Tips

The braai tools you actually need

The short list of braai tools that do the real work, what to look for in each, the extras worth adding later, and what to leave in the shop.

You can braai with very little gear, but a few good tools make it safer and easier. This is the short list, what to check before you buy each one, and what you can skip.

The essentials

Long tongs

Tongs are the one tool you use for everything: turning meat, moving coals and lifting the grid lid. Look for:

• A length of 40 to 45 cm (16 to 18 inches), so your hand stays out of the heat.
• Stiff stainless steel that does not bend when you lift a whole chicken.
• A lock to keep them closed for storage, and ends with a slight scallop that grips without tearing.

Buy two pairs if you can. Keep one for raw meat and one for cooked.

Hinged grid (toeklap)

A hinged grid is two grids joined at one side that close around the food. You turn the whole grid at once, so chops, wors and fish all flip together and nothing falls through. Look for:

• Bars close enough together that a sausage cannot slip between them, about 1 cm (1/2 inch) apart.
• Adjustable depth, so it closes firmly on thin chops and on a thick flattie.
• Long handles that lock together, with wooden grips that stay cool.
• Stainless steel lasts longest. Mild steel works but must be dried and oiled after every use.

Grid brush or scraper

A dirty grid makes food stick. A scraper with a flat edge, a coiled-wire brush or a wooden scraper all clean without the risk of loose bristles. If you do use a wire bristle brush, replace it as soon as it starts to shed. See cleaning the braai grid.

Meat thermometer

A digital instant-read thermometer is the only sure way to know chicken is at 74°C (165°F) or boerewors at 71°C (160°F). Look for one that reads in 2 to 4 seconds, has a thin probe that leaves a small hole, and has a screen you can read in bright sun. The temperatures to aim for are in safe braai temperatures.

Fire gloves

You need gloves to move a hot grid, add wood, or lift a potjie lid. Choose leather or heat-resistant fabric that reaches past the wrist. Keep them dry. Wet gloves pass heat straight to your hands.

Chimney starter

A chimney starter is a steel tube with a grate inside. You fill it with charcoal or briquettes, light paper or a firelighter underneath, and the coals are ready in 15 to 20 minutes with no lighter fluid. Look for a heat shield on the handle and a size that holds enough for a full braai, about 2 to 3 kg (4 1/2 to 6 1/2 lb) of charcoal. You do not need one for a wood fire, but it is useful for topping up coals from the side.

Board and knife

Have a thick board that is big enough to rest and carve a whole flattie or a leg of lamb, ideally with a groove to catch juices. One good chef’s knife, kept sharp, does almost every job. Use a separate board for raw meat.

Add later

• A potjie. A three-legged cast-iron pot opens up stews, pap and bread. A No. 3 suits 6 to 8 people. Start with potjie basics.
• A fire rake or small shovel for spreading coals into hot and cool zones.
• A second, larger hinged grid for a butterflied fish or lamb.
• A basting brush with silicone bristles that do not melt or shed.
• A head torch for braais that run past dark.
• A grill cover if your braai lives outside.

What to skip

• Forks for turning meat. Every hole lets juice run out. Use tongs.
• Short tongs and plastic-handled sets that come in a case. The tools are often too short and too flimsy.
• Lighter fluid. It can taint the food and is not needed with a chimney or firelighters.
• Gadgets for one job, such as burger presses and branding irons, until you know you will use them.
• Grill mats on a wood braai. They stop the food from getting real coal heat.

Looking after your tools

Wash tongs and grids while they are still warm. Dry steel tools before storing them, and wipe mild steel with a little oil. Keep the thermometer probe clean between raw and cooked food. Good tools last for years if they are put away dry.