Different types of wood you can safely use to braai
To make your braai even better, try mixing different types of wood to get the temperature, longevity and aroma that you desire.
According to the website www.joburgfirewood.co.za, the type of wood you use to braai will make the experience more enjoyable. They also advise to always get your wood from a reputable braai wood supplier.
Good braai wood should be:
* Clean burning and not generate a lot of smoke.
* Dense and hard – so that it will burn slowly and your braai will last longer;
* Low in moisture to stop the wood from spitting and your fire going out.
You want wood that:
* Adds a smoky flavor to your braai food because of its aromatic resin.
* Is pre-chopped, as some dense slow burning woods can be very hard.
What types of braai wood do we have in South Africa?
Kameeldoring, which is also known as camel thorn. Advantages are:
* It has a lovely musky aromatic fragrance, which adds extra smokiness to the food.
* Is ultra dry, so it burns slowly and evenly.
* Burns nice and hot.
* Generates almost no smoke.
This is a dense and heavy wood which burns for a long time and at a high temperature. In short, it is the perfect braai wood.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnUl3IMg_Nz/?tagged=kameeldoring
Mopani
Advantages:
* Dense
* Slow burning
* Dry
It is also abundant throughout Africa and easy to source, and naturally termite-resistant, so good for storing outdoors for long periods. One disadvantage is that this wood can be hard to light.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BkDGKLWhCZD/?tagged=mopani
Sekelbos
Sekelbos is a classic braai wood with a distinctive yellow wood and is perfect for:
* Adding aroma to your braai meats, as its fragrant resin is well known to enhance the flavor of your braai.
* Burning for a long time with little smoke.
* Offering a hotter flame than your average braai wood does.
Another aromatic wood to use is apple wood, though it tends to be harder to source than Sekelbos.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmeXfAjAz_4/?tagged=sekelbos
Blue gum
Blue gum, which comes from the eucalyptus tree, does not burn with such a hot flame as woods like Sekelbos do. It does offer longevity though and your braai will keep burning for hours. You can also dampen the blue gum wood slightly, as this will help it to burn for even longer.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bnng0-5FVRh/?tagged=bluegum
Rooikrans
This is a brilliant all round braai wood as it is:
* Dry
* Dense
* Slightly aromatic
https://www.instagram.com/p/BaoF7IGDM-B/?tagged=rooikrans
To make your braai even better, try mixing different types of wood to get the temperature, longevity and aroma that you desire.
