Some helpful braai ideas, tips and tricks to give your braai recipes that extra umfff
- 1. Skewer your lamb chops or rashers and stand fat side down first when braaing to crisp up the fat or rind. Once crispy remove the skewer and continue braaing as normal.
- 2. Add bay branches to the fire – it adds a lovely flavour to red meat such as rump.
- 3. Par cook the chicken in the marinade and just brown it off on the braai. No eating dry chicken at midnight!
- 4. When braaing, squeeze fresh lemon over your lamb chops to make them extra tender and enhance the natural flavour of the meat.
- 5. Par boil spare ribs in water with bay leaves and peppercorns. When done, drain and pour over marinade. Allow to rest. Since they won’t have to braai for too long the marinade won’t burn either!
- 6. Braai sausage first, then rashers or ribs. And always end with the steaks.
- 7. Before you cook the steaks, push all the coals into one spot so that it’s super hot. That way you’ll always get a great steak.
- 8. For yummy rosemary and lemon lamb chops (works on chicken as well), layer a braai grid with fresh rosemary sticks and slices of lemon. Add a layer of meat (lamb or chicken) and salt to taste. Add another layer of rosemary and lemon. Braai until meat is cooked.
- 9. Buy bulk chops etc. and portion them out into freezer bags with your favourite marinade before freezing, so you have pre-marinated braai packs ready to defrost for spontaneous braaing.
- 10. Marinate meat the night before and shake off excess before putting it on the grill so it doesn’t stick. Once you have cooked both sides you can baste with your sauces.
- 11. For a great pork chop try marinating them overnight in crushed garlic, mustard, brown sugar, lemon juice and Aromat.
- 12. Instead of using a brush, use a rosemary bushel to brush chops or chicken with olive oil or marinade!
- 13. If you want the meat succulent avoid turning the meat too many times! This allows the meat to seal in all the juices.
- 14. To stop the braaied meat drying out, place it in an open container which has fried onions inside. The onions will add flavour and moisture to the meat.
- 15. Always allow your steak to rest before devouring.
- 16. Pair your freshly braaied rump steak with blue cheese and be ready for a taste explosion!
- 17. Try using a creamy Greek salad dressing as a marinade for lamb chops.
- 18. Braaing your meat when it’s at room temperature makes the outcome juicy and succulent.
Braai ideas for some fishy flavour
19. If you can smell the sea air, it’s a good time to buy a snoek and braai it basted with apricot jam.
20. Fish grilling guide: salmon fillets, 6–8 minutes per side; salmon or tuna steaks, 5 minutes per side (less for tuna if you like it raw); trout fillets, 4 minutes per side; small whole fish, 7 minutes per side; and large fish, 15 minutes per side. If your whole fish is stuffed, give it a few extra minutes per side.
21. For soft and juicy calamari, marinade overnight in milk and sliced kiwi fruit – no more rubber!
Awesome accompaniments Braai ideas
22. Make an easy ‘cheat’s bread’ by buying a bag of dough from your nearest shop, roll it out like a large pizza base, sprinkle with toppings of choice, roll the dough like a swiss roll and bake at 180°C for 40 minutes. Let it rest for 10 minutes, then slice and serve hot.
23. For a killer braai hot sauce, braai some green chillies and fresh garlic, wrapped in foil, then toss in the blender with added mayo. Use as basting sauce when braaing.
24. For the best braai budget side dish, cut your potatoes open with a cross, skin still on, fill with butter and crushed garlic and then wrap in foil. Place your potatoes between your coals for 20 minutes and enjoy.
25. Use a muffin pan to separate all the sauces!
26. To get your toasties nice and brown, without burning them, butter the bread on the outside and wrap them in tin foil (shiny silver side on the inside). Braai the toasties for about 5 minutes on either side, depending on the heat of the coals. It also prevents the cheese from running out.
Fire fighting Braai ideas
27. Struggling with wet rooikrans wood from the petrol station? Sprinkle plain white sugar over your stack and light with Blitz. Sugar burns at a high temp so you increase the internal temp of the stack.
28. Limit smoke by placing a fireproof container filled with water next to the coals. As the liquid boils, the steam helps to contain the smoke. (Nicole Brower)
29. Put old dried out teabags in a bottle and fill half the bottle with paraffin. The teabags soak up all the paraffin and make for epic firelighters when getting your fire going.
30. Use pine cones as firelighters.
31. Be patient when braaing, the fire is ready when you can hold your hand over it for a count of 10 seconds.
32. Clean the grill with half a lemon.
33. Adding an onion to the coals before starting to braai to give your neighbours that ‘Oooh someone is braaing’ sensation.
34. Always use real fire wood. The atmosphere is better and the meat is tastier.
35. Adding sage (a dried bunch) to your fire/braai will keep bugs and mosquitos away!
36. To keep mozzies at bay, collect old/used teabags, dip in citronella oil, let it dry, and keep for firelighters!
37. When braaing a nice thick rump, make sure you use quality wood, with quality coals, as you need a very hot fire, to ensure you seal the rump for a perfect medium rare.
Braai ideas For the sweet tooth
38. Place one block of Lindt chilli dark chocolate on a Marie biscuit on the grid to melt. Cook a marshmallow separately on a skewer to soften until golden. Place marshmallow on top of melted chocolate and add another Marie biscuit on top for a gourmet s’more.
39. Skewer your favourite fruit and scorch it on the braai for a bit before dipping it in melted chocolate.