The South African Braai: A Guide to South Africa’s Favourite Food Tradition

No trip to South Africa, and certainly no safari, is complete without a South African braai. The word (it rhymes with “dry”) means cooking over an open fire, but a braai is much more than a barbecue. It’s the country’s favourite way to socialise: friends and family gathered around the fire, drinks in hand, sharing stories while the coals do their work.

What makes a braai different from a barbecue?

The word comes from the Afrikaans braaivleis, meaning “grilled meat”, but the tradition has been embraced by every culture in South Africa. A few things set it apart:

• Wood or charcoal, never gas: purists cook over hardwood coals, which add flavour.
• Time is part of the ritual: lighting the fire and waiting for perfect coals is a social event in itself.
• It’s an occasion: a braai can last all afternoon and into the evening.

Classic South African braai food

Boerewors

The star of almost every braai: a coiled, coarsely ground, spiced beef sausage (often mixed with pork or lamb), flavoured with coriander.

Chops, steak and sosaties

Lamb chops, thick steaks and sosaties (marinated kebabs, often with apricot and onion) are all braai staples.

Pap and sauce

Pap is a maize-meal porridge, similar to polenta, served firm or crumbly (putu) with a tomato-and-onion relish known as sheba or smoor.

Braaibroodjies

Toasted sandwiches of cheese, tomato and onion grilled over the coals. Many South Africans will tell you they’re the best part.

Potjiekos

A slow-cooked stew made in a three-legged cast-iron pot (potjie) set over the coals, with layers of meat, vegetables and spices that are traditionally left unstirred.

Snoek and seafood

On the West Coast and around Cape Town, grilled snoek basted with apricot jam is a local favourite.

Braai etiquette for visitors

• The person tending the fire (the braaier) is in charge. Offer help, but don’t take over.
• Bring something to share: meat, a salad or drinks.
• Expect to eat later than planned, because good coals can’t be rushed.

National Braai Day

South Africa’s Heritage Day on 24 September celebrates the country’s many cultures. It’s popularly known as National Braai Day, and families across the country light fires to mark it.

The safari boma braai

Many safari lodges end the day with a braai in a boma, an open-air enclosure lit by a fire and lanterns. Expect venison, beef and lamb grilled over coals, vegetables roasted in the embers, pap and fresh salads, all under the stars to the sound of the bush. It’s one of the highlights of a stay at lodges such as Sabi Sabi.

A tradition with ancient roots

Cooking over fire may be the oldest culinary tradition of all. Scientists believe our early human ancestors in Africa were using fire to cook food hundreds of thousands of years ago, so the braai is arguably where it all began.

South African braai FAQ

How do you pronounce braai?

It rhymes with “dry”: br-eye.

What do South Africans drink at a braai?

Local beer, South African wine (a Cape Pinotage or Chenin Blanc is a classic choice) and brandy with cola are all popular.

Where can visitors experience a braai?

At safari lodges, wine estates, guesthouses and restaurants across the country, or with South African friends, who rarely need an excuse to light the fire.

Hungry for more? Explore our food and wine guides and the Cape Winelands.