The South African Braai

After I finished high school, I took a year off to travel and do mission work all over the world with a missions group. I had no idea this adventure would find me crouching in the lifeless Kalahari Desert of Botswana, Africa, helping to build a children’s playground. The taskmaster of this particular operation was a man from South Africa who was a couple years older than me and the girls on my team. Drikus was volunteering his time to build playgrounds in the Southern Kalahari. He looked mildly like Kristoff from Frozen, and was just as tough on the outside and kind on the inside. But let’s just say he worked us pretty hard and if I ever see rust on a seesaw again, I might have an aneurysm.

One day he took pity on the members of my team and asked if we would like to come over that night for a "braai." Because of our severe (and at times frightening) lack of social interaction and good food over the past months, we accepted. He said to walk over to where he was staying at dusk with a few tomatoes, two loaves of bread, and all the cheese and onions we had. Obviously, we had no idea what to expect.

It turned out to be one of the most memorable nights of my life. It was a night of enchanting conversation, new discoveries, and the sort of happy satisfaction that comes after a night spent with good friends and family. I swore after that evening I would be instating mandatory braais back home. And believe me, you’ll want to as well. So here’s how to throw a proper South African braai that will have all your friends and family talking.

Step one: Starting the fire.

Like most successful gatherings, this one starts at dusk with a fire. A little background music never hurts either. (South Africans love their Mumford!)

Step two: Rolling out the snacks.

Dinner at a braii starts when the fire has simmered down enough to be cooked over. Hence, you’re going to have some pretty hangry partygoers if you don’t give them something to munch on.

Step three: Talking and playing games.

Unlike so many American gatherings today, South Africans don’t sit around the campfire and take artsy pictures to post on the Insta. These tradition-rooted people are deeply religious about spending quality time with their loved ones. Challenge your friends and family to a no-media night! In the Kalahari we talked about cultural differences, got to know each other better, and played a South African rhythm game very similar to “signs” and “big booty,” among other things.

Step Four: The Braai Bread

At our braai, we had two different rounds of bread. The first round was essentially just grilled cheese. You can use whatever cheese you want, butter the outsides of whatever bread you want to use, and throw it on the braai. Again, since we were living in the desert, we were using bread we had made from scratch and whatever cheese could stay unrefrigerated for the longest. The next round of braai bread was a little more complex, featuring cheese, tomatoes, and onions. There are plenty of recipes I’m sure you can find online for a more “gourmet” braai bread, but that is the general outline of it.

Step Five: The Meat.

What is a Southern African meal without some type of meat? In SA, lamb is the meat of choice, but any red meat will do. It’s also not a South African braai if there’s not sausage over the fire. Cooking the meat is typically an honor for the man of the house, just as grilling out is in America.

Step Six: The Singing, dancing, and general running around.

Yup, you read that right. South Africans are a two-stepping, music and nature-loving bunch. Our after-dinner braai activities in the desert included teaching our new friend to star tip, singing along with the guitar around the fire, and attempting to understand the South African two-step. It almost felt liberating to be in a social setting with people who are all around their early 20’s and just be able to run, jump and play like children. Be the one who steps outside the box and suggests a game of red rover or something similar. Deep down inside, you know everyone wants to.

Step Seven: The watching the fire die.

A braai can be an incredible summer night. As you and your friends/family watch the fire die out and realize the night is coming to a close, it’s an experience in itself to sit and revel in the moment of good company and great memories.

So whether you’re looking for a quiet night with family and loved ones, or you’re trying to throw the event of the summer, instituting the South African braai is not only an entertaining experience, but also a deeply cultural one. I’m certain your friends and family will enjoy the change in routine and love the new experience!

Comment below if your family has tried this and let me know how it goes!

Enjoy!