This guide will take you through everything you need to know about a braai; from the perfect time to start, what type of food can be prepared on it and the various methods of braaing. Pap – In South Africa, pap is also called mieliepap, which is maize porridge that’s traditionally enjoyed with marinated meats or as a side dish at a braai. An old German barbecue-style food is the Mutzbraten (pork shoulder) in Saxony and Thuringia, a fist-sized piece of pork with a strong, dry marinade with marjoram, pepper and salt, cooked and smoked over pieces of birch wood. It is usually served with rye-wheat bread, sauerkraut and mustard. Dummitt, Chris (1998). "Finding a Place for Father: Selling the Barbecue in Post-war Canada" (PDF). Vol. 9, No. 1. Journal of the Canadian Historical Association. pp.209–223 . Retrieved 5 December 2012.

A braai is a social occasion: friends, family and neighbours might come over. It’s all about the meat, the fire and the vibe.’ Photograph: Edwin Remsberg/Getty Images Some types of vegetables may be grilled alongside the meat, most commonly green onions, bell peppers and chile peppers, commonly referred to in Mexico as chiles toreados, or "bullfight chiles". In recent times, barbecue cook-off competitions have started to take place in the British Isles, similar to those held in the United States, Canada, continental Europe, and Australia. Some competitions allow teams, as well as individuals from various countries, to compete against each other.

Braai Tools

Breakfast is another popular meal prepared on the barbecue, which generally consists of the items served in a full breakfast (bacon, eggs, sausages, tomato, mushrooms) being cooked on a hot plate and/or grill. US-style barbecuing, or smoking, as opposed to the traditional grilling techniques, is becoming increasingly popular. The cooking customs of the indigenous peoples of Polynesia became the traditional Hawaiian barbecue of kalua in an underground oven called an imu, and the lūʻau, of the Native Hawaiians. It was brought to international attention by 20th-century tourism to the Hawaiian islands. The asado al horno de barro differs from traditional asado, as an horno (adobe oven) is used. These primitive ovens are a common view in Argentine estancias, and their primary function is to bake bread, but they are well suited for roasting meat.

Foods cooked include beef, lamb, pork, fresh fish, crayfish, shellfish, and vegetables. Sausages are a popular and demanded element of barbecues and, as in Australia, sausage sizzles are one of the most common forms of fundraiser. Under the new Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 2020 that will apply in England from 1 May 2021, woodfuel sold in volumes under 2m3 will need to be certified as Ready to Burn. The new regulations aim to prevent harmful pollution from domestic burning of all solid fuels by ensuring wood sold in volumes of under 2m3is certified as having a moisture content of 20% or less. Customers buying loose wood in quantities of 2m3 or more must be advised on how to store and season the fuel. This will give them confidence that the wood they are burning is suitably dry before use. As in the United States, barbecue cook-off competitions are quite common. Barbecue cookouts, either pit-smoking, baking, grilling (charbroiling or griddling), or braising (by putting a broth-filled pot on top of a charbroil-grill) may also be combined with picnics.Streissguth, Thomas (2003). Brazil in pictures. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications. p.54. ISBN 0-8225-1959-3. In Mexico the horno is a traditional earthen barbecue tradition. Carne asada (literally meaning "roasted meat") consists of marinated cuts of beef rubbed with salt and pepper, and then grilled. Normally, it is accompanied with tortillas and grilled onions and bell peppers as well. This dish is now extremely popular in the entire country; although it is widely believed to have originated in the northern part of Mexico, it is now found almost everywhere in Mexico and the southwestern United States. Mu kratha is an cooking method that originated in Thailand, In Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia, it is known as mookata. [18] No need to add charcoal with this superb cooking wood, just get the fire going! It will create plenty of hot coals in approximately 1 hour. Clean burning – Allow the coals to last longer to cook the meat well. It also lessens the amount of smoke during your braai.