15 Feb Braaiing is an experience, pure pleasure!
Why a braai? A better question is why not. What could be better than stoking up a good fire, raking coals and grilling your meat on it? But there’s much more you can do on a braai. How about chicken or gyros on a spit? Baking bread and cakes in the oven drawers? Cooking your meat asado-style by suspending it on the hook, and more. For the past two years or so my BBQ loft has housed a Home Fires Braai 1200 alongside a Kamado, a pellet smoker and a grill ring; the firebox in the middle with grids each 50 cm wide to the left and right.
For me, winter is my braai season par excellence. Things are quieter at work, my neighbours are indoors and I always have a nice warm stove in front of me. So I certainly don’t get cold. There’s really nothing finer than making a good fire, raking coals from it and grilling your meat on it. The smell and sound of burning wood and the fat dripping on the coals. Braaiing is an experience, as well as a wonderful way to prepare meat.
More than just grilling
But make no mistake, as mentioned above, you can do much more on a braai than just grilling. I often cook my meat with it suspended from the swing-arm. I’ve created a system from large fish hooks and some barrel swivels allowing me to turn the meat and cook it all around. I also have a Flip ‘n Grate grid that you can turn around and adjust to the right height, so you can grill your meat in any desired position.
Countless ways
For stir-fry vegetables I have a 1 cm thick plancha in my braai. This is set so that the fat always runs to the middle, and is fitted with a 1/8 gastro into which you can easily slide your waste with a spatula. I use the oven drawers to bake bread and make all sorts of desserts (cakes). They’re also handy for keeping your cooked meat warm or waiting. I use my built-in spit to cook chicken and my churrasco holder for picaña steaks and more. There are plenty of other ways to use your braai.
Let’s face it, a braai is simply the best and a must-have for any self-respecting BBQ’er. Let the braaiing commence!