Bosanski Lonac
Beef or lamb slowly cooked with cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes and other vegetables in a covered pot.
- prep
- 30 min
- cook
- 3 h 30 min
- total
- 4 h
- serves
- 6
- level
- medium
Bosanski lonac is a layered, slow-cooked pot of meat and vegetables, built up in stacked layers that are never stirred during the long, gentle cook.
It's genuine home cooking, built for a Sunday with nothing much to do but let the pot sit on low heat for hours.
Part of our 20 best Bosnian recipes list.
method
Layer the ingredients in a tall, heavy pot: start with a layer of meat, then cabbage, potatoes, carrots, onion, tomatoes and garlic, repeating the layers until everything is used.
Tuck in the bay leaves and peppercorns, and season lightly between layers with salt.
Pour in enough water or stock to just cover the ingredients, without stirring the layers.
Cover tightly, and cook over very low heat, or in a 150°C (300°F) oven, for 3 to 4 hours, without stirring, until the meat is completely tender and the vegetables have softened into the broth.
Check occasionally and top up with a little more liquid if needed, but disturb the layers as little as possible.
Scatter with chopped parsley just before serving, and serve hot in deep bowls, with the broth.
chef's tips
- The traditional method layers everything in the pot without stirring during cooking; that slow, undisturbed cook is what lets each layer flavor the ones around it.
- A clay pot is traditional for bosanski lonac, but any heavy, well-sealed pot will do the job at home.