How tough is it to stick to your goals over a weekend? Now you even arranged a braai with friends on Saturday. Your best mate from college always brings too many bags of chips, Luke your brother is dedicated barman and your little sister Marlene can’t help but bring little foil chocolates.

Solution? Change the game of bring & braai. Instead of telling your guests to bring their own meat, ask them to each contribute something to the meal from the recipe ingredients. Better yet, ask them for a contribution of R50/R100 each and you will take care of everything.

Take our word for it, all the bellies will be full, satisfied, and happy.

Beer Can Chicken

Chicken is a favourite all around. Nutritious, easy, and affordable. This beer can chicken recipe calls for a whole chicken and a beer. Did you know, using beer as your flavour source, believe it or not, is healthy.

The alcohol evaporates as the chicken cooks, leaving you with the earthy flavour profile of hops and barley without the calories that was in the alcohol. You can experiment with different craft beers, or even use it in the marinade or as basting sauce.

Made better together with our Heritage Series Classic 570 Charcoal Braai. Be sure to look like a pro-chef while braaiing and let your chicken rest for 20min after cooking to seal in all the juices.

Ingredients

• 1 (2kg) whole chicken
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
• 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon rosemary, minced, plus one stalk for the beer
• The juice and zest of 1 orange (reserve one of the remaining orange halves to plug the hole of the bird’s neck)
• 1 can of beer

Instructions

Sauce

1. Combine garlic, rosemary, orange zest, and orange juice. 
2. Mix well.

Beer can chicken

1. Remove neck and giblets from chicken and discard.
2. Rinse chicken inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Rub chicken lightly with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
4. Using a brush, paint the rosemary and orange butter sauce generously all over the bird.
5. Reserve what is left for basting when the bird is cooking.
6. If the wings don’t want to stay in place, tie them up so that they don’t cook too fast.
7. Place the beer can on a solid surface, then place the bird cavity over the beer can. Transfer to your grill in the centre of the grate. Balance the bird on its legs, and the can like a tripod.
8. Cover and cook the chicken over medium-high, indirect heat. Baste every 20 to 30 minutes, until the thigh juice runs clear when stabbed with a fork - approximately 1 hour 30 minutes.
9. Remove from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Chicken Stir-fry

For a one-pan, colourful meal for the whole family, try out our Chicken stir-fry recipe. Made on our Apex Series Gourmet Plus 6 Burner Patio Gas Braai, this is a crowd pleaser. Try out this dish on our Steak Plate or 260 Round Pan on a charcoal or gas braai.

Ingredients

Stir-fry

• 1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided 
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced 
• ½ yellow and red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced 
• 1 cup shredded cabbage 
• A handful of baby spinach leaves 
• 450 g boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces 
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced 
• 1½ teaspoons sugar 
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce 
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• Salt and pepper to taste

Balsamic reduction

• 1 cup balsamic vinegar 
• 1 tablespoon sugar 

Instructions

Stir-fry

1. Place 1 teaspoon of oil in a large pan and heat over medium-high heat.
2. Add the carrots, cabbage, bell peppers, and spinach to the pan. Cook for 5 - 6 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
3. Remove the vegetables from the pan; transfer them to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
4. Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel, then heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over high heat.
5. Add the chicken to the pan in a single layer and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes per side, or until chicken is browned and cooked through.
7. Lower heat to medium, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
8. Add the vegetables back to the pan.
9. Add balsamic reduction to the pan to coat the chicken and vegetables.
10. Add a splash of soy sauce to the mixture and simmer for 1 - 2 minutes.
11. Sprinkle sesame seeds over mixture and serve.

Balsamic Reduction 

1. In a small saucepan, combine vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low, stirring occasionally, and simmer for 20 - 30 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and let the sauce thicken as it cools.

Smoked Beef Sirloin

Got time on your hands, and looking for something meaty to make? Try out our Smoked Beef Sirloin, made on our Coalsmith Series Alpha Grill & Smoker. Did you know, you can smoke on any charcoal braai that has a lid, check out how with our Surefire Tips.

