Sierra Leone jollof in the Firewood / open fire
The way it was meant to be cooked. Smoke, char, and a whole afternoon outside.
Sierra Leone jollof rice can be made in the firewood / open fire. The way it was meant to be cooked. Smoke, char, and a whole afternoon outside. Total time is approximately 90 minutes. The method uses long-grain parboiled rice with palm oil as the cooking fat.
At a glance
Why cook Sierra Leone jollof in the firewood / open fire?
Every appliance extracts something different from Sierra Leone jollof rice. The firewood / open fire the way it was meant to be cooked. Smoke, char, and a whole afternoon outside. For Sierra Leone jollof specifically, the open flame interacts with the palm oil base and country pepper (small dried chilli) and bitter leaf seasoning in ways that change the final colour, crust formation, and aroma intensity. Sierra Leone jollof is traditionally made over firewood — adapting it to the firewood / open fire means deciding which part of that smoke character you are preserving and which you are letting go. The key variables — oil ratio, stock volume, and lid timing — all need adjusting from the stovetop baseline.
Sierra Leone jollof uses long-grain parboiled rice, which responds to the heat distribution of this method in a way that requires slight adjustments to the standard recipe ratios.
- + Authentic smoke flavour
- + Best crust possible
- + It is genuinely better
- − You need a backyard or a beach
- − Watch it constantly
- − Weather-dependent
Method
- 01
Build a hardwood fire and let it burn down to embers
- 02
Use a heavy cast-iron pot directly on the embers
- 03
Reduce base over higher heat than indoor cooking — fire is dryer
- 04
Move the pot off-centre on the embers for the rice stage so one side smokes harder
- 05
Cover with the lid weighted by a stone to seal in steam
Frequently asked
Can you make Sierra Leone jollof in the firewood / open fire?
The way it was meant to be cooked. Smoke, char, and a whole afternoon outside.
How long does it take?
Approximately 90 minutes including prep and rest.
Does the firewood / open fire give you a smoky crust?
See pros / cons section above for the full answer.