7 tips for hosting the perfect braai
Summer is here. And in South Africa, that means it’s braai season. It’s a great time. You get to sit outside with some of your favourite people and enjoy a delicious meal. Who doesn’t love a good braai? The thing is, you don’t want to throw just any braai, you want to host one that everyone talks about for weeks afterwards.
So, if you’re planning a braai anytime soon, here are seven tips to help you out.
Choose the date and time wisely
You obviously want people to be able to make your braai, so choose a time and day that work for most people. Weekends are usually the best choice, but in December it’s okay to have one on a weekday. Just think about the people who aren’t on leave and perhaps have it in the evening so they can join too.
Think carefully about the guestlist
You may just want to invite a bunch of your best friends over but you should put a bit more thought into your guestlist. You want to make sure that the people you invite get along and have fun together.
Check people’s dietary requirements beforehand
Check if anyone has any allergies or specific dietary requirements at least a few days before the braai. You don’t want to find out at the last minute that someone can’t eat an ingredient that’s in almost all the food.
Serve snacks well before the braai is ready
Snacks are great and everyone enjoys them but only serve them as people arrive or when you’ve just started the fire. You want people to be hungry by the time you serve the main meal.
Be creative with the salads
Plain salads are boring. You can have one for people who only want the basics, but there are loads of great salad recipes online that will leave your guests really impressed.
Remember that it’s all about the meat
This isn’t an ordinary braai so don’t just put some average meat on the fire. Go for quality cuts and look at weber braai recipes. Of course, if you’re going try something fancy and new, do a test run a few days before.
Clean up as you go along
Cleaning up is the worst part of entertaining. So, clean as you prepare the salads, serve the drinks and braai. Do the dishes as soon as everyone leaves so you don’t have to worry about it the next morning.