Ingredients

• 1 whole sirloin (3-5kg)
• 20 g Maldon, or normal salt
• 40 g coarse black pepper
• 50 g brown sugar
• 250 ml honey
• 100 ml whole grain mustard
• 50 g rosemary
• 100 ml truffle oil

For the smoke 

• 150 g oak chips - about a handful 
• 20 bay leaves
• 20 g cumin seeds
• 10 g smoked paprika
• 30 g rooibos
• 10 g ground nutmeg        
• 20 ml truffle oil
• 3 kg briquettes

Instructions

1. Marinade the sirloin with dry ingredients and truffle oil. The longer, the better. 
2. Start the fire in your smoker. Once the coals are white and glowing, add the smoke mix. Don’t use more than 3kg of briquettes. 
3. In the offset-smoker, sear the sirloin fat-side down for approximately 3 minutes on each side at high heat. 
4. Once done, put the sirloin into the main smoker and smoke for 3.5 - 4 hours, depending on how smokey you want it. 
5. Once the wait is over, serve this smokey dish with cornbread and BBQ Sauce topped with wild rocket.

Seafood delight

Reminiscing the cold, salty ocean air and sound of the waves of your December holiday? Surprise your guests with a beach themed braai, table setting, music and seafood menu.

It is standard practice to want to pair seafood with a rich cream sauce, bread, and wine. However, you can have a delicious harvest table serving each piece of seafood true to its natural taste – better yet, you’re serving up a table of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Vitamins, yes please! 

 

Ingredients

Mussels

• 1 box of black mussels
• 1/2 cup of soft butter
• crushed garlic
• fresh parsley
• fresh loaf of bread (optional)

Prawns

• 1 kg Mozambique prawns
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Harissa paste

• 6 red peppers
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small red onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 3 hot red chillies, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Pak Choi salad

• 4 fresh Pak Choi
• rocket salad
• 2 avocados
• 1/2 cup of toasted pine nuts
• fresh Grana Padano
• olive oil and lemon dressing

Instructions

Mussels

1. Mix the garlic into the soft butter.
2. Place a teaspoon full of garlic butter into each mussel.
3. Place the mussels on the braai and close the lid.
4. Braai the mussels for 2 minutes until the butter is melted.
5. Place on a plate and add the fresh parsley with salt and pepper.

Prawns

1. Open the fresh prawns and season with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
2. Place the opened side facing down on the braai and braai for 3 minutes.
3. Place the braaied prawns in a bowl and serve with the Harissa paste.

Harissa Paste

1. Braai the peppers, turning occasionally for about 25 minutes, until blackened on the outside and completely soft. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. Peel the pepper and discard its skin and seeds.
2. Place a 260 Round Pan over low heat and lightly toast the coriander, cumin, and caraway seeds for 2 minutes. Remove them to a mortar and use a pestle to grind to a powder.
3. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, and fry the onion, garlic, and chilies for 10 - 12 minutes, until a dark and smoky.
4. Now use a blender or a food processor to blitz together all the paste ingredients until smooth, adding a little more oil.

Pak Choi salad

1. Place the Pak Choi on the braai and braai for 5 minutes, turning them regularly.
2. Once they have sear marks, and soft to touch, chop the Pak Choi and throw it into a salad bowl with the rocket salad.
3. Add the sliced avocado and toasted pine nuts.
4. Grate fresh Grana Padano over the salad and finish it off with some olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Boerewors pinwheel & butternut relish

Nothing like the smell of a fresh boerie roll; at a farmers’ market, outside a shopping center on a Saturday, or at home. A boerie roll is a favourite amongst all South Africans. What’s not to love, caramelised onions, tomato relish, fresh bread, and boerewors.

Try out this twist, all the boerie roll flavour without the bread. This is also a great starter if you’re planning a 3-course braai. Cut up the boerewors into bitesize pieces, and insert a toothpick with a few bowls of relish as a dipping sauce. Your guests won’t miss the chips!

Ingredients

• 1 packet 500g diced butternut
• 2 onions – sliced
• 2 cloves garlic – chopped
• 8 sprigs of thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup of water
• ¼ cup sultanas
• 2 packets boerewors (400g each)
• olive oil
• seasoning of your preference
• 1 packet skewers

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200ºC.
2. Place butternut on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, and season.
3. Place the tray in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden.
4. Set aside.
5. Heat a glug of olive oil in a medium pot and sauté onions until translucent.
6. Add garlic and thyme and fry for one more minute.
7. Stir in coriander, cumin, and tomato paste.