Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Region: The Balkans

Bosnian Pot

Bosnian meat stew with vegetables

Bosanski lonac
Босански лонац (BCMS)

What’s in it?

So the thing is that – except for its satisfying flavors, there is absolutely nothing exceptional about this national comfort dish from Bosnia and Herzegovina. There are no culinary secrets involved and everything depends on your liking. In fact, there is not even a real recipe! Both Bosnia and the internet is full of interpretations and discussions on what to call a true Bosanski lonac.

Guaranteed success!

In short, there is almost no wrong in this recipe and you’re flexible in choosing your vegetables and meat. My recipe below is a reflection of the most commonly used ingredients and methods. Adding whole peppercorns and layering up vegetables for instance. Okra, green beans, and peas however are not included as these were the most controversial ingredients among both internet chefs and my Bosnian friends.

There is no wrong, and it can’t go wrong! Even the most clueless rookie is likely to put a flavorful dish on the table. So chop up, add water, season and let it simmer for hours while you’re catching up on your favorite Netflix shows.

Where is the catch? – I hear you asking. Probably I need some rare ingredients or tools, such as that fancy ceramic pot in the banner of this page. Not at all! Wherever you’re situated you won’t encounter any difficulties in preparing this centuries old peasant stew.

An ancient dish

Yes, traditionally stews (variva) were made in ceramic pots and such traditional kitchenware definitely adds to both flavor and experience. As does cooking on open fire! Luckily for us chefs living on 40 square meters/430 square foot in a flat on the thirty-first floor, this dish found its way to the modern kitchen in the 20th century.

Oh… one last thing about ingredients! The selection was traditionally motivated by seasons. In winter it is not uncommon to find sauerkraut and dried meat in Bosnian pots (kalja), while during the summer fresh meat and fresh white cabbage are preferred. A third option is ditching the cabbage, as there is as vocal minority on the world wide web that argues that there is no place for cabbage in Bosnian pots at all.

In summary, the Bosnian pot is a national dish without any strict rules. It is rustic and used to fill up toiling miners and farmers. While it was prepared in ceramic pots/dishes on open fire or in a pit in the ground, modern regular pots and kitchens stoves will do as well.

So how Bosnian is this pot stew? – you ask. Well, it is a typical southeastern European or Balkan slow food dish that is prepared differently in every family, village or region. Similar stews are found in neighboring countries under various names. Examples are Lički lonac in the Croatian region of Lika and kuvani slatki kupus in Serbia.

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flavorful tips

Use waxy (and not floury) potatoes that keep their bite and shape.

For a less mushy result, add soft vegetables later to the pot than harder vegetables such as potatoes, carrots and cabbage.

Using a clay/ceramic pot? Submerge unglazed pots at least 20 minutes in water before using.

Don’t add too much water at once. The vegetables will also release water and you can always add some later.

Bosnian Pot

Recipe by Chef Franky Buz

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Main CourseCuisine: BalkanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hour

minutes

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There is no reason for strictly following the recipe below. Feel free to adjust and add according to your mood!

Ingredients

700 gr. or 1.5 lb of beef or lamb chuck (or both)
half of white cabbage
3 large waxy potatoes
2 parsley roots
half a celeriac
3 large carrots
1 large onion
5 cloves of garlic
2 large tomatoes
2 caspicums (sweet pointed or bell peppers)
handful of peppercorns (8 to 15 pieces)
2 bay leaves
1.5 tablespoon of sweet paprika powder
1 tablespoon of Vegeta (if available)
salt
1 ltr or 4 cups of water
fresh parsley

Directions

Dice the meat in equal medium (bite) sized chunks.
Chop the vegetables in large but equal pieces.
Layer the ingredients in a large soup or clay pot. Start with cabbage, followed by potatoes, carrots, celeriac, parsley roots and meat.
Add water and start cooking on medium heat. Add the softer vegetables followed by the seasoning. Stirring or constantly checking on the stew during the process isn’t necessary. Let it simmer on low heat for 1 to 4 hours.
Depending on the cuts, a stew can be ready in an hour. I advise no longer than 1,5 hour, as softer vegetables slowly loose their bite or entirely dissolve. This is a matter of taste.
Serve in a soup plate with fresh parsley on top and some bread on the side.

Notes

Bosnian pots can simmer for 3 hours long, but that is not always necessary. If you prefer a bite over mushy vegetables a much shorter cooking time will do – hence the 60 minutes cooking time in the beginning of the recipe. Try the meat, if it is tender you can start enjoying!
As the stew cools and sits over time, the flavor and aromas mingle together and develop a seasoned and satisfying flavor.
There are recipes circulating on the internet that include white wine, vodka and/or pork chunks. These ingredients however, are usually not used in a traditional Bosnian Pot.

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