โLetโs have a braai!โ โ Epic wordsย spokenย by many a South African.
(The word โbraaiโ means โto grill foodโ and is pronounced โbry.โ)
The South African braai is much more than a way to cook food. It is an event that fills voids in lives!
When things go right, like the Springboks winning, South Africans celebrate with a braai. When things go wrong, like Eskom cutting electricity again, a braai isย the answer. The braai fixes anything!
South Africans will braai in any type of weather. There have even been sightings of South Africans clearing an opening inย snowย to make a fire and have a braai.
The Typical Fun South African Braai
ย With a typical South African braai, the guests will arrive close to the set time.ย
The first order of business is for everyone to open or pour their favorite drinkโฆ usually alcoholic. Most of the guys will open a beer. Some will go straight for brandy and Coke. The ladies often drink wine. Many love a beer shandy, which is a mixture of beer and Sprite.
The first 20-30 minutes is about catching up onย newsย and chatting about important things, like the Springboks. The braai isnโt lit yetโฆ Remember, this is a process and like any decent process, it takes time.
After a while, the hostess might get antsy and give her husband the look. โGo light the braai!โ
Theย host will then head to the braai to light the fire. All the other guys follow closely. This is an important job and needs to be done right. Advisors need to be on hand.
Once the coals are ready, the meat goes on the grill. The host braais the meat and anything else his wife tells him to braai. The other guys wonโt interfere with this. They only offer occasionalย advice and refillย drinks when necessary.
The ladies will usually hang out in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on theย side dishes. Their discussions are a bit of a mystery. There is a rumor that they might discuss their husbands from time to time. ๐
After all the food is ready, everyone dishes up and eatย together. Some might sit at a table, but many willย have their plates on their laps.
After the meal, everyone will visit together for at least another two hours before the first guests start heading home. Another perfect braai under the belt!
How To Plan Your Own Braai
Letโs get down to planning your own South African braaiโฆ
Something has to Cook the Food
We have to get one thing clearโฆ a real South African braai is done on coals, not on a gas grill! You can use charcoal, but if you want to stayย traditional, use wood. Thatโs the law of the land!
What is a Braai without Meat?
The typical meat for a South African braai is boerewors (sausage) and lamb chops. People also braai chicken, steak, and sosaties (kebabs).
Boerewors isnโt always easy to buy in the US, but there are some people out there who sell it. Many people make their own boerewors.
Lamb chops can be really expensive in the US, especially loin chops. A cheaper option is to buy a deboned leg of lamb and then cut it into 3/4-inch slices. Lamb chops are seasoned before the braai, or while on the braai. If you donโt have a favorite seasoning, salt and pepper work well.
Chicken drumsticks are very popular. A great variation is to wrap them with bacon before the braai.
Hamburger patties? No! This is a braai, not a barbecue.
Side Dishes and Desserts to make your Mouth Water
If a braai were up to men, as in a โguy-braai,โ there would only be meat and drinks. But most braais include the ladies and kids too, so we have side dishes and desserts as well.
Side dishes include various salads. A Greek salad or pasta salad works well. Potato salad is a favorite!
โPap en sousโ (grits and gravy) is a favorite with many South Africans. Some people make a tomato-and-onion gravy, but many also use regular brown gravy.
โBraaiย broodjiesโ (grilled sandwiches) is another favorite. They are quite easy to make. Make a sandwich and fill it with sliced tomato, onion, and some cheese. Then braai the sandwich after the meat when the coals are not quite as hot. (Tip: turn the bread regularly to avoid burning.)
Dessert can be as simple as ice cream, but South Africans love traditional desserts, likeย malva puddingย orย milk tart.
You now know most of what you need to know to have an amazing South African braai.
Join the Braai Party
Do you have anything to add to make an awesome braai even better? Tell us in the commentsโฆ
I am Welsh, but my wife is South African and I learnt to braai under the careful eye of my father in law and my two brothers in lawโฆno pressure! We now live in Massachusetts, but continue to braai here using wood, of course. A recent favorite of ours is a braai pie: puff pastry (buy it ready made, lay one sheet over another with the filling in between and crimp the edges) fill with (cooked) homemade borewors meat (use leatloaf mix and season as you would to make borewors), cheese and Mrs Balls chutney. Cook it like a braai broodjie (fairly slowly over medium coals) and then cut into squares โ delicious as a starter!