Jewish Life Digital Edition November 2014 | Page 53

PHOTOGRAPH: SHARON LURIE

Only turn your meat once or twice.
Many aspiring braai masters will make
the MISTAKE OF TURNING THEIR MEAT
TOO OFTEN. If the heat is right, most
foods only need to be turned once,
maybe twice, during cooking (the
exception is boerewors, which cooks
more evenly the more you turn it).
Patience allows for caramelisation, the
process that gives braaied food its
special flavour.

Hold your OPEN HAND ABOVE THE GRID AND FEEL THE HEAT: if
you can only keep your hand there for five seconds before it gets too
hot, then you’re about ready for steak; if you can keep your hand
there for about 7 seconds, then you’re ready for boerewors; and if
you can survive around 10 seconds, then you can put chicken on
(chicken needs a colder fire).

Before you cook steak, push all the coals
into one spot so that it’s super hot. That
way you’ll always get a great steak.
The SIMPLEST QUICK-FIX TENDERISER: A CAN OF COKE with some
braai spice. Leave your meat in it for 10 minutes before braaing.
No one likes cleaning up – but you can
simplify the process of cleaning your grill by
RUBBING HALF A RAW ONION OR HALF A
LEMON on it while the grill is still hot. This

helps to lift dirt from the grill while adding
delicious flavour to the next batch of meat.
Less elbow-grease, more enjoyment!
Just before putting boerewors on the
braai, dip it in water. This makes the skin
more elastic and PREVENTS IT FROM
BURSTING OPEN.

Salt too early and you’ll get tough meat.
SALT DRAWS MOISTURE, so rather wait to
season your meat until after it has been
cooked, or just before it is done.

Use braai tongs, not a fork,
to turn the meat. A fork will
make holes in the meat, and
you might lose some juice.
Once you’ve cooked some of your meat and need to get the next batch on
the braai, rest the cooked meat on a BED OF FRIED SAUTÉED ONIONS.
Your meat won’t dry out, and it adds some great flavour as well.
YOUR FIRE IS READY: If you’ve used wood, there must be no more

flames, only embers; if you’ve used charcoal or briquettes, they must have
turned completely grey (ie, you shouldn’t be able to see any black).

JEWISH LIFE

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