A braai (barbeque) is a South African pastime/ tradition. Essentially it is "grilling" meat & a variety of other food types outdoors above a fire that is normally made by using wood, charcoal or a combination of both. There is however a lot more involved in a braai.....
There are some people here that do it on gas cookers/ grillers but most die hard "braaiers" jokingly mock them saying that is a quick "barbie" without the true "gees" (feeling/ experience) and I have to agree.....
A couple differences are....
A braai generally lasts a few hours or often longer due to the wood having to burn down to create coals of a temperature that can be cooked on as opposed to cooking a few burgers on a barbeque as you light it.
The type of wood used for the braai definately enriches the meat with different flavours.
A braai is predominately a longish social event involving family or friends with liquids and snacks flowing in the long period before cooked food will be served.
The burning fire is the centre of attention with everyone standing around the mesmerizing "tv flames" sharing stories, banter, jokes or debate on the sports game that might have just been watched on television. This in itself creates a great bond and memory across many divides.
One of the most popular team sports in South Africa is rugby and watching a top tier game on television with friends or family combined with a braai after/ during or before is a South African institution.
Yesterday the Springboks (SA) beat the All Blacks (New Zealand) and this was huge here as they have always been arch rivals and both are normally right up in the top power house positions of international rugby (fairly amazing considering size of country, finances etc in both compared to some of the other powerhouses.....subject for another blog.)
Anyway, the game was yesterday and this afternoon six of us & the fur kids met for a family braai....close enough timing of both lol.
One also needs to know that that there are strong unwritten rules and etiquette that are involved with a braai. In some occasions the transgression of overstepping these can involve downing fire liquid that will make you want headache tablets the next morning along with chirps from the rest of the crowd.....
There is always a braaimaster (normally the host) and he/she is the "General" in the making & method used of making the fire and cooking it with his/ her selected utensils ...... one does not simply add one's fingers in any of these without retribution unless specifically asked to do so.
Types of meat often cooked range from boerewors "farmers sausage in a simple translation", chicken, lamb, game meat etc or a combination. For today's one we had boerewors, chicken and lamb.
Seafood braais often happen too where a type/s of fish, crayfish or prawns or a combination are cooked on the coals,
There is also no shortage of ideas & recipes that happen for vegetarian braai's.
Often sides like mielies (corn on the cob), potatoes, onions etc are cooked above or in the coals in foil. Another big tradition is braaibroodjies (essentially a toasted sandwich) done over the coals as part of the meal with cheese, tomato & onion or any choice of filling.
Meat is often left overnight before in a marinade of various sorts or one is basted over the meat/ vegetables as they cook in order to add flavour.
Due to everything taking time before the actual meal is served, snacks of any form are often served during the chatting/ bantering & bonding while the process leading to the meal happens. For ours we simply had potato & nachos crisps with dip.
Things served with the fire grilled food can include a multitude of ideas or possibilities. We had potato salad, garlic bread and a green salad with ours today.
Some of the vultures dished up before I could take a photo but this was the end result of what we had for supper.
As another beautiful African sky set behind Muizenberg mountain I rolled out of my sisters' garden after over eating but with a warm smile on my face and a lifelong memory of another braai.
All photos used were taken by myself
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Here we use the term barbecue for what you call braai. A gathering with lots of grilled food, family and friends, laughter, conversation, and sometimes a sports match to watch on TV. I love them.
I hope you had a great weekend :)
That is awesome and they really are good fun :)
Thanks, it was a good weekend and I hope yours was too :)
Mine was nice too, thank you 😄
That is great 😀
hi coqui!!!!! hehehhee 🥰❤️😍
Hi Dreemie 😍🤗😘
I haven't disappeared, hehe. I'm only a bit busy and stressed these days. In a month, my son is going to university abroad ;) But you'll have me back soon in Dreemport. I miss you 😘🤗
if you disappeared....I would come find you and undissappear you hahahhahaha
you know how I feel about schedules!!! family needs our attention first and then the other stuff follows.hehehe that is something that @bluefinstudios has said over and over in our channel, and we absolutely align with that! hehehe family first!
so take care of that boy of yours hehehe and make sure he is prepared for this next era of his life! then ...when you're ready....come back to Dreem with us hahaha
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Great, thanks a lot @pinmapple.
the last picture looks like it was from a movie set!
it is SO drop dead gorgeous!!!!!
and it's settled
I'm coming tomorrow.
please have a braai planned for me hahahahhahaha
this just looks so fun!!!
The view is what I have from my garden everyday of the Muizenberg mountain.....unless it is raining and cloudy like today blegh hehe.
Jump on your pony and I will light the fire so long 🔥💃😅
you should take a picture for me now while it's raining too ..
make it looks brooding and mysterious heheheh
I bet you can be super creative and make it spectacular!!!!
rain is so special!!! hehe
Your wish is my command hehe.
The rain has stopped for the moment and the mist has lifted but I took this one for you now and made it a bit moody 😅☺️
this is. fabulous.....see how much magic is still there??
and even more so maybe hehehe
just more mysterious and waiting to b discovered
thank you for this!
I seriously want to see these places with my own eyes. hehehe did you ever feel that way? that something important is there for you? hehehe
it's like a moment where the Author of life speaks directly to a character....breaking the fourth wall heehe and says... "see this? pay attention to this. it will be important later." 😊
Whoah......you just put the needed words into this Mouse's silent mouth and hit the nail on the head.
In the deep southern area of the peninsula that I live in there is a beyond beautiful coastal route (in my eyes) that is about 50 kms from home & back that passes mountain on one direct side and the ocean on the other direct side. I have driven this thousands of times for pleasure and will never tire of the new experiences every time ❤️ Hopefully will get to show a bit of this in posts in the future :)
Lekker @stevemuis! The Braai is something that a lot of us talk about on Hive. It is such a central social gathering and why not blog about it on Hive?
I am fairly certain my first braai post I explained all the ins and outs of the braai. What is lekker is that we now tend to host braais with several Hive people in the braai all at once the social aspect of Hive gets added into it and everything just becomes so real for us.
SA culture, Hive culture, if you make you home in one, then the other one can set up that home in the other! Why not?
That sounds awesome and a hive/saffa braai must definately be a legendary memory!
I have a feeling that we shall have them together sometime!
Sounds great and count me in :)