South Africans will use any opportunity to braai, that’s for sure! If you want to be crowned the Braai Master this year, here are three of our all-time favourite basting sauces and marinades guaranteed to impress your guests.
Apricot-butter braaied snoek
SERVES 6 | COOKING TIME 90 min
INGREDIENTS
1 whole snoek, filleted
Coarse salt and black pepper
150g butter
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
125ml smooth apricot jam
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp Cape Malay curry powder
Splash white wine (optional)
Olive oil
METHOD
1. Sprinkle the snoek with salt and leave for 20–30 minutes. Rinse off and pat dry.
2. Cook the butter and garlic until the butter is foamy. Add apricot jam, lemon zest, curry powder and wine. Stir through. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and pepper.
3. Coat the snoek in oil so it won’t stick to the grid. Braai for about 15 minutes, basting with the apricot butter and turning frequently. Serve with leftover apricot butter.
Honey and soy spatchcock chicken with herb salad
SERVES 4
Thinking about what you should make for dinner tonight? How about a perfectly tender spatchcock chicken doused in an Asian-style dressing, served with a fresh seasonal herb salad? You’re welcome.
INGREDIENTS
For the chicken
½ cup sweet Indonesian soy sauce
½ cup teriyaki sauce
¼ cup BBQ sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
3 tbsp honey
1 spatchcock chicken
1 lemon, halved or quartered
For the salad
1 tbsp lemon juice, plus zest of ½ a lemon
3 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp honey
Salt and pepper
2 packets baby salad leaves
1 packet micro herbs
2 spring onions, sliced
Edible flowers, to garnish
METHOD
For the chicken
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Mix the sweet Indonesian soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, BBQ sauce, sesame oil, hoisin sauce and honey together in a bowl and marinate the chicken for at least 20 minutes.
3. Place the chicken on a foil-lined roasting tray and roast in the oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until cooked and sticky, basting every 15 minutes.
For the salad
1. Whisk the lemon juice, zest, olive oil, mustard and honey together and season.
2. Just before serving, toss the dressing together with the baby salad leaves, micro herbs and spring onions, and garnish with edible flowers. Serve the salad with the chicken and lemon wedges.
Got plans for the weekend? Nope? Great! Whip up your own BBQ sauce, baste a spatchcock chicken and throw it on the braai.
Sticky Ribs
SERVES 8–10 | COOKING TIME 2 hours, 20 min
These sweet sticky ribs are the perfect starter or snack for when you want to entertain some guests. They’re absolutely divine!
INGREDIENTS
2 kg pork back ribs, cut in half lengthwise, bite-sized
8 rooibos tea bags
½ cup brown sugar, plus 3 tbsp
Zest and juice of 1 orange
Salt and pepper
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Spring onions, sliced, to garnish
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place the ribs in a roasting tin.
2. Place the tea bags in a bowl with 2 cups boiling water and steep for 10–15 minutes. Remove the tea bags and add ½ cup brown sugar, orange zest and juice, and seasoning. Pour over the ribs and cover with tinfoil.
3. Bake for 1 hour 45 minutes, until tender. Remove from oven.
4. Turn up the oven to 230°C.
5. Drain the cooking juices from the roasting tin into a pot and simmer over a medium heat to reduce by half, 15–20 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients (except spring onions) to form a glaze. Remove from the heat.
6. Return the ribs to the oven and cook, basting often with the glaze, until caramelised and sticky.
7. Allow to cool slightly. Serve garnished with spring onions.
