Jan Braai - Red Hot

This book is dedicated to the millions of South Africans who celebrate National Braai Day on 24 September every year.

In National Braai Day, we South Africans have a realistic opportunity to entrench a national day of celebration for our country, within our lifetimes. I believe that having a national day of celebration can play a significant role in nation-building and social cohesion as the observance of our shared heritage can truly bind us together.

In Africa, a fire is the traditional place of gathering. I urge you to get together with your friends and family around a fire on 24 September every year to celebrate our heritage, share stories and pass on traditions. Please help me spread that word!

CONTENTS

SOME WARM-UP THOUGHTS

I once met a man who was unimpressed that I braaied things like boerewors and sosaties. He believed its not a real braai unless youre braaing a solid piece of meat, big enough not to fall through the holes of your grid. As you work through this book youll notice I dont share that view. I feel quite strongly that everything tastes better when you braai it.

THIS IS MY SECOND BOOK

Yes, there is another book out there called Jan Braai Fireworks. That was my first book and this is my second one so dont get confused. This book should be read as an extension of the first. Obviously you will be able to read, enjoy and prepare meals from this book without ever reading Fireworks but if you want to be properly educated in the art of braaing, read both. See Fireworks as the first half and Red Hot as the second half of a greater encyclopaedia on this fine and ancient art. The only recipe that is duplicated from Fireworks is that of Roosterkoek (). This is because there are so many recipes in this book that should or could be served with fresh roosterkoek , I thought it would make life easier for you if we just included it in this book again for easy reference. At the time of writing this book youre holding, Jan Braai Fireworks had already been reprinted a few times and, naturally, the publisher has committed to continue printing it as long as the public continues to buy it. It goes without saying that if you do not enjoy this book, I strongly advise you not to buy Fireworks as the same person wrote it in a very similar style.

WARNING: THIS BOOK REQUIRES THE USE OF COMMON SENSE

I want to apologise in advance to those surprised or disappointed by this, but youll have to use your common sense and sound judgement when working your way through this book. Some of the statements I make are written like fact when they are clearly opinion. Most recipes are actually a matter of opinion. When I say, for example, that you need to add four cloves of garlic, that is not really a fact. If you like garlic, add more. If you dont like garlic, add less. Braai recipes are a bit like ash, neither black nor white but rather various shades of grey. If a recipe calls for red wine and you only have white wine available, use it. If it calls for rump steak and you prefer sirloin, use that. If it says serves four and you are six people, then it will probably feed you just fine, in slightly smaller portions and with some extra bread or rice. Similarly, if I say it feeds eight but you have the front row of the local rugby club over for dinner, clearly no matter how much meat you braai, it will serve three. On the following pages are some more specific examples of instances at the braai when I expect you to use your common sense.

Jan Braai

KEEP IN MIND

A TOT MEANS A SHOT GLASS AND HOLDS 25 ML

I strongly believe in making life simpler rather than more complicated, for example the measuring system in my recipes: a cup (250 ml), a tot glass (25 ml) and a teaspoon (5 ml). Calibrate them by using water to check that five teaspoons go into a tot and that ten tots go into a cup. When the measuring cup, tot glass or measuring teaspoon is full but flat as it is when you fill it with liquid, it contains the given volume. If a recipe calls for half a cup just fill the cup or glass halfway. A tot glass is that same glass they serve shots from in pubs and in South Africa that is 25 ml. I think that even if you are braaing somewhere without them, youll still be able to guess to a fair degree of accuracy how big a cup, a tot and a teaspoon are.

SAFETY ISSUES

Braaing is a fun activity and you can have a cavalier approach to adding things like garlic and chilli; but stick to some basic health rules:

Wash your hands well before you start preparing and handling the food.

Keep meat that is marinating in a fridge. Use non-reactive bowls for marinating meat. These can be glass, plastic or stainless steel and should have lids. We call them marinating bowls in the recipes.

Dont use marinade with raw meat juices in it as a sauce either boil it first or paint it onto the meat before the last 5 minutes of braaing time so it has a chance to cook too. In the same vein, do not put braaied meat into the same container that held your raw meat before the braai.

THICKENING OF SAUCES, STEWS AND POTJIES

In a perfect world youd never need to use a thickener. You would always have enough time and the ideal heat control to cook meat and vegetables till they are done, with just enough liquid to ensure that nothing burns. The liquid would be reduced just right, forming thick rich gravy in your potjie at the exact time the meat is tender yet before its overcooked. In real life it doesnt work like that though. In this book you will come across many recipes for meals prepared in potjies that contain liquid or sauce. Sometimes youll need to add more liquid (like water) than indicated in the recipe as, for whatever reason (usually a hotter fire or a less tight fitting lid), your meal is simply drier and closer to burning than it should be. In other cases youll end up with a sauce that is too runny or a bit too watery. Try one of the following ways to get the consistency of sauce thicker and more like gravy in a potjie (be it a traditional potjie or a curry):

Sprinkle some flour over the meat at the beginning of the recipe, then fry it in oil/butter before you add the liquid which in this book is usually water, wine or stock.

Add some raw diced or grated potato at the beginning of the recipe a starchy vegetable that will help to thicken the sauce as it cooks away.

Reduce the liquid until it is the required consistency. This means you simply continue to cook the meal uncovered until enough water has evaporated and you are happy with the consistency. Remember that this will also concentrate the flavours so first reduce then add salt afterwards.

Stir in some cornflour mixed with a little water at the end of the cooking process, and let the sauce bubble a while until it has thickened. This is a very easy option that works almost instantly. The technique is mentioned a few times in this book but please, even when cornflour is one of the ingredients of a recipe, and mixing it in is one of the steps, dont do it if youre already happy with the consistency of the sauce. Then just ignore that ingredient and step. The cornflour will not add anything to the taste of the meal; it will simply thicken the sauce, so only use when necessary.