When I was in South Africa for the 2009 Lions Tour, I discovered Braai.

 

This method of cooking is described as applying “direct and intense heat” to your cooking. In short, it is South  African BBQ. What was interesting is that besides the “naked” fire generated by charcoal or wood, applying gas to a pan is also braai.

 

On my tour, I managed a few days in Kruger national park. Within the park – about the size of Wales – there are gated settlements where you sleep, eat and get refuelled. On all these settlements, there are cafés that will allow you to hire a gas (butane/propane) bottle and a contraption similar to a wok. The wok sits on a gas ring. Most people seemed to cook sausages (boerewors) or scramble eggs on this. I am afraid that Boerewors is an acquired taste – I hated it – it has beef, pork, vinegar and coriander in it. Vickers in Reading does an authentic version.

 

The other interesting news re “open air cooking” is potjies (http://www.potjies.com/shop/). This a cast iron pot with 3 legs. You can sit it on /or hang it over a “fire” to cook a stew – very good for camp sites or in a fireplace – if you have a big one at home. You can “slow” down the cooking by varying the distance between the pot and the flame.

 

I shall now tell you two facts about South Africans and Braai. The first is from JPR Williams (ex British Lion, Wales international and retired orthopaedic surgeon). According to John, South Africans have the highest “heart attack” incidents in the world and that is because they (some) eat too much fatty meat. The second story is that whilst I was in Cape Town, I came across a “braai” restaurant. I went in and discovered that Braai for One consists of nearly 4 kilo of meat of various types – and I thought that when I had a 48oz T bone in the States that I was over indulging! The new “slim” me chickened out.

 

Here is an interest recipe – for 1 or 4 people depending on appetite. This approach takes just under a week!

 

Soutribbetjie (From: Best South African Braai Recipes by Christa Kirstein, ISBN 978-1-86825-403-3)  

 

Cut one breast of lamb into nearly 4 pieces – saw through the bone but leave one side of the meat intact.

 

Marinate in 1 litre of water with 225grams of salt, 2 teaspoon of saltpetre (get this from a pharmacy or from a friend who has access to a lab), 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda.  Bring the water to boil, add all the ingredients, stir to make sure everything has dissolved. Cool, strain and you can reuse this up to 4 times. If you can’t get hold of the saltpetre, ask your butcher for curing salt – this is salt with saltpetre mixed in. Beware, saltpetre is used in making explosives, hence you might be questioned if you buy a kilo.

 

Marinate the meat for 2 days in a plastic container (no metal please as it will taste metallic). Now dry it in the garage. This is now called a ribbetjie. If you are making a batch, freeze what you do not need.

 

Next simmer the ribbetjie for an hour and half in water – no salt to be added. Next, hang the meat to dry – another half a day. Finally, grill the ribbetjie over hot charcoal until done.

 

Enjoy.

 

Eddie

February 2010

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