Čobanac is a traditional Croatian dish from Slavonia region. Historically it has originated as a dish made by sheep herders and it was probably made using mostly mutton, hence the name Čobanac, čoban meaning sheep herder in Croatian. It was a convenient way of cooking a whole meal by using what meat they had and placing it in a pot over fire while staying outside for prolongued periods of time.
Nowadays, it is possible to find many recipes for this iconic dish, most of which are wrong as they instruct to use carrots, celery or other vegetables. Čobanac is not a goulash and the only vegetable which should go inside is onion and hot pepper or chili.
The most important thing is powdered paprika, which has to be a homemade fine variety produced in villages in Baranja. People which have never tried this will be amazed by the color and rich flavors of this and anyone who has ever tried making Čobanac with store bought paprika has witnessed unsatisfactory results.
Meat also plays an important role and my advice is to use a combination of beef chuck, shank and round. Tail is a good addition to the dish. An important thing to add as well is mutton and pigs legs.
Čobanac is traditionally made in a large metal pot outside over fire but can be made at home on a skillet as well. It is served with egg noodles which are cooked separately.
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 3 hrs
Total time: 3 hrs 30 mins
Serves 8
Ingredients:
3 kg beef cut into bite sized cubes
1kg mutton or lamb cut into bite sized cubes
0,5 kg pigs feet
100g powdered sweet paprika
10g powdered hot paprika
1 kg onions
2 chilis
1 dcl concentrated tomato
0,5 l red wine
4 tbs pigs fat
Instructions:
Finely dice the onions. Put the fat into the pot and let it start melting then add the onions. Simmer the onions while stirring until they soften then add the pigs feet and if you have any bones. Let the meat brown a little, then add the rest of the meat. Boil 2 liters of water in a kettle. When all meat is browned, add the paprika and some salt, stir well until fragrant then pour in the boiled water.
During the whole process always use boiled water so the soup remains it's integrity.
The entire process described above can be done on a kitchen stove before transfering the pot onto open fire.
Transfer the pot to the open fire and add about 4 liters of boiled water. Make sure the fire is not too strong as the dish needs to simmer for atleast 2 hrs.
During cooking the amount of water should reduce by about a third but if it reduces too much feel free to add more, just make sure it's boiled.
After about an hour and a half taste the soup to determine if it needs adding salt then add it to your taste.
After 2 hrs add the concentrated tomato and wine and set a stronger fire, it should boil properly now and reduce to get a thick soup consistency.
Additionally, for those who like extra spicy, you can make an extra hot condiment that people can individually add to they're plates.
Remove a soup spoon of soup from the main pot and mix it with 2 tbs of hot powdered paprika. Boil it on a stove. It should be thick but still liquid.
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