South Africans love a good braai: pork, lamb chops, or steak – you name it, and we braai it.
A braai is much more than just cooking meat over an open flame and smoke – it’s a social gathering, a chance to catch up with friends and family, and an opportunity to indulge in some delicious food.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some “lekker” braai recipes that are sure to impress your guests.
Angela Day’s man-size Texas steak
Serves: 6 - 8
Ingredients
1 large Texas steak (about 1.5kg)
Marinade
15ml oil
1 small onion, chopped
10ml chopped garlic
1 red chilli, seeded and chopped
250ml cola
125ml tomato sauce
15ml lemon juice
5ml Dijon mustard
10ml honey
10ml dried mixed herbs
Salt and pepper
Method
Place the meat in a large container.
Marinade
Heat the oil and fry the onion, garlic, and chilli over medium heat until soft
Add the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil.
Boil for 5 minutes.
Remove and cool before pouring over the meat.
Pour over the cooled marinade and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. Prepare the braai with hot coals.
Remove the meat from the marinade and cook for about 5 minutes on each side or until cooked to your desired preference.
Base frequently with the marinade.
Ransley Pietersen’s chimichurri steak
Ingredients
Steak and seasoning
2 x 300g rib-eye, sirloin or fillet (+/- 2.5cm thick)
40g coarse salt
20g paprika
10g sugar
10g coriander seeds, toasted then ground
Butter
200g butter
50g fresh rosemary
50g fresh thyme
2 cloves of garlic
Chimichurri
1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh coriander, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small red onion, finely chopped
4 tbsp red wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp red pepper or chilli flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Ensure that your fire is hot, and your coals are just turning grey. Preheat your grill for at least 10 minutes before cooking.
Pat the steak dry with a paper towel and season generously with your seasoning mixture on both sides.
Place the steak on the preheated grill and cook for about 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare or adjust the cooking time to your desired level of grill.
While your steak cooks, prepare your resting butter. Combine all ingredients in a skillet pan over medium heat and allow all ingredients to marry.
The resting butter is ready when the butter solids have formed a sediment at the bottom of the pan, and you have a clarified aromatic liquid.
Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest in the butter mixture for a few minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.
Slice the steak against the grain into thin strips.
For the chimichurri sauce, blend all the ingredients and drizzle the chimichurri sauce over the sliced steak or serve it on the side as a dipping sauce. You can also serve the steak with some grilled vegetables, roasted potatoes, or a fresh salad.
Justin Bonello’s sticky lamb ribs
Ingredients
About 1kg of lamb ribs
Vegetable stock
Salt and pepper
A pressure cooker
A bottle of your favourite sweet and sticky basting sauce
Method
First up, take a sharp knife and cut the ribs into their sections. Pop them into a pressure cooker, then pour over the stock (just enough to cover the ribs).
Season to taste – but be careful with the salt – some stocks are very salty, so taste it first.
Next pop the lid on and pressure cook the lamb for about 45 minutes. Once done, remove the meat from the stock and put it into a large bowl.
Add the basting sauce and toss the ribs around while they’re still warm. Leave to marinate for about an hour, while you get the fire ready.
When the coals are at the right temperature (moderate) it’s time to braai.
Keep braaiing and basting with the leftover sauce until the ribs are sweet, sticky, and caramelised (about 15 minutes).
Mynhardt Joubert’s roasted lamb loin chops with green asparagus tomato and caper sauce
Serves: 4 - 6
Ingredients
12 thick-cut lamb chops
Olive oil
30ml of roasted crushed coriander
Salt and pepper
Good quality white balsamic or fynbos vinegar
+/- 1kg of green asparagus
250ml of marinated sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
500ml of chopped mixed rosa or exotic tomatoes
15ml of sugar
Juice and rind of 1 lemon
125ml of capers, measured then chopped
A handful of chopped fresh mint, basil, and coriander
Method
Rub the lamb chops with olive oil, crushed coriander, and salt and pepper.
Let the meat rest for at least an hour or two or overnight in the fridge.
Prepare the meat by grilling over medium-hot coals and season to taste.
Blanch the asparagus by dumping it into a pot of boiling water for 1 minute, remove immediately, and submerge in a large bowl of iced water.
Let it rest in the water for 10 minutes, then drain and dry. Season with salt pepper and olive oil. Make the tomato and caper dressing by mixing the remaining ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Place the lamb chops onto the asparagus on a large platter and spoon the dressing over.
Ilse van der Merwe’s smoky kettle-braaied whole pork neck with mustard sauce
Serves: 6
Ingredients
1.5 - 2 kg deboned pork neck, tied with string if necessary
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp smoked paprika
2-3 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
For the mustard sauce
3 tbsp wholegrain mustard
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp honey
⅓ cup mayonnaise
Method
Prepare your kettle braai for indirect heat using 50 to 60 briquettes. Light them and wait 15 minutes until they are ashed over. In the meantime, prepare the meat for the fire.
Place the pork on a clean board or platter, then season generously on all sides with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Use a pastry brush to baste the surface all over with mustard, then sprinkle with the chopped rosemary.
Place the pork directly over the hot coals for a quick grill on both sides (about 2 minutes a side), then transfer the pork to the indirect heat position and cover the kettle braai with a lid, vents open.
Roast for 1 hour, then test the inner temperature with a thermometer – it is ready when it shows 75 to 80ºC. Remove from the heat and let the meat rest, covered, for at least 10 minutes before carving.
Serve with the mustard sauce on the side and your choice of salads.
Prepare the sauce: Stir all the ingredients for the sauce together and serve at room temperature.
Spicy tamarind, honey, and sesame marinated de-boned leg of lamb
Ingredients
Marinade
3 tbsp tamarind paste
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 tbsp sriracha chilli sauce
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp ginger, peeled and grated
⅓ cup lemon juice
2 tbsp of soy sauce
2 tbsp of olive oil
2 tbsp of sesame oil
Lamb
1 de-boned, butterflied leg of lamb
1 handful of fresh coriander and mint leaves, chopped to serve
Method
Mix all marinade ingredients. Cut off any excess fat from the lamb. Place the lamb in a sealed plastic container with the marinade. Cover the lamb with the marinade.
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or up to 24 hours. Turn a few times while marinating.
When ready to braai, bring the lamb up to room temperature. Remove lamb from the container, and season with salt.
Prepare the kettle braai for indirect cooking to medium heat.
Cook in a preheated kettle braai with the hood on for 45 minutes (for medium rare), or until done to your liking. Set lamb aside to rest for 10 minutes.
To serve, slice lamb across the grain, and sprinkle over the mint and coriander. Serve with griddle braai veggies.
Recipe courtesy of Krazy Kiwi Kookbox.