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Boil-up
Boil-up: Māori pork bones simmered with watercress or pūhā, potatoes, kūmara and doughboys
Boil-up is the great Māori one-pot of Aotearoa New Zealand, cooked on marae for hui, at whānau gatherings and on cold weeknights everywhere from Northland to the King Country. Pork bones and brisket are boiled for hours until the meat falls away, then potatoes, kūmara and handfuls of watercress or wild pūhā go in, and fluffy flour doughboys steam on top. The broth is drunk alongside, with buttered bread. The usual mistake is letting the doughboys sit in boiling liquid uncovered, which makes them heavy; once in, clamp the lid on and don't peek for 15 minutes. Chef's tip: skim the pot well during the first half hour and the broth stays clear and sweet rather than greasy.
- Total time
- 170 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb pork belly or brisketcut into large pieces
- 12 ½ cups water
- 1 onionquartered
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 ⅓ lb potatoespeeled and halved
- 1 ⅓ lb kūmara (sweet potato)peeled and cut into chunks
- 10 ½ oz watercress or pūhāwashed, tough stems removed
For the doughboys
- 9 oz self-raising flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup cold water
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 3 ⅓ lb meaty pork bones or pork neck bones, 1 ⅛ lb pork belly or brisket, 1 onion and 12 ½ cups water in your largest pot. Bring to the boil and skim off the grey foam for 10 minutes.
15 minStep 2: Add 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper, cover partly and simmer for 1 hour 45 minutes until the meat is very tender and coming off the bones.
105 minStep 3: Add 1 ⅓ lb potatoes and 1 ⅓ lb kūmara (sweet potato) and simmer for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 4: Mix 9 oz self-raising flour and ¼ tsp salt with enough ¾ cup cold water to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. Don't overmix.
3 minStep 5: Lay 10 ½ oz watercress or pūhā on top of the pot and drop spoonfuls of dough on top. Cover tightly and cook on a steady simmer for 15 minutes without lifting the lid, until the doughboys are risen and dry inside when broken open.
15 minStep 6: Check the vegetables are soft and the pork is falling off the bone. Serve the meat, vegetables and doughboys in bowls with the broth ladled over.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 690 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 70 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does boil-up take?
- About 170 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 150 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
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