Q: BRAAI4HERITAGE – WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE THIS NOW COMMONLY KNOWN BRAND?
A: The idea is/was not to create a brand, but a national day of celebration. Some other leading nations of the world have national days of celebration and we did not/don't have one. The best example of a national day of celebration is StPatricks day of Ireland. Next step in thought process is that we have some religious and political holidays, and then we have one day, heritage day, that is actually designed to celebrate South Africa, and every part that combines to form South Africa. This day was really underutilised but I think we are getting there in terms of having active and inclusive celebrations on the day.
Q: HOW DID YOU SPEND THIS YEARS HERITAGE DAY?
A: I had a braai in Parkview with JR and Shugasmakx (Skwatta Kamp) at midnight. Then slept for a few hours after which I went to ETV studios for a live on-air braai during the morning news. From there to Soweto where we gave away 150 live sheep to the readers of Daily Sun and listeners of JoziFM. The police and SPCA was there to monitor that all went smoothly. Next stop was a mass braai in Edenvale, and from there to a Top Billing shoot and braai with my friend Jeannie D. (Last year she accompanied me on the whole whirlwind tour on the 24th). From there I went to a braai in Rivonia hosted by Gareth Cliff, who is an Braai4Heritage ambassador. By now it was late in the day, so I headed back to Soweto for a braai with few thousand people in Thokoza park hosted by JoziFM. (JoziFM is the community radio station of Soweto).
Q: DO YOU MARINATE YOUR MEAT, AND IF SO, WITH WHAT?
A: Usually not. Marinade tends to burn. I frequently braai meat as is, with no marinade and no spices or salt. When the meat is 75% done, I take it off and marinade and spice it, then it goes back on for the final 25%. In this way the marinade is warm and glazed, but it does not burn. The only reason to leave meat in marinade overnight is so that it would be less tough. But I think its easier to just buy meat that is not tough in the first place. Obviously there are exceptions and certain cuts or meals are fantastic when marinated and then braaied over slow heat.
Q: IF ITS RAINING, AND YOU HAD TO WHIP TOGETHER A DINNER FOR FRIENDS, WHAT WOULD YOU MAKE?
A: I would cook a curry. (But first choice is to braai under an umbrella, or to have a built in braai inside your house.
Q: WHAT DO YOU NEVER BRAAI, AND DON’T SAY YOUR PETS?
A: I don't like to braai pork loin chops, as they are invariably dry. Pork neck chops on the other hand are fantastic. Then I have never braaied a Texan/BlouBul steak. They are nice and big to look at, but I think they will be tough to eat. (As I type this answer my jaw literally just contracted by the thought of having to chew that thing). I am a massive fan of real home made braaibroodjies (cheese, onion, tomato, chutney between two slices of toaster bread), but I don't like those factory made braaibroodjies that look like little Portuguese rolls, have funny flavours like chili cheese & garlic and taste very artificial.
Q: MOST EMBARRASING BRAAI MOMENT?
A: I try to stick to a few basic principles, and that keeps the embarrassment level down. The following tips are all based on personal experiences of embarrassing myself:
Meat does not burn, its the marinade or spices, so if you spice it later, then you don't burn the meat. Every now and again I re-learn this. Then, running out of coals mid braai is embarrassing, so make more than enough fire (and make sure you have enough wood or charcoal do make enough fire). Overdone meat loses taste, so rather take it off too early, cut and look at the inside of one piece. That is much less of a crime that to overcook the meat. Most of all, buy quality meat from a butcher that you can trust. No matter how well you braai a steak, a piece of boerewors, a lamb chop, a snoek, if the meat was bad in the first place, it will taste bad.
Q: WHO WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO HAVE AT YOUR NEXT BRAAI?
A: All my friends
Q: WHATS THE STRANGEST THING YOU HAVE EVER BRAAIED?
A: Vegetarian patties
Q: WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THE WORDS “GOURMET BRAAI”?
A: Make every braai one. I think that South Africa is now liberated and democratic enough that you can braai what you want and how you want. So whatever idea you saw on the cooking channel, or on the menu of some pretentious overpriced restaurant, you can also try that at home on the braai.
Q: YOU MENTIONED TO ME THAT YOU DO NO LIKE THE TERM “BRAAI MASTER” - PLEASE ELABORATE.
A: Braai-Master, Braai-Off etc. These phrases all imply some measure of competition and the superiority of some over others. I don't think this the spirit of braaing. Everything that I said above is open for debate, and I am sure there are many guys that have other ways of doing it, and also arrive at great braaied results.
