THE GREAT SOUTH AFRICAN BRAAI !
Braaivleis, Rugby, sunny skies and Chevrolet
For those unfortunate few, who as yet have not sampled Africa best kept secret…. Here you go the Official SA Eshop explanation of the tradition that is Braai
The braai unites South Africans
The braai is surely the quintessential culinary experience in my country, South Africa. It's an institution in households from Messina to Cape Town, bridging social and economic canyons, and even giving us a sense of our common identity.
On the surface, the braai (it rhymes with "eye") is similar to a barbecue, but they should not be confused. The braai tradition is intimately intertwined with our laid-back, outdoor lifestyle. It has everything to do with the year-round sunny skies and temperate climate. It's a ritual practiced in homes, restaurants, and camps, at game parks, on the beach, in the bush ... pretty much wherever you find one or more of us.
Where there's smoke, there's fire; and where there's fire outside in the British winter, you're still likely to find a South African or two connecting with their roots, huddled around a hot grill. It might just be my wife, who is also South African, and me. Or we might include friends we've made since moving to England almost two years ago.
The word braai has many meanings. It can refer to the act of grilling ("please braai the meat now"); the equipment used (a grill is a braai to many South Africans); and the social occasion ("you're invited to a braai").
For many of us, it is a rite of passage. Some of my earliest memories are of watching my dad pile the wood on the grill and then experiencing the delight of setting the newspaper or kindling on fire with a match (or two or three). In slow steps – learn, then do – one is eventually allowed to participate in the act of braaing. By its very nature, nearly every braai became a unique father-son bonding experience. There was always something to learn, something to speak and joke about. Staring into a fire is strangely inspiring.
I learned quickly that it's more art than science, as is apparent by these tips dad shared with me at an age when I could barely see over the top of the grill. First of all, he taught me, the heat should be spread evenly over the whole grill area. Second, a good indication of the correct heat is to hold your hand over the grid and count to 10. If you have to pull it back before then, it's too hot. Any later, too cold.
Third, you can always regulate the temperature by moving the grid up or down. It's best to start high and move down as the coals become cooler. And finally, put the chicken or meat that needs to cook the longest on first. After the steaks are put on, add some thin pieces of wood to braai them in the flames. Vegetables such as potatoes in foil, onions, and squash are placed under the grid in the red-hot coals.
The "bring and braai" or “Dop and Chop” is the most popular kind of gathering.
This is a grand social event where family and friends converge on a picnic spot or someone's home with their own meat, salad, or side dish in hand. Meats are the stars of the South African braai. They typically include marinated chicken, boerewors and lamb chops, steaks, and when someone has really splurged, a rack or two of spareribs. Fish is also popular.
While the fire is lit and tended to, the kitchen (or makeshift kitchen) bustles with preparations: Vegetables are chopped or grated for salads, a large pot of cornmeal bubbles into "Krummel Pap," and its accompanying Tomato and Onion Sauce slowly stews. (See our recipe pages)
As the meat comes off the fire, it is placed in a metal or ceramic roasting pan to stay warm. When all the meat is ready, the salads and side dishes are placed on tables and the feast begins.
THE WEBBER OPTION
Although im not personally a big WEBBER fan it does have its uses. Below is an account from a South African fan of the beast who was pretty much bowled over by the Webber and the South African Braai culture in general….
The webber fan!
Unless they are very unlucky or have a valid excuse such asvegetarianism, the first-time visitor to South Africa will almostCertainly be subjected to the ritualistic cremation of dead animals fondly known as the "braaivleis".
Not to be confused with the Aussie "barbie" or the more British or
American Bar-B-Q, the braaivleis is a uniquely South African phenomenon.
Although men and women arrive together, they traditionally separate into two groups at a braai. The men make the fire and cook the meat while the women traditionally ferry the beers to the men, arrange the salads and look after the children. In the 20th century it's the closest a man can get to his "hunter gatherer" Neanderthal roots.
The boerewors goes on first and immediately catches fire making it look like a giant, fat-spitting, Catherine wheel. Beer or water is poured over the coals to douse the flames which results in a pall of pungent smoke - all part of the enjoyment of outdoor entertaining apparently. Once the wors has been suitably charred and served, the other meat can be thrown on the grid and ruined. No matter how much attention the men devote to turning and basting the meat or rearranging the coals, the first law of braais is that the meat will always burn. The second law is that, regardless of which way the wind is blowing or where you stand, the smoke will follow you and get in your eyes.
Having passed through the various evolutionary stages of "braaivleis man", I finally attended one of Shirley Guy's Weber cookery demonstrations because I needed to be convinced that food cooked al fresco didn't necessarily have to be carcinogenic or have the consistency of the sole of a hiking boot.
Shirley Guy runs The Dough Hook, a cookery school in Bedfordview. As well as offering all sorts of foodie cookery courses (including some for men only), writing for a variety of publications on culinary matters and trotting off to exotic locations to check out the local cuisine, she is also the undisputed African queen of the Weber kettle braai; that strange looking three-legged creature that now graces the patios of discerning South African homes.
The first thing you learn is how to call your Weber by its correct name. Despite the spelling, it is pronounced "webber"; in musical parlance, more Andrew Lloyd than Carl Maria Von. Although there are some cheap imitations on the market, the genuine article from the US will set you back about R800. There is also a much flashier gas version for people who don't like to get their hands dirty.
Once you have the basic kettle you can acquire any number of Weber designer accessories such as meat racks, braai tongs and even a little plastic mac so that your Weber can go out in the rain.
Before you can actually cook anything, you have to know how to assemble and light your Weber. It is a good idea to read the instruction manual. Although it's not a particularly complex piece of engineering, one new owner lit the fire in the ash tray under the kettle and wondered why he was eating raw fish two hours later.
One very good reason to attend one of Shirley Guy's Weber demonstrations is that you get to eat a great lunch afterwards. This is undoubtedly why they prove very popular with companies looking for a novel way to entertain. They are an alternative to the more mundane sort of corporate entertainment, particularly as husbands and wives can both attend.
Another good reason is that you will learn how to use a Weber to produce a great meal without very much effort on your part.
Looking rather like a percussionist surrounded by smoking tympani, Shirley dashed around chopping this and seasoning that and, by some miracle of timing which has so far eluded me, managed to produce about 10 different dishes by lunchtime. These included fish in newspaper, lamb cooked to perfection and delicious Italian bread.
My only complaint is that the the only thing the Weber doesn't do is clean itself.
THE FINAL”OFFICAL”DEFFINITION
The *braaivleis* or *braai* (Afrikaans for "roasted meat") is a social custom in South Africa . It originated with the Afrikaner people, but since has been adopted by South Africans of many ethnic backgrounds The word has been adopted by English -speaking South Africans and can be regarded as another word for barbecue , in that it serves as a verb when describing how food is cooked and a noun when describing the cooking equipment, such as a grill . A /braai/ is a social occasion and often there are specific social norms. Women rarely /braai/ meat. This is normally the preserve of men and they gather round the /braai/, or /braaistand/ (the fire or grill) and cook the food while women prepare the salads , desserts , and vegetables for the meal. While wood formerly was the most widely-used braai fuel, the use of charcoal has increased.