SEPTEMBER 2019 179
meat, have added to the joy of having a braai”. Ruan Basson,
head of marketing and media relations at Calore Sustainable
Energy, says: “The latest innovation to the South African braai
market is a combination ceramic grill and pizza ovens called
kamados, which are incredibly popular worldwide.” Home
Fires director Rudie Scheepers says, “South Africans have
discovered the relative ease and speed of gas braais. A combo
braai combines the best of both worlds and they have become
one of our bestselling braai options. Another trend we are
seeing more of lately is people looking to install a pizza oven
next to their braai, including freestanding braais that work with
a chimney installed on a patio.”CHOOSE YOUR FUEL
Ever wondered if the type of fuel you choose, i.e. wood, gas
or charcoal, can alter the taste of your braai meat? Scheepers
of Home Fires says, “While it is true that different types of
wood and charcoal add slightly different flavours to the meat
when braaiing, it is not to say that meat grilled on a gas grill will
taste bad. Keep in mind that most restaurants and steakhouses
grill their meat on gas. That is one of the reasons that combo
braais are becoming popular – they give the choice of a quick
gas-grilled braai or a more traditional wood/charcoal braai with
the opportunity to experiment with different flavours from
different types of wood or charcoal.” Ashna Roopal of Big
Green Egg strongly disagrees: “You may as well be smothering
your delicious steak with engine oil if choosing to use gas.
Briquettes are full of additives and chemicals. Natural lump
wood charcoal is the only thing that should be used to braai.TIPS
“Make sure your braai can grill, roast, smoke and bake.”- Ashna Roopal, Big Green Egg
“Choose a braai where you can reuse the charcoal – i.e.
ceramic – for heat retention.” – Ashna Roopal, Big Green Egg
“Ask what grade steel the braai in question is, as well as if
there are spares available for it in the future.” - David Fanner, Chad-O-Chef
Thecharcoalusedmustbea neutral flavour and flavour can be
added with wood chips. Cooking with gas is not braaiing. The
very definition of a braai is to grill meat over an open fire. Wood/
charcoal is therefore a more favourable option, especially for
those who care about carbon emissions.”FREESTANDING VS BUILT-IN
“Freestanding is a more favourable option as it allows you to
move around at your convenience; however, some customers
prefer their built-in systems. The Big Green Egg provides
both options to cater for either preference, and with the new
Big Green Egg Modular Nest System you can have the best
of both worlds,” says Roopal. Scheepers of Home Fires
agrees: “I personally prefer the freestanding braai as it can be
installed indoors, enabling excellent entertainment regardless
of the weather conditions.” Basson of Calore says: “Both
freestanding and built-in braai options have their own pros and
cons. It really comes down to what the user prefers. Built-in
units will still require eventual replacement that may be costly.”OUTDOOR KITCHENS
“Outdoor kitchens are on the rise. We have the perfect
climate in South Africa for being outdoors, and with the hustle
and bustle of life in an emerging market, we need a sanctuary
to relax and rejuvenate. South African ‘stoep culture’ is a
growing trend and is proving to be one we really splash out
on,” says Fanner of Chad-O-Chef. Scheepers suggests three
must-haves for an outdoor kitchen. Firstly he suggests having
a braai stand, whether built-in or freestanding, gas or wood.
“Secondly, no outdoor kitchen should be without a washbasin.
And lastly a pizza oven, and for my preference a wood-burning
one, although a gas one will do as well.” With thanks to Big Green Egg, Calore Sustainable Energy,
Big Green EggChad-O-Chef – Lifestyle Products and Home FiresKamado Calore