Brown the meat well in neutral oil on high heat, taking care not to burn the bottom of the pan. Once browned, remove and set aside. You want to remove any rendered fat as it will make the bredie heavy and oily.
1.5 kilograms Lamb or Mutton
Add the chopped onions along with fresh chilli (if using) and bay leaf. Cook until the onions are soft, scraping the fond off the bottom of the pan to pick up all those nice roasted meat flavours. Add a touch of water if the onions caramelise too fast.
200 grams onion, 20 grams garlic, 1 each chilli pepper, 4 each bay leaves
Add the salt and tomato paste. Cook on medium heat until the raw smell of the tomato paste has disappeared.
18 grams salt, 180 grams tomato paste
Add the chopped tomatoes or tomato passata, along with the bones if you have them separately, sugar and enough water or stock to cover.
1 kilogram chopped tomatoes, 40 grams sugar, 2 litres water or stock
Add the bag of spices or, however, you want to add them. I advise against simply throwing them in, as you would have to eat around them later.
Bring to a gentle simmer and give the bredie a good stir.
Close the pot with a lid and turn your stove down to low. You could also place it into the oven at 150 °C or 302 °F. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. You need to cook it until the meat is tender. This can take anything from 1 to 2 hours, depending on your meat. If at any point the bredie needs more liquid, then add it.
Test the meat to see if it’s soft every so often.
Once the meat is soft, add the potatoes and add more liquid as necessary. Close the lid and cook for another 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes.
750 grams potatoes
Test the potatoes every 10 minutes to see if they’re done. As soon as they break open without resisting when split with a knife, they are perfect.
Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Serve or chill for later.
Meat on the bone in the form of chops is the best, but not all stores stock it. You can ask your butcher or de-bone a whole piece of meat on the bone, like lamb leg. The size of the chunks of meat is up to you. I prefer small pieces but use bigger ones by all means. The lamb or mutton can also be substituted for any other protein like chicken, beef or goat. See the post for more ideas.
Use any type of onion. Red, white or shallots. Don't worry about chopping too perfectly. The onions will cook away in the bredie anyway.
You can use tinned peeled and chopped tomatoes or make your own. You could also use tomato passata which is simply smoothly blended tomatoes.
As the bredie cooks, the liquid will evaporate. Add more as needed and adjust the consistency to your liking. I prefer full-bodied stew, while others like it soupier. If you have or can buy beef, chicken or lamb stock then use that instead of water as it makes a tastier bredie.
Fresh chillies vary in heat considerably and should be used with caution if you don't want the bredie too hot. Alternatively, if you like it hot, then add plenty more. Just a note though, tomato bredie is not traditionally a hot dish but rather very mildly spiced and slightly sweet and tangy.
Tips for success
Whole spices you roast yourself will give much better flavour.
Avoid throwing the spices into the bredie without it being in a filter bag or muslin cloth, as it will make the eating experience less ideal. Bay leaves and whole chilli is fine as they can be removed easily. If you don't have bags, then rather use ground spices.
If you can find lamb or mutton chops on the bone, then use that. It has the best flavour.
Remove excess fat from the meat and too much rendered fat after frying. Too much fat will result in a heavy, unhealthy, oily stew.
Use a large enough pan to avoid overcrowding.
Check up on it often to avoid it burning. Cook it in the oven or slow cooker if you can't keep an eye on it.
Tomatoes all have different levels of tartness, so you will need to season the bredie with sugar to balance the dish.
Storage instructionsTomato bredie will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days if sealed airtight.It can also be frozen for up to 6 months for longer storage.Simply defrost in the fridge overnight or in the microwave on the defrost setting before reheating to at least 75 °C or 167 °F.If you reheat from the fridge, then do it on gentle heat on the stove to avoid it catching and burning. Alternatively, reheat it in the oven or microwave.