Entertain at home – What better way to celebrate Heritage Day than with a braai?

Chef Benny Masekwameng’s top braai tips:

Choose the right spot – Location is important when hosting the perfect braai. If you don’t have enough space at home, South Africa is teeming with beautiful parks, resorts, and braai spots to choose from. An open space is perfect as it will allow your guests to be free and really embrace the spirit of a good braai.

Turn up the heat – If you want to go the traditional route, the type of wood used can make all the difference in the world. Rooikrans burns quickly but gives great coals, while Wingerd is good for starting fires, flavours, and aroma. If you’re new to this, using charcoal will make things easier. To help ensure the perfect temperature of the coals, Chef Benny divides them up so that on one side of the braai there are hot coals for quick browning and on the other side for quick cooking.

It’s all about the meat – In South Africa, a braai is all about the meat, whether it’s boerewors, lamb chops, ribs, steak, chicken or fish. Remember, the order in which you cook your meat is important. Red meat goes quicker and can be cooked on a higher heat, while chicken takes the longest and needs the lowest heat. Also, marinate your meat beforehand for extra flavour, and don’t skimp on the spices. Another handy tip from Chef Benny is to, “Take your braai meat out of the fridge an hour or two before braaing. If it’s at room temperature, it cooks quicker!”

Vegans are welcome – Braaing is for everyone, not just meat lovers. There are a wide variety of meat alternatives for vegans to enjoy, while braai staples like grilled mielies and fresh salads will also go down well. Remember to cater accordingly and be mindful of others’ preferences.

Let’s talk about sides – From braaibroodjies to roosterkoek, mielie pap to potato bake, coleslaw to any salad under the sun – one of the best parts of any braai is the sides. If you’re willing to ask guests to bring a side along, this will make for a great feast to satisfy all taste buds. And it will take some pressure off of you too!

Keeping things light – With Spring welcoming warmer weather, Chef Benny predicts that, “Light meals are going to be a favourite. Use a combination of fresh, ready-to-eat uncooked dishes, cold cooked salads with different textures, sauces and relishes and a protein selection with different seasonings and flavours.” Individual portions do it for him – “Think skewered seafood, chicken, vegetable or wors for a quick dish-up and presentation. It’s the small things you do that can create a truly great meal with minimal effort.”

A bevvy of beverages – No braai is complete without refreshing drinks to sip on and to wash everything down. There’s no harm in asking your guests to bring their own, but if you are catering, be sure to have a variety of beverages to cater to different preferences. As the host, you should encourage responsible drinking. And make sure you have enough ice!

Don’t forget the snacks – Keep your guests smiling with some traditional braai snacks. Biltong and droëwors are always a hit, while chips and dip are another South African favourite. Consider including some fruit or vegetable crudités for healthy options that add a layer of freshness and give you that summer feeling.

Smoky braaied chicken with rooibos, lemon and rosemary

Serves 4

You’ll need: 1 large organic chicken (1kg); 2-3 Tbsp rooibos stokkies (dried whole rooibos leaves); 1 large lemon; 40ml olive oil; 3 sprigs rosemary, leaves finely chopped; 3 cloves of garlic, crushed; coarse ground sea salt and black pepper

How to:

Rinse the chicken and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Spoon the rooibos stokkies into the chicken’s cavity.

Zest and juice the lemon, and stuff one half of the juiced lemon inside the chicken to close it up. Use damp kitchen twine to truss up the chicken’s legs to secure the stuffing.

In a mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic and rosemary and season to taste. Place the chicken in a roasting dish and spoon over the marinade, being careful to poke the garlic and herbs into the pockets between breast and skin.

Set the trussed chicken over indirect coals made with fragrant wood and smoke the bird for an hour or until the chicken is cooked through but still juicy.

Snip the twine, carve the chicken and serve with a few glasses of Alto Estate Blend.

*Recipe & image by alto.co.za

Quick and easy braaibroodjie flatbread: 

This yeast-free recipe does not require any kneading or proofing and is ready to serve from scratch in about 30 minutes.  

Serves 6

You’ll need: 1¾ cup white bread flour, plus extra for dusting; 15ml baking powder; 5ml salt; 1 cup double cream yoghurt; 30ml butter, melted, for brushing (or olive oil); about ⅓ cup chutney; 1½ – 2 cups mature cheddar, grated; 2 large (or a handful small) tomatoes, thinly sliced; ½ red onion, thinly sliced into rounds; salt & pepper, to taste; a handful fresh wild rocket leaves, to serve (optional)

How to:

Preheat the oven to 220° C.

For the flatbread dough: place the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium-large mixing bowl and stir well. Add the yoghurt, then use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix until it gets clumpy. Continue mixing by hand until most of the flour is incorporated and shaped into a ball.

Dust a clean working surface generously with flour, then use a rolling pin to roll into a rectangular shape, large enough to snugly fit into a standard baking tin (about 37 x 25 cm) – or use floured hands to press it out evenly.

Transfer the dough to the baking tin lined with non-stick baking paper, then press it gently into all four corners. Brush all over with melted butter or olive oil, then bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven, then use a pastry brush or the back of a spoon to distribute the chutney all over the surface.

Top with grated cheese, tomatoes, onion and some salt & pepper. Return to the oven for another 12 minutes or until golden brown all over. Remove from the oven, transfer to a wooden serving board, top with some rocket leaves, and then slice into portions. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Pair it with a glass of Roodeberg Classic Red Blend.

* Recipe & image by Ilse van der Merwe of www.thefoodfox.com