A: The idea is/was not to create a brand, but a national day of celebration. Some other leading nations of the world have national days of celebration and we did not/don't have one. The best example of a national day of celebration is StPatricks day of Ireland. Next step in thought process is that we have some religious and political holidays, and then we have one day, heritage day, that is actually designed to celebrate South Africa, and every part that combines to form South Africa. This day was really underutilised but I think we are getting there in terms of having active and inclusive celebrations on the day.
Q: HOW DID YOU SPEND THIS YEARS HERITAGE DAY?
A: I had a braai in Parkview with JR and Shugasmakx (Skwatta Kamp) at midnight. Then slept for a few hours after which I went to ETV studios for a live on-air braai during the morning news. From there to Soweto where we gave away 150 live sheep to the readers of Daily Sun and listeners of JoziFM. The police and SPCA was there to monitor that all went smoothly. Next stop was a mass braai in Edenvale, and from there to a Top Billing shoot and braai with my friend Jeannie D. (Last year she accompanied me on the whole whirlwind tour on the 24th). From there I went to a braai in Rivonia hosted by Gareth Cliff, who is an Braai4Heritage ambassador. By now it was late in the day, so I headed back to Soweto for a braai with few thousand people in Thokoza park hosted by JoziFM. (JoziFM is the community radio station of Soweto).
Q: DO YOU MARINATE YOUR MEAT, AND IF SO, WITH WHAT?
A: Usually not. Marinade tends to burn. I frequently braai meat as is, with no marinade and no spices or salt. When the meat is 75% done, I take it off and marinade and spice it, then it goes back on for the final 25%. In this way the marinade is warm and glazed, but it does not burn. The only reason to leave meat in marinade overnight is so that it would be less tough. But I think its easier to just buy meat that is not tough in the first place. Obviously there are exceptions and certain cuts or meals are fantastic when marinated and then braaied over slow heat.
Q: IF ITS RAINING, AND YOU HAD TO WHIP TOGETHER A DINNER FOR FRIENDS, WHAT WOULD YOU MAKE?
A: I would cook a curry. (But first choice is to braai under an umbrella, or to have a built in braai inside your house.
Q: WHAT DO YOU NEVER BRAAI, AND DON’T SAY YOUR PETS?
A: I don't like to braai pork loin chops, as they are invariably dry. Pork neck chops on the other hand are fantastic. Then I have never braaied a Texan/BlouBul steak. They are nice and big to look at, but I think they will be tough to eat. (As I type this answer my jaw literally just contracted by the thought of having to chew that thing). I am a massive fan of real home made braaibroodjies (cheese, onion, tomato, chutney between two slices of toaster bread), but I don't like those factory made braaibroodjies that look like little Portuguese rolls, have funny flavours like chili cheese & garlic and taste very artificial.
Q: MOST EMBARRASING BRAAI MOMENT?
A: I try to stick to a few basic principles, and that keeps the embarrassment level down. The following tips are all based on personal experiences of embarrassing myself:
Meat does not burn, its the marinade or spices, so if you spice it later, then you don't burn the meat. Every now and again I re-learn this. Then, running out of coals mid braai is embarrassing, so make more than enough fire (and make sure you have enough wood or charcoal do make enough fire). Overdone meat loses taste, so rather take it off too early, cut and look at the inside of one piece. That is much less of a crime that to overcook the meat. Most of all, buy quality meat from a butcher that you can trust. No matter how well you braai a steak, a piece of boerewors, a lamb chop, a snoek, if the meat was bad in the first place, it will taste bad.
Q: WHO WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO HAVE AT YOUR NEXT BRAAI?
A: All my friends
Q: WHATS THE STRANGEST THING YOU HAVE EVER BRAAIED?
A: Vegetarian patties
Q: WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THE WORDS “GOURMET BRAAI”?
A: Make every braai one. I think that South Africa is now liberated and democratic enough that you can braai what you want and how you want. So whatever idea you saw on the cooking channel, or on the menu of some pretentious overpriced restaurant, you can also try that at home on the braai.
Q: YOU MENTIONED TO ME THAT YOU DO NO LIKE THE TERM “BRAAI MASTER” - PLEASE ELABORATE.
A: Braai-Master, Braai-Off etc. These phrases all imply some measure of competition and the superiority of some over others. I don't think this the spirit of braaing. Everything that I said above is open for debate, and I am sure there are many guys that have other ways of doing it, and also arrive at great braaied results.
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