INSTRUCTIONS FOR COOKING WITH SAC-PEKA Astronomy & Gastronomy
Let us get acquainted: I am sač-peka WROUGHT IRON DOME CAMP OVEN IRON RING - serves to support hot coal on the wrought dome WROUGHT IRON FOOD TRAY WROUGHT IRON SHOVEL - shovel for hot coal, serves to lift the dome WROUGHT IRON TRIPOD - enables fire and hot coal to be adjusted from underneath the food tray CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE You can use your sač-peka for a long time follow and adhere to simple care instructions. Take note that all components are made of wrought iron and as such are particularly sensitive to rust. The first cleaning Before using the sač-peka for the first time, it is imperative to clean the wrought iron food tray on which the food is cooked. Light the fire and once it is established, allow it to heat/warm the tray for approximately twenty seconds. Carefully remove the tray from the fire, smear with fat (bacon or lard) and return to heat. Repeat the procedure several times. Lastly, fill half of the tray with hot water and stand for a couple of minutes, dry it and grease again with bacon or lard (duck fat is recommended). Cleaning after each subsequent use Once the meal has been prepared, the tray should be cleaned and filled with boiled water to liquefy the fat and other food residue. Repeat the procedure a couple of times until you are satified. Subsequently, dry the tray and smear with fat in order to protect the tray from rust. It is recommended that the tray be kept in a cardboard box to also protect it from moisture.
Heating the sac-peka for use The sač-peka requires the use of hot coal, which can be attained in one of two ways. The first, and quickest, way is to light the coal briquettes on fire through the use of a fire starter (see image). When the briquettes change colour to grey, arrange them along the wrought iron dome of the sač-peka. The second method is to use glowing embers that are created from using high quality fire-wood (not fire-wood from a building site that has been contaminated with various pesticides). Please note that the fire-wood smoke will infuse the food giving it a unique and exceptional flavour. Thus, the use of high quality fire-wood or coal is paramount. Once the fire is well established, using the wrought shovel or coal tongs, transfer the hot coal over the dome of the sač-peka. Small pieces of hot coal may slip from the dome. This is perfectly all right as they will warm the dome from underneath. I also recommend adding a couple of pieces of wood underneath the sač-peka to enhance the heat as well as the quantity of smoke. The flavour of the prepared food will be your greatest reward for all the effort taken to establish the fire.
COOKING VEAL IN THE SAč-PEKA By far, this is the most popular and easiest meal to prepare in the sač-peka. Rub the meat with two handfuls of salt, and then smear with mustard, lard and garlic. Use duck fat to rub/grease the potato and after placing the meat and potatoes into the sač-peka, add a few pieces of smoked meat or even better bacon, half a glass of water and a couple of sprigs of rosemary. If, when using sač-peka, it is quite windy and the heat of the fire is being pushed to one side, even cooking may be affected resulting in unevenly cooked food (see image to right). That is why it is important to provide adequate wind protection thus ensuring even cooking. The cooking time of the meat, under the sač-peka, is influenced by the quantity of meat, the strength of prepared hot coal, streaming of air around the sač-peka and quantity of water at the bottom of the tray. INGREDIENTS: 3-4 kg of veal (ribs, neck, knee bone) 1 onion + 1 hed of garlic 2-3kg potatoes mustard duck fat salt rosemary dried meat, beckon, vegetables optional PREPARATION TIME: 2o minutes 3 hours
COOKING CHICKEN IN SAč-PEKA A very simple and quick preparation of a tasty meal. Cut vegetables and arrange at the bottom of the tray. Add two whole chickens (average weight) and any additional separate chicken pieces (please see image). Rub the meat with duck fat and smear with mustard and herbs of your own choosing (Chilly pepper recommended). Check the meal after approximately 60 minutes and at this stage pour lukewarm beer over the meat. Repeat the same after a further 30 minutes. Reduce the quantity of hot coal relative to the amount used when cooking larger pieces of meat. It is very important that you place pieces of firewood under the food tray which will produce sufficient quantity of smoke through burning. INGREDIENTS: 2-3 kg of chicken 2 kg potatoes 1 kg sweet potato - onion - carrot -vegetables optional - chilly paper - lukewarm beer PREPERATION TIME: 15 minutes 2 hours Look for more recipes at www.traditionalcooking.com.au
