Take the heat out of the kitchen this festive season and cook your main course on a braai outside.
ON THE MENU
Butterfly lamb with cherry glaze
Slow roast pork belly
Roast beef
Peri peri duck
Brined turkey with stuffing skewers
BUTTERFLY LAMB WITH CHERRY GLAZE
Serves 6-8
1.8kg deboned leg of lamb
60ml balsamic vinegar
15ml chopped garlic
15ml wholegrain mustard
45ml black cherry jam
15ml olive oil
45ml chopped thyme
45ml chopped rosemary
salt and pepper
fresh cherries for garnishing
roasted shallots and carrots to serve
Place the lamb in a strong plastic bag.
Combine the balsamic vinegar, garlic, mustard, jam, olive oil, herbs and seasoning and mix well.
Pour over the lamb and massage into the meat. Set aside to marinate for a few hours or overnight.
When ready to cook, bring the meat to room temperature. Prepare an indirect heat in a covered braai.
Place the meat in a disposable container and roast, basting frequently with the marinade, for 45-50 minutes or until the desired doneness.
Remove from the braai, cover with foil and rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh cherries and serve with roasted shallots and carrots if desired.
Place the remaining marinade in a small pot and bring to the boil. Simmer until thickened. Serve with the sliced meat.
SLOW ROAST PORK BELLY
Serves 6-8
500g baby onions, peeled and halved
4 apples, peeled, cored and quartered
30ml brown sugar
30ml honey
45ml olive oil
125ml chicken stock
30ml fresh thyme leaves
2kg pork belly
20ml sugar
10ml paprika
10ml fennel seeds
15ml ground cumin
5ml garlic salt
salt and pepper
Place the onions and apples in a heatproof or tinfoil dish.
Mix together the brown sugar, honey, olive oil, stock and thyme and pour over the onions and apples.
Score the fat of the pork belly with a sharp knife in a diamond pattern.
Mix together the sugar, paprika, fennel seeds, cumin, garlic salt, salt and pepper.
Place the pork skin-side down on a cutting board and rub the sugar mixture evenly onto the meat, leaving the skin free.
Rub the skin with coarse salt.
Place the pork skin-side up on top of the onions and apples.
Prepare the braai for indirect method with the coals moved to either side.
Roast the pork for 2-3 hours with the lid on, checking occasionally. Add more liquid to the onions and apples if necessary to prevent burning.
Once cooked, place the pork under the grill for a few minutes to crisp up the crackling.
ROAST BEEF
2.3kg topside beef roast
60ml wholegrain mustard
30ml brown sugar
30ml olive oil
salt and pepper
250g streaky bacon or pancetta
SAUCE
60ml crème fraîche
15-20ml horseradish sauce
30ml chopped chives
Place the beef in a disposable roasting pan.
Combine the mustard, brown sugar, oil and seasoning and mix well. Rub this into the roast.
Place slices of bacon or pancetta over the roast. Secure with toothpicks.
Place in the covered braai and cook over indirect heat for about two hours or until cooked to the desired doneness.
Remove from the coals and cover with foil to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Serve with roasted beetroot and hasselback potatoes if desired.
SAUCE: Combine all the ingredients and mix.
PERI PERI DUCK
Serves 4
1.8kg whole duck
60ml olive oil
zest and juice of 2 lemons
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
125ml peri peri sauce
30ml brown sugar
salt and pepper
Place the duck in a deep dish or strong plastic bag.
Combine all the ingredients together, pour over the duck, refrigerate and marinate overnight.