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A classic Saturday braai

Lamb chops, boerewors, pap with chakalaka and braaibroodjies, with banana boats in the last of the coals. The braai most South Africans picture.

For 6 people · 5 dishes

Main · for 6

Meat

Karoo-style lamb chops

Thick lamb loin chops with salt, coriander and lemon, cooked fast over hot coals with the fat crisped first.

Hot coals 22 min

Main

Meat

Boerewors rolls with tomato smoor

A coil of boerewors cooked slowly over medium coals, served in rolls with a soft tomato and onion relish.

Medium coals 45 min

Side

Sides

Stywe pap with chakalaka

Firm maize porridge with a spicy relish of onion, peppers, carrot and beans. The side dish for any braai.

Medium coals 1 hr

Bread

Bread

Braaibroodjies

Grilled sandwiches of cheese, tomato, onion and chutney, toasted slowly over the last of the coals.

Low coals 25 min

Dessert · for 6

Dessert

Banana boats on the coals

Bananas split in the skin, stuffed with chocolate and marshmallows, wrapped in foil and warmed in the dying fire after the meat comes off.

Medium coals 17 min

This is the everyday South African braai: two meats, a pot of pap (stiff maize porridge) with chakalaka (a spicy vegetable relish), and braaibroodjies (toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches) from the grid. One two-zone fire gives the hot, medium and low coals they need. The lamb chops and banana boats are scaled up to 6, which gives 12 chops, two each. The recipe links below open at those amounts.

The day before

  • Make the chakalaka. It keeps for 5 days in the fridge and tastes better the day after.
  • Make the tomato smoor for the boerewors. It keeps for 4 days and is just as good on pap.

On the day

  • 2 hours before you eat: Light a wood fire. It takes 45 to 90 minutes to burn down to coals. With briquettes in a chimney starter, light them about 1 hour before you eat instead. See how long to let the fire burn.
  • 1 hour before: Rub the chops with the coriander, garlic and oil and leave them out of the fridge. Assemble the braaibroodjies and banana boats.
  • 45 minutes before: Start the pap. It steams for 30 minutes over very low heat on the stove or at the edge of the fire. Warm the chakalaka and smoor beside it.
  • 35 minutes before: Rake the coals into a two-zone fire, put the grid on for 5 minutes and brush it clean. Put the boerewors coil on over medium coals for 8 to 10 minutes a side.
  • 20 minutes before: Salt the chops and stand them on their fat edge over hot coals for 2 to 3 minutes, then lay them flat for 3 to 4 minutes a side. Lift the wors off to rest for 5 minutes.
  • 10 minutes before: Chops off to rest. Braaibroodjies go in a hinged grid over the low side for about 10 minutes, turned every minute or two. Toast the rolls for a minute.
  • After the meal: Put the banana boats at the edge of the fading fire for 10 to 14 minutes.

Make it easier

  • Check the wors with a thermometer: 71°C (160°F) in the thickest part.