Sizzling braai tips for summer

October signals the arrival of summer and South Africans welcome the warmer months as we now can entertain outdoors.

One way to enjoy the sunshine Mzansi style is by lighting up the coals and preparing an all South African original classic – the braai.

“Other than sport, food definitely is one way of bringing people together,” says Silverstar’s Marketing Manager, Sanele Ntombela.

The warmer weather and longer days provide the perfect opportunity to entertain friends and family al fresco.

“Although getting together at the braai can be lots of fun, one also needs to be mindful of safety,” Sanele emphasises.

“Don’t leave an open fire unattended, and don’t leave unaccompanied minors at the fire. It’s also a good idea to follow the instructions of all fire ignition devices carefully and to have a first-aid kit on hand in the event of an accident,” adds Sanele.

Now that you have the safety aspect of outdoor entertaining taken care of, you can start your quest to becoming a braai master. Silverstar’s Executive Chef, George Georgiou shares some tantalising tips to wow while entertaining during the warmer months.

• Clean your grid before each braai instead of after – leaving the fat from previous use will protect the grill from the elements. Chef George recommends using a stainless steel grid as this prevents rust. You can use an onion cut in half to clean the grid, rub it over the grill while it’s warm.

• Don’t freeze your meat, ice crystals form in the muscle of the meat which results in the meat being less juicy when cooked. As an alternative George suggests taking your meat out of the refrigerator an hour before braaing – this makes the meat easier to braai throughout and can aid in avoiding burning the meat on the outside.

• Don’t prod and poke the meat – especially wors. This results in a loss of some of the juices of the meat, instead use a set of tongs to turn your meat.

• Once cooked allow your meat to rest – this is especially important for steaks as it allows the steak’s natural juices to settle. To add onto this it’s also best to cut meat only once you’re ready to serve it.

• If your fire is too hot when cooking wors increase the frequency with which you turn the wors as this will reduce the risk of it burning.

• To remove burnt sauce from a braai grid, cut a lemon in half and rub it over the affected area while the grid is still warm.

• If you’re braaing fish, smear a salt paste on the grid of the braai to prevent the fish from sticking.

• If you have to marinate your meat, use a dry rub instead of one with lots of oil.

• Squeezing lemon juice onto your meat while braaing tenderises it and adds flavour.

• Use a higher heat for preparing steaks and chops. Chef George recommends sealing both sides so that you seal the juices inside the meat, and then braai further until cooked.

“If you prefer to take the day off and to spoil family and friends with a first-class restaurant meal, try one of our eateries for a fun and relaxing day away from home,” says Sanele.

“Although we currently are undergoing development that will see us increase our entertainment offerings, it’s still business as usual for our existing eateries,” she says.

In preparation for braai season, Silverstar invited a few journalists from local publications to get one-on-one tips and tricks from Executive Chef George Georgiou, who demonstrated how to sizzle a burger to perfection on the grill.

The winner of the challenge – editor of the NEWS, Janine Viljoen – created a Cheese-of-the-day burger that will be on the menu at Silverstar’s Black Cherry restaurant for one month.

For more information contact Silverstar on 011 662 7300 or visit www.silverstarcasino.co.za for the contact details of the eateries mentioned above.