Heritage Day, also known as National Braai Day, falls on 24 September and households across the country will be heading outdoors to braai their meal.
Take your grilling skills to the next level and get the best out of your chicken braai with these simple tips and recipes from the Granny Mouse Country House & Spa chefs.
Discover other braai recipes here and find out how to host a shishanyama.
cook it low and slow
Your coals should not be flaming at this point. Pick up a spatchcocked chicken (or do it yourself) – this allows the meat to cook more evenly. It also increases the surface area for that flavourful marinade (see recipe below)
cook it in the oven first
If you’re pressed for time or want to ensure your chicken is cooked through, cook your chicken in the oven first. Then you can finish it off on the braai so the chicken can char and crisp up nicely. This ensures your chicken is smoky, succulent and crispy at the same time.
marinade it
Chicken loves a marinade, a combination of olive oil, lemon juice and seasoning is really all you need. However, if you keen on making your own, here are a few of our favourites:
Super yummy marinade
Ingredients:
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar or honey
- 4 Tbsp Worcester sauce
- 2 Tbsp lemon or orange juice
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 sprigs rosemary, chopped
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
Method:
- Place all ingredients in a large Ziploc bag and add the chicken.
- Seal and leave to marinate in the fridge for an hour.
- Turn and shake it a few times while it is marinating.
- Some cuts, like wings, don’t necessarily require a marinade. Simply drizzle them with olive oil, season and braai until golden and cooked through.
- Serve with a hot sauce for dipping.
BBQ marinade and basting sauce
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp smoked Spanish paprika, toasted
- 1 Tbsp coriander seeds, toasted and ground
- 1 Tbsp garlic flakes, toasted
- 50g brown sugar
- ½ cup tomato purée
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp Worcester sauce
- 1 tsp Woolworths Lazy Kettle liquid smoke*
- 10g fresh thyme
Method:
- Use a mortar and pestle to grind the spices and sugar, then transfer to a cast-iron pan.
- Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Use as a marinade for chicken, ribs or pork rashers
- Alternatively, keep warm and bubbling on the fire and baste
- meat while you braai.
* Note: The liquid smoke is the secret weapon in this marinade. Feel free to add other spices – cloves and star anise also work really well – but remember not to salt your marinade as this could dehydrate the meat.
Braaied peri-peri chicken
Ingredients:
For the peri-peri sauce:
- 2 red onions, halved
- 2 red peppers, halved and seeded
- 1 head garlic, halved horizontally
- 8–10 bird’s-eye or Serrano chillies, chopped
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 3–4 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the chicken:
- 1 whole free-range chicken, spatchcocked
- ½ cup coconut milk
Method:
- To make the peri-peri sauce, place the onions, peppers and garlic on the braai over medium coals and cook, turning every 5 minutes, for 15 minutes or until softened.
- Remove the vegetables from the braai and cool slightly.
- Place the remaining ingredients in a blender with the cooled
- vegetables and blend until smooth.
- Transfer the sauce to a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Baste the chicken with half the peri-peri sauce and cook on the braai over medium coals for 45 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, until cooked through.
- Add the coconut milk to the remaining peri-peri sauce and simmer for 5 minutes to make a dipping sauce.
- Serve the chicken with sliced garlic bread and the dipping sauce.
