Weapon of Mass Destruction - The Braai Bak

The worst culprit in ensuring that the food at your braai is inedible.

O.K. this is actually a roasting pan, often made of aluminium, that some people say will poison you as well. This has become a popular utensil that people use to store the cooked meat in while busy braaing another batch or having another dop before eating. It is usually left at the side of the fire and sometimes even on top of the grid to keep the food warm.

What it actually does, because of the lid on it, is to steam the usually already overcooked meat while it is standing. This causes whatever juices are left in the meat to run out even more. Even if the meat was not overcooked before placing it in this diabolical utensil, by doing so, will guarantee that it will be ruined.  

What I recommend for keeping the meat warm while standing is either a good old fashioned wooden board, if the weather is not cold and the standing time short, or a hot tray with an open serving plate on it.    

Whole Loin of Lamb on the Braai.

O.K. enough whinging and whining now!


Last night I stayed over with family in Riebeeck Wes and we did a lovely braai. We actually cooked some Wors as well. The other day my neighbour gave me 3 packs of Kudu Wors that he had made himself after a hunting trip. It was probably one of the nicest Wors I have eaten for many years.


Anyway, this is a favourite of mine. Get the butcher to cut you a whole piece of loin of lamb and then just cut through the bone so that you can carve it up after braaing. Cut slits into the top of the loin and stuff these with slivers of garlic and fresh rosemary.


Get the fire ready. We used Vine Stumps (Wingerd Stompe) and added a few more as well once the fire was burning nicely to give a good bed of hot coals.

Place the meat on the braai while the coals are still very hot. This will seal the juices in and give a nice charred effect.

Braai for about 25 minutes, turning frequently, and remove from the fire. Allow to stand for 5 minutes. This helps the juices set and not all run out as soon as you carve it up. It is still a bit pink and juicy on the inside as can be seen in the image below. I was going to post an image of the carved up Loin, but had had too much wine by then to hold the camera. Braaing is very thirsty work.

The Lamb Loin Chop Rip Off

One of my favourite things cooked on a braai is Lamb Loin chops. I like them done like you would get a steak in a good Steakhouse. Cooked over very hot coals so that they are charred on the outside but still medium/rare and juicy on the inside. Most people however throw them on the fire, leave them for 45 minutes while have a few "Dops", turn them over and then leave them for another 45 minutes while consuming another few "Dops". The dry and cremated remains are now ready. Anyway, each unto his own and the purpose of this chapter is to show how we are being totally ripped off for these by the local butchers. 


This is an image of the typical Loin chop that you get here in South Africa.

 What the hell is that disgusting "thingy" hanging from the chop at the bottom left??? It is actually a piece of flank(stewing meat) that is left on by the butcher in order to boost his profits. It is chewy and at R120.00 per kg (Price I paid at Pick n Pay yesterday) is an insult to our intelligence. (I made the butcher cut it off BEFORE weighing the meat).
If you ever watch overseas cooking channels on T.V you will notice that this is a purely South African thing.


Here is an image from Google Images of what Loin chops should look like. Time to stand up and stop taking it.

Boerewors

O.K. I have been very slack with this blog but with "National Braai Day" coming up on the 24th September, it is time to get it up to date.


Today I would like to write about a particularly nasty element to the braai, known as "Boerewors", "Boerrie" or simply "Wors". The name translated means "Farmers Sausage".
Now this used to be one of the really nice elements of the braai, succulent, spicy and juicy. I remember when I was young and living in Stellenbosch that there were two Tannies (Aunts) who used to make boerewors once a year for the Church Fete. It was so superb that people used to queue up from 5.30am to get it and it was always sold out within an hour of the doors opening at 8.00am. The Wors was so good that it was a meal on its own and you would rather eat it than the usual lamb chops at the braai. "Sigh" how things have changed!


Nowadays Wors is regarded as a "Filler Upper" so that you are not still hungry at the end of the meal. If you ever go into a butchery department of your local supermarket and watch the butcher cutting up a carcass, he has a large white plastic container on the floor next to him, into which he throws all the excess fat and other inedible bits. Do you think that these are going to be thrown away? No ways, they are the ingredients for the next batch of Boerewors!! My friend, Neil always jokes "Foreskins and Eyelashes" are the main ingredients of Wors these days. Along with a huge amount of fat.


Now the only way to cook this abomination is to braai the hell out of it so that all the fat runs out. You end up with a dry, still greasy and tasteless mess. Antacid tablets are a must after eating this stuff. Seriously, this rubbish can kill you.


I have heard that things are different in the Northern Part of the country,where the making of Boerewors is still an art. However, sadly, here in the Cape, most of what I have written definitely applies.