OCTOPUS IN SAC-PEKA This is by far the most attractive, and most likely the most flavoursome, dish that you can make with the sac-peka. This dish does not require lengthy preparation or cooking times as with meat dishes. Place a total of 2-3kg of octopus in an empty pot, add olive oil, salt, onion, 1 dl white wine vinegar and place on the stove on a slightly higher than medium setting. The octopus (if frozen) will release moisture which will come to boil and after 20-25 minutes completely evaporate. Due to the evaporation of the all the liquid, when you remove the octopus, add to the pot ½ litre of wine (red or white as preferred), little bit of olive oil, onion, pepper and keep the jus for later use. Transfer octopus to the sacpeka tray, to which you have already added potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, and add half a glass of wine and little bit of olive oil as per image below. Put the tray in position over the fire, cover with the dome lid, and add the hot coal to the lid. After 90mins, check the dish and add the jus you made earlier. Leave the tray over the fire for a further 30mins. Subsequently remove from the fire and cut the octopus into portions prior to serving. Ingredients: Octopus (2-3kg) Onion Garlic 2-3kg potatoes Carrots Vegetables as desired Wine PREPARATION TIME: 30 minutes 2 hours
LAMB IN SAC-PEKA Wash the meat in lukewarm water and rub with two handfuls of salt. Smear with mustard and garlic and add two sprigs of rosemary. Lamb has a lot of fat and for that reason you should not add any fat/lard to this dish. Add only half a glass of water to the dish, as during the cooking process the meat will release oils and the vegetables will release additional liquid. After approximately 60-90 minutes rearrange the meats and make space for ribs (which should be left out until now) as they do not require a lot of time under high temperature as other meat cuts. At that time you can also add potatoes with other vegetables (if there was insufficient space for everything at the beginning of cooking). I recommend you check the dish again after a further 30mins at which point in time you pour lukewarm beer over the meat. This will not only add to the aroma of the dish but give a golden colour to the ribs and other meat parts. Ingredients: Lamb (3-5kg) Onion Garlic 2-3kg potatoes Vegetables as desired Lukewarm beer PREPARATION TIME: 30 minutes 3 hours
Let us get acquainted: I am portable aven (better known as: electric sac) Opening for ventilation purposes Door Locked during the time of cooking Window allow for the ability to check on the progress of cooking Heaters strategically positioned to allow the heating of food above and below. Due to the proximity and intensity of heat the food cooks quickly while retaining beautiful flavours Tray Made out of aluminium as it is the best thermal conductor; enamel trays perform even better In summary: all foods cooked with traditional sac-peka CAN be cooked with the electric sac. The meat portions should be slightly smaller to allow the food to be cooked in no more than 50-60minutes. ADVANTAGES * Quick cooking times 50-60mins * Clean no smoke or ashes * Entertaining area (backyard, pergola, etc) you can spend time together with your guests talking and enjoying refreshing drinks, while the food cooks with only your occasional supervision/monitoring * Meal prepared can be easily served in the tray DISADVANTAGES * No smell from the smoke * No - Fun around the fire * Too quick and clean
It is best to use a combination of two to three different cuts of meat, together with smoked meat or sausages, plenty of vegetables and herbs as preferred. Success guaranteed. Ingredients: 1-2kg of varied cuts of meat (eg: ribs, neck, fillets, etc) Garlic Onion 1kg potatoes 1/2kg sweet potato Duck fat Salt Rosemary Smoked meats, bacon Vegetables as preferred PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes 50 minutes Look for more recipes at www.traditionalcooking.com.au