The holiday season is finally upon us!
Despite the ongoing pandemic, we are all enjoying some much-needed downtime with friends and family at home.
It's the perfect time to step away from the stove and light a fire for a braai.
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In SA it's braai season all year round but more so in December. Drum has some braai tips that will make you the perfect braai master.
1. Regular cleaning
We are still in the middle of a pandemic, and to ensure that you and your guest are safe and adhering to the rules and regulations of Covid-19, the best thing to do is keep everything clean.
The easiest thing you can start doing is cleaning your braai stand regularly. To make it as hassle-free as possible, keep a wire T-brush, braai cleaner, and sponge near your braai for quick, easy, and regular clean-ups. Your utensil must always be the cleanest as well, wash them thoroughly after using them.
2. Quality over quantity
Cheap booze can do the trick when you can’t find the good stuff, but the same can’t be said for meat. Don’t be afraid of spending a little more at a quality butcher.
3. Don’t freeze your meat
Not everyone has the luxury of getting meat every day, so if you must defrost, then put meat in a bag and bag in warm water. You can also defrost frozen meat in the fridge overnight and leaving meat out the fridge to adjust to room temperature 30 minutes before cooking.
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But if possible, try to buy your meat on the same day as the braai. But don’t use the meat you took out the day of the braai, because the frozen meat will have ice crystals that will stab holes into the muscle and your meat will be less juicy when cooked.
4. Spice your meat
Before you can get grilling, you need to make sure your meats are seasoned and basted to perfection.
Marinating meat doesn’t only add flavour, it also tenderises the meat wonderfully, because of its acidity.
If possible, consider marinating your meat the evening before braaing it and allowing the flavour to soak into the meat.
Try to marinate your meat for no longer than 24hours, because it might become too salty, especially if the marinade you are using has a strong flavour.
5. Turn up the heat
Once you have prepped your meat for the fire, you need to pre-heat your braai. Whether you’re doing a wood braai, a fire pit, or a gas skottel braai, you want to ensure that your wood or coals or gas is heated to a comfortable ember and heat so that your chops can sizzle and cook to perfection and not become a burnt crisp.
The rule of thumb is that if you can hover your hand over the braai grid for seven to ten seconds without pulling it away without burning, it’s ready for your meat to go on.
