Frankie’s braai tips

Frankie Du Toit is the self-proclaimed braai master of Jacaranda FM. He will wield braai tongs happily given the chance, regardless of the weather. He shares his top braai tips with us, and lets us know how he made his Heritage Day extra amazing.

1. Always use marinade on your chops

Frankie is a huge believer in this one, and it’s his top tip to hosting the ultimate braai. What exactly you put in your marinade is up to you; some people like rosemary, lemon, and olive oil with salt and pepper. Some people prefer a barbecue- or fruit-based marinade. As for Frankie, he normally makes one up, but it always involves Mrs. Balls chutney and some Worcestershire sauce. For steak, he likes to just use salt and pepper. If you’re super organised, marinade your meat the night before. If not, try to get it on the meat for as long as possible. It’ll make the flavour better and the meat more tender.

2. Don’t skimp on the potato salad… and use his favourite secret ingredient

Frankie says that everybody knows potato salad is the perfect accompaniment for a braai. Salad is great, and nobody can refuse some garlic bread, but the potato salad is the crown jewel of side dishes. Use plenty of mayo, salt and pepper – and then to make it a little more delicious, add a bit of condensed milk.

3. Careful not to overdo it

With the exception of chicken (which in Frankie’s opinion, should never be done on the braai anyway) and pork bangers, pretty much all braai meat should be taken off as soon as possible. Nothing worse than tough, dry meat. Your steak is already dead, no need to kill it on the braai too!

4. Make sure you have cold beer on hand

Plenty of ice, a big fridge or cooler box, and a selection of your favourite local beers is a surefire way to keep guests happy even if the fire is taking ages or your marinade didn’t come out perfectly. Frankie’s favourites are Black Label and Castle Lite. Throw in some wine or cider for good balance too, and to keep the non-beer drinkers happy.