Come on baby… light his fire!

There is one thing every man loves to do, and that is braai.

From the beginning of time the braai stand has been the place where testosterone is felt the strongest – hardcore discussions take place around those flames, ladies.

Now, on Mother’s Day the guys presumably went all out to let the ladies keep their feet up.

The least you can do is not worry about your mani for one day and venture where no woman has ventured before: the braai.

Give your dad a break and surprise him with a perfectly braai-ed steak on Sunday, following our fool proof Girls’ Guide to Braaivleis!

1. Get meaty

Your first port of call is buying a good, thick slab of red meat. Do not be shy to ask questions. You want steak that has been matured for around 25 days and is about 3cm thick. Stick to sirloin, rump or rib eye. Allow the butcher to marinate your steak for you. This is one less headache for you and your nails will not get stained with the juices.

2. Get prepared

Mix up some coarse sea salt and black peppercorns and throw it onto your steak 15 to 20 minutes before you want to braai.

3. Get hot

If your fire is not carefully controlled your steak is sunk before you have even started. Once you have lit the coal make sure you see it covered with white ash before you begin. Hover your palm about 10cm over the grill for about three seconds to gauge the warmth.

4. Get cooking

Use tongs to pick up your steak if raw meat freaks you out. If it does not (or you just want to impress your guy) use your hands to throw it onto the middle of your grill. To cook your steak through medium rare: double the thickness and cook on each side for that amount of time. If your steak is 3cm thick, you should allow six minutes cooking time per side. If you like your steak well done, leave it on for longer but do not burn it. If you see crispy black particles, take it off.

5. Get pretty

The last step. You can now do what you do best: pretty it up. Steak’s best friends are usually some smooth mash, grilled veggies (if you are feeling adventurous enough to stick around the braai a bit longer) and relish. If your dad is a bit more traditional, serve up some egg and chips.