary, so adjust as needed.
- Replace the tamarind with vinegar if not available. Tamarind gives a specific flavor, so it's not a like-for-like substitution.
- Store any leftover Denningvleis in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To reheat, simply warm it up on the stove or in the microwave, adding a little extra stock or water if it’s too thick.
- You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Just make sure to cool it completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container.
Amber says
Made this for my family over the weekend. We all from Cape Town and know this dish but I decided to try your recipe to see how it compares to our usual. Boy did it deliver! You now have a whole bunch of new Capetonians following you. Love your geelrys also. Thanks for the great recipes!