The first of May’s two bank holidays is just around the corner, and we absolutely cannot wait. Let’s share our barbecue braai tips!

The Early May Bank Holiday feels like the unofficial start of summer. We’re hoping for pleasant, sunny weather, with dreams of spending the entire long weekend outdoors.

So, it is time to get your BBQ out (if not already 😊!) and invite family and friends around for a feast in the back garden or have fun with some outdoor adventures and braai anywhere!

We will share with you our top barbecue/braai tips:

• Invest in the right braai … and tools!

Our 900mm stainless steel mobile braai is perfect for your barbecue party, an authentic South African style cooking.

Whether you’re hosting a large gathering or enjoying a family meal, our LET’S BRAAI 900mm mobile braai robust and stylish barbecue is designed to bring the best of outdoor cooking right into your garden.

With the ember maker (coal maker), you can fire on one side and when the coals form, you can pull them over to the area you want to cook and spread them over. Then once your hot coals are evenly distributed, place your braai grid. You can keep adding logs to the main fire (coal maker); this will create a constant supply of coals. Our stainless-steel braai has 3 grid height settings which allow you to cook quickly on the lowest setting. For meat and dishes that require a slower cooking time, keep your grid at the top.

It also comes with durable plastic wheels for easy pushing over grass or uneven ground.

You can keep the cooking area of the braai at the perfect temperature (low heat or high heat) for the food you are grilling (meat, vegetables, fish or Braaibroodjie – better known as a bbq sandwich)

When it’s time for some adventures and fun things to do outside, our top recommendation will be our

Camping braai.

Portable and robust, our LET’S BRAAI compact stainless-steel Camping braai is perfect for camping, glamping, road tripping, backyard, fishing trip or picnic braaing.

This braai comes with a zinc plated grill. It has 2 height levels. You can get the exact amount of heat for the grid,and throw away the ash with the convenient ash tray (included). The split lid folds open to become two side tables for your spices, braai tongs and equipment. It is designed for easy transport and storage (it takes up little space). It comes with a handle and canvas cover case so you can carry it for any outdoor activities. You can enjoy tasty food anywhere! Anytime!

More barbecue braai tips: 

A great accessory to have is a closed and hinged braai grid/basket (rooster). If you don’t have one, get

one. You will use it not only for your South African Grilled Cheese Sandwich but also for a chicken flattie, to grill meat, fish, seafood and much more. A grid basket is a great and versatile accessory for all your braai (for me, it’s a must-have!).

Our LET’S BRAAI camping braai comes with a grid / rooster

You will also need a good pair of tongs and brushes.

• Preparation is key

Take your meat out of the fridge, and you marinate it in advance to really enhance those flavours.

Marinades don’t just add flavour, they help to keep meat and veggies moist on the braai too.

Also make sure you keep your beers cool in the fridge and you have enough ice and coke 😊

• Enhance the flavours with braai wood

1. The natural and unique oils of Sekelbos are well known to enhance the flavour of the meat. Great for cooking steak at a high temperature and get that delicious wood-fire flavour! When you use Sekelbos on your BBQ, the air is full of wonderful aromas for a wonderful braai ambience.
2. Kameeldoring gives off a beautiful natural aromatic fragrance.
3. Mopane is another beautiful cooking wood which will enhance the flavour of the food.
4. Rooikrans firewood adds a lovely smoky flavour to the meat.

Don’t forget your kindling (chopped up pieces of logs): our Sekelbos kindling is extremely dry and dense.

• Lighting the BBQ

Arrange your kindling in the middle of the braai beginning with the smaller pieces first, creating a square tower. Begin by laying two pieces side by side, parallel to each other leaving gaps for air to get in. You need some cold air to get through otherwise your fire won’t catch and stay lit. Then, position two additional pieces on top, but this time perpendicular to the previous layer.

Place your fire starter in the middle and light it.

If you don’t have fire starters, a great little hack we use is to simply use egg cartons cover in vegetable oil and then light in the middle of your tower.

Once your fire has started and the kindling begins to burn, place your larger logs (two logs side by side) and carry on ‘building’ a square tower using the same technique as for your kindling wood.

• 

  Mastering the flame

This is an important part of the fire-building process. The fire needs to be watched attentively. You need to make sure the fire has enough space to breath. Stack too few logs and the fire will die; and if you place too many, you will suffocate the fire. Open fires need enough space.

Let’s create the perfect balance for a thriving fire!

• Cleaning Hacks

We usually clean our grill with an onion. While the grid is still hot, attach half an onion to the end of a braai fork and scrub the grid back and forth. This trick is super easy and saves you from having to use harsh chemicals for your grill.

We have found more hacks to make cleaning easier, check these 16 ways to clean your braai using common household items to tackle grease and grime effectively (no harmful products).

Our camping braai grid fits in the dishwasher, cleaning with minimal effort!

And finally, to protect your barbecue, we recommend using a braai cover. Our heavy-duty braai covers are UV resistant (sun durability), water resistant, made of high-quality material with a heavy-duty zip chain with slider. Perfect fit for our 900mm stainless steel mobile braai.

Now, with our barbecue braai tips, you are ready to enjoy your Bank Holiday braai, enjoy delicious food and the ambience of an authentic South African style cooking experience with family and friends.

Happy braaiing!