SANParks.org Forums

Having read a couple of postings, I realise that many people do not know the secret to setting up a good braai.
I must admit, I include myself there.
I have had many charcholed meat bits or "raw in the middle chickens"
I am learning.
I am sure there are aso many forumites who could give some good tips to non Saffie folks (and folks like MM).

Great topic MM

Ok, its simple really

It all starts with your fire. Dont build a "flat" fire", build it as high as you can. This ensures consistant heat throughout your coals. Fires that are built "low" tends to be too cold.

Rule #1
Buy quality meat. If you buy second grade meat, your starting point is all wrong
Rule #2
If you cannot hold your hand 20cm from the fire for ten seconds it is too hot!!!! Have another beer and wait before you throw your meat on there!

Boerewors and steak.
Hot Fire, braai quick. Depending on how you like your steak done, depends on cooking time.

To tell how well a steak is cooked do the following:
Put your pinkie tip on your thumb tip. With your other hand, touch the base of your thumb, in your palm. The "stiffness" you feel there is how a well done steak should feel when you touch it. Going down with the rest of your fingers (touching your thumb tip on their tip)will indicate degrees of meat that is less cooked. Your index finger touching thumb being rare...

Chops:
A medium fire works well with Chops, but never ever leave them unattended. Because they are fatty, they tend to spark fires the minute you turn your back.

And please please please... Never ever kill the flames with water, your chops are likely to get tough. Use beer, or move the chops to another part of your fire

Chicken:
Medium fire... slow going and it takes a while.
What I do with my chickens is to put them to the side of the fire, not directly over the coals for the first ten minutes. When the fire is nice and cool, I give it about 20 minutes or so directly over the fire. It is important to note that you must not blacken your chicken. If your chicken goes black over the coals, put it to the side and let it go there a bit longer.

Keys here are:
#1. Slow,
#2 long

Ribs:
Precooked ribs go with warm fire but not too hot, braai quick until warm throughout and nice and brown outside.
With uncooked ribs follow same rules as you do for chicken

The biggest challenge with braaing is when you have a combination of the above...... To become a braai king takes practice and time. But hey, sometimes you get it right, sometimes you get it wrong experiment, but this should serve as a good starting point

Build it up high yes, but on one side only. That way you have a cooler area where you can "park" meats that are done, but have to wait a little before serving.
Don't salt your meat before cooking, or stick it the whole time with forks and such. That will suck the fluids out of the meat, making it less tender.
Let the meat rest a little wrapped in tinfoil while you prepare your plates (and the wine). That will enhance the taste of the meat.

I tried this outside in the street and some deaf and dumb ou gave me a klap! LMHO, can you explain this in English please, I understood the rest of your excellent report. BTW I am a guitarist and have callouses on my fingertips.

I was taught to do steak this way.
1) very hot fire,
2) put it on the braai,
3) butter one side of the bun/roll
4) flip the steak
5) butter the other side of the bun/roll
6) stick the steak between the bun/roll
7) lift both repeatedly to face (or someone else's) until no more
8. repeat from 1 until no steak left

DQ I agree with all you said, except that I dont build a braai up high on one side only. Once meat is done I believe it needs to be away from the fire, otherwise your medium rare steak become medium well very quickly. Besides, I end up filling a braai, so there is no space to have a cool side

rest your meat yes, but for a short time and off the fire

Uhm BB if you have no feeling in your fingers, you got a problem I have no other way to explain it... But I am glad to do demonstrations in KNP

Loams, think you are talking about a wood fire here

Either wood or charcoal bert. It makes no difference. When I am in the bush, I only braai with wood

For the non South Africans...

Debating how to braai in this country is like discussing World Peace. There is no perfect answer.

It is the only trans-racial and non-wealth-related activity we have here!

The only way to make a braai in the Kruger Park is to use Kruger Park wood.. bought in the shop!
If we have a braai at home with wood we always call it a KP braai! I can smell it now!!

guys, rather use wood than charcoal; it takes one helluva lot more trees to make charcoal than the equivalent amount of wood needed for your fire
(even if the charcoal is "alien" wood, these resources will eventually run out too.)

and happy braaing

The nice thing about wood is that there are often some unburnt pieces left over after the braai, enabling one to save on kindling. The smell is also unique.

Also, you can make a little bonfire after supper, while drinking your milk, and enjoy the African ambience...

The heavy Kruger wood can be used to hit in tent pegs, support wonky grids, throw at bothersome hyenas etc. etc.

On the down side, it is sometimes difficult to light a wood fire, and it is much more tricky to regulate heat when making a potjie or brunch. We normally use a combination of wood and charcoal for this.

I wonder if some brainbox can explain the fascination of watching a bonfire burn at night? Is it some primeval feeling of security?

Wood all the way.

And not sommer enige wood, proper wood like Sekelbos or Hardekool (if you can afford it) will do.

If you really want to be fancy, and make sure you have enough heat for something like chicken, place your wood on top of a thin bead of charcoal, that way you have the ambience created by the wood fire, and the extra heat from the charcoal

Shrimp on a braai is divine :-)

Didn't Jumbo do a mean Mozambican prawn dish?

Meanwhile: stick prawns and cubed pieces of juicy steak on a skewer and grill over a medium fire for about 6 minutes. Squeeze some lime on it and add salt and pepper.

No wood sold in or around the Park comes from conservation areas. That is why gas "skottels" were introduced at picnic spots. The only exception is wood gained from clearing bush encroachment next to roads.

As I understand, most of the wood comes from Limpopo Province, off private farms, where this clearing of mopane and apiculatum would have been done by elephant etc. in any case. Hardekool (Leadwood) is comparatively rarely to be found for sale, which is good as it is the slowest-growing.

I wouldn't worry too much - the "suspect" wood you buy at the roadside would be used up by the local population in any case, and is a form of job creation.