The Complete Braai Guide
For Australians — what it is, how to do it, and why it is better
A braai is not a BBQ. That is the first thing to understand. An Australian BBQ is a cooking method. A South African braai is a cultural event, a social ritual, and a philosophy of how to spend time with people you care about. The food happens to be extraordinary, but the food is not the point.
What is a Braai?
The word braai comes from Afrikaans — short for braaivleis, which translates roughly as 'grilled meat'. But the meaning of braai in South African culture extends far beyond the translation. A braai is the ritual of building a fire from scratch, waiting patiently for the coals to reach the right temperature, and cooking meat slowly over that fire while standing around it with the people you love. It happens on Sundays, at birthdays, at funerals, on random Tuesday evenings. Any occasion is a braai occasion.
The defining difference between a braai and a BBQ is the fire. A braai uses real wood and charcoal — built from scratch, tended carefully, and waited for. There are no gas flames, no lighter fluid, no instant results. The patience is part of the process. The food that comes off a proper braai fire tastes like nothing you can produce any other way.
How to Build a Braai Fire — Step by Step
Build the fire
Start with crumpled newspaper at the base. Stack dry kindling over the newspaper in a loose pyramid. Place your charcoal or hardwood over the kindling. Light the newspaper in two or three places. Do not use lighter fluid — it flavours the food.
Wait for the coals
This takes 30 to 45 minutes. The fire will burn brightly, then calm, then the coals will develop a layer of white ash. White ash on grey coals is the signal. Do not put food on the braai while there are still open flames — the outside will burn before the inside cooks.
Control the heat
A braai is a two-zone fire. High heat on one side for searing and colour. Lower heat on the other side for cooking through without burning. Move meat between the zones as needed.
The peri-peri rule
Apply your peri-peri sauce in the last 10 to 15 minutes only. The sugars in the sauce caramelise and build a crust over those final minutes. Applied too early, they burn. Applied correctly, they create the glossy, charred exterior that makes braai chicken what it is.
What to Cook at a Braai
The Only Sauce You Need at a Braai
STOKE Peri-Peri Smoked Sauce was built for exactly this. The fire-roasted capsicum gives it the braai character. The roasted garlic gives it the depth. The pickled chilli gives it the edge that keeps people reaching for more.
Use it as the marinade overnight and again at the table when the food is served. That is the braai way.
Get STOKE for your next braai.
Made from scratch in Sydney. $8.99 a bottle, shipped Australia-wide.
ORDER NOW — $8.99New to STOKE? Read our brand story or learn how to use it.