Time to brush up on your braai skills
WITH tomorrow being Heritage Day, and many South Africans gearing up to celebrate the holiday with a braai with family and/ or friends, My Chef, a local company producing and also delivering home-made frozen meals, offers these tips:
How to make the perfect fire for a braai
When cooking on a Weber, be sure to let in the air.
Make a pyramid out of the charcoal briquettes, then light the firelighters and arrange the coals.
After 25 minutes or so, the coals should have turned grey. Spread the briquettes, warm up the grid and then get cooking.
Another little tip, when cooking on an indirect heat, put the lid on and let it cook.
How to make the perfect marinade
Season your marinade and do a taste-test to ensure it is not too bland or too salty. Use fresh herbs instead of dried.
Be careful when adding ingredients like honey, as this can burn quickly and leave your meat bitter and burnt on the outside, yet undercooked in the centre.
Add an acid to your marinade – such as vinegar or any type of citrus. Lemon juice is very popular.
This helps to add flavour to meat and also tenderises it, so leave your protein submerged in the marinade for at least 30 minutes.
Fat content in the marinade is also important. Infuse oils with chilli, herbs or spices by heating them up slightly, then adding your flavouring, letting them cool and storing them.
The flavour will intensify day by day. It’s important to add your fat, olive oil, sunflower oil, butter or the like, to the acid to help the marinade form an even coating to the meat, as well as to help with the heat distribution.
Cooking various meats
Boerewors: twist and cut wors into sausages. This will make it easier to turn on the braai and prevent it from breaking during the flip. It also sets out even portions.
Chicken on the bone: Season or marinade the chicken pieces overnight. Microwave in a closed dish for five to eight minutes before braaing.This ensures the inside is cooked after it has been flashed on the coals.
Steaks: Turn as little as possible, and season well seconds before placing on the coals, during and after braaiing. Let steaks rest for five to 10 minutes before slicing.
Never turn meat with a fork, as you will poke it. Use good tongs.
Fish in tinfoil
Remove fish bones if you wish, then ensure that the fire is white-coal hot.
With some fish, try to keep the skin on, as it protects the flesh from overcooking. However, be sure to score the skin, as this will help to prevent the fish from curling up.
Baste the fish, be it with a marinade, flavoured butter or mayonnaise. Or try fresh lemon juice and olive oil, seasoned well and basted over the fish at the last minute.
Brush a little oil on a large piece of heavy-duty tinfoil large enough to handle your fish, making sure the shiniest side is facing up.
Place the foil flat on the braai, place the fish in the centre of the foil (skin side down), then press it down flat with a spatula for a minute.
You will see the protein starting to cook from the bottom up, turning pale.
Baste and season at this point and keep an eye on the colour as it will continue to change through the meat.
When ready, flip the foil over with a spatula.
Cook for about 30 seconds on this side before removing it. It doesn’t take long to cook at all. Enjoy!