A braai (barbeque) is a South African pastime/ tradition. Essentially it is "grilling" meat & a variety of other food types outdoors above a fire that is normally made by using wood, charcoal or a combination of both. There is however a lot more involved in a braai.....
There are some people here that do it on gas cookers/ grillers but most die hard "braaiers" jokingly mock them saying that is a quick "barbie" without the true "gees" (feeling/ experience) and I have to agree.....
A couple differences are....
A braai generally lasts a few hours or often longer due to the wood having to burn down to create coals of a temperature that can be cooked on as opposed to cooking a few burgers on a barbeque as you light it.
The type of wood used for the braai definately enriches the meat with different flavours.
A braai is predominately a longish social event involving family or friends with liquids and snacks flowing in the long period before cooked food will be served.
The burning fire is the centre of attention with everyone standing around the mesmerizing "tv flames" sharing stories, banter, jokes or debate on the sports game that might have just been watched on television. This in itself creates a great bond and memory across many divides.
One of the most popular team sports in South Africa is rugby and watching a top tier game on television with friends or family combined with a braai after/ during or before is a South African institution.
Yesterday the Springboks (SA) beat the All Blacks (New Zealand) and this was huge here as they have always been arch rivals and both are normally right up in the top power house positions of international rugby (fairly amazing considering size of country, finances etc in both compared to some of the other powerhouses.....subject for another blog.)
Anyway, the game was yesterday and this afternoon six of us & the fur kids met for a family braai....close enough timing of both lol.
One also needs to know that that there are strong unwritten rules and etiquette that are involved with a braai. In some occasions the transgression of overstepping these can involve downing fire liquid that will make you want headache tablets the next morning along with chirps from the rest of the crowd.....
There is always a braaimaster (normally the host) and he/she is the "General" in the making & method used of making the fire and cooking it with his/ her selected utensils ...... one does not simply add one's fingers in any of these without retribution unless specifically asked to do so.
Types of meat often cooked range from boerewors "farmers sausage in a simple translation", chicken, lamb, game meat etc or a combination. For today's one we had boerewors, chicken and lamb.
Seafood braais often happen too where a type/s of fish, crayfish or prawns or a combination are cooked on the coals,
There is also no shortage of ideas & recipes that happen for vegetarian braai's.
Often sides like mielies (corn on the cob), potatoes, onions etc are cooked above or in the coals in foil. Another big tradition is braaibroodjies (essentially a toasted sandwich) done over the coals as part of the meal with cheese, tomato & onion or any choice of filling.
Meat is often left overnight before in a marinade of various sorts or one is basted over the meat/ vegetables as they cook in order to add flavour.
Due to everything taking time before the actual meal is served, snacks of any form are often served during the chatting/ bantering & bonding while the process leading to the meal happens. For ours we simply had potato & nachos crisps with dip.
Things served with the fire grilled food can include a multitude of ideas or possibilities. We had potato salad, garlic bread and a green salad with ours today.
Some of the vultures dished up before I could take a photo but this was the end result of what we had for supper.
As another beautiful African sky set behind Muizenberg mountain I rolled out of my sisters' garden after over eating but with a warm smile on my face and a lifelong memory of another braai.
All photos used were taken by myself