How to braai like a South African this summer
If there’s one thing South Africans know how to do exceptionally well, it’s how to braai. (Never heard of a braai before? It’s a sort of barbecue. But better.)
If you’d like to impress your family and friends this summer, use the tips in this article to learn how to braai like a true South African.
1. Make sure you have enough food (especially meat)
Unless you’re hosting a “bring and braai” - where everyone brings their own food - you need to make sure that there’s enough to eat. Are you expecting to be a group of 6? Then have enough food for 9 or 10. The leftovers, if there any, are delicious the next day too.
2. Select the meat carefully
Good quality meat is important for a successful braai. You can braai almost anything, but some of the most popular choices include boerewors (sausage), steak, lamb chops, and chicken. When selecting the cuts of meat, don’t automatically select the biggest pieces, but take the quality of the meat into account, because this has a big effect on the final taste.
And if you go for thicker cuts of meat, keep in mind that they will need to be cooked for a longer period of time and at a lower temperature than thinner cuts to avoid being burned on the outside and raw on the inside.
Buy high-quality South African-style boerewors here
3. Don’t start the fire right away
This gives your guests plenty of time to enjoy their drinks and snacks. A successful braai includes plenty of pre-dinner snacks such as biltong, crisps and nuts. Along with plenty of beer, of course. As any South African can tell you, you almost never eat an early meal when you attend a braai. It’s a relaxed social event where everyone gets a chance to take it easy, including the braai master.
4. Use tongs instead of a fork to turn the meat
If you use a fork to turn the meat, you puncture it, causing the meat to lose some of its delicious juices and running the risk that the meat will become dry and tough. Use tongs instead, so that the meat stays intact while you turn it.
5. Serve traditional braai side dishes
While the meat is the main event at a braai, the side dishes are certainly not to be neglected. For most South Africans, a braai is simply not complete without braai broodjies (grilled cheese sandwiches) and a potato salad or potato bake.
So there you have it - the most important tips for how to braai like a South African this summer! And if you decide to include boerewors in your braai, remember that you can order delicious South African-style boerewors online from runder.nl.