As South Africans, we love to share and celebrate moments around a fire with delicious meat slapped on the grill with your pick of poison. And, everyone knows at least one person who claims to be the braai master of masters. But, how can you spruce up your skills dancing with the open flame? Or how does one wow family and friends with the perfect braai?

Read on as we share our best braai tips to prepare the perfect braai and showcase your braai master skills at the next get together.

How to braai like a master

There’s nothing like the smell that comes from using real wood for your braai.

You’ve probably seen pictures of people cooking over an open flame in their backyard braai area. But have you ever wondered how they do it? Here’s how.

Lighting your fire

There are several ways to light a braai fire. One method involves using charcoal briquettes. These burn slowly and evenly, producing steady heat. First, you want to stack the wood and place your grill above the stacked wood. Thereafter, add your charcoal briquettes on top of the grill. Next, you put the firelighters in between the wood and light them. For 10-15 minutes, allow the wood starters to burn the charcoal briquettes and become hot coals before throwing them into the fire with the wood.

Have the right braai tongs and tools ready

Before adding the meat to the grill, ensure that you have your favourite braai tongs ready and other tools you might need. Some of the other tools you will need include:

Braai forks
Skewers (if you are planning on braaing kebabs)

Aside from the usuals, many braai accessories make the braaing experience much easy and inherently fun.

Prepare meat and wait for the perfect temperature

Depending on you like your braai, add your favourite spices and sauces (if that’s your thing) to the meat. Wait for the heat to be hot enough but too much that your meat burns quickly. It’s also why you should always keep an eye on your braai if you’re dealing with high heat, such as when you want to sizzle a towahwalk steak on the grill.

Of course, these specific ways one makes various types of meat. It’s good to do a little research before lighting the fire. We’ve got a great guide on braaing the perfect pork belly ribs and more braai articles to help you find ways to become the braai master you dream of being.

Slap your meat onto the hot grill

You must pay attention to the heat of the coals once you add your meats to the fire. If you notice that the flames are too high, don’t shy away from sprinkling some put on them to avoid burning your meat. Another important note: remember that the temperature should be consistent throughout to ensure that your meat is cooked perfectly and thoroughly.

Resting your perfectly braaied meat

Many seem to skip this step in the process. With it being essential to how tasty the meats will be, once taking the meats off the grill – allow them to sit for about five minutes. This will allow the juices to soak into the meat making for deliciousness when you bite in. This particularly when braaing steaks.

The more you do it, the better you’ll become

As simple as it sounds, this is the truth with many things in life. The more you light the fire and braai your favourite meats you’ll come to find your own braai hacks and tricks. This is how a master becomes one. What’s more, we have many braai recipes and guides that you can use to impress everyone at the next braai.

Learn about our private braai cooking and dining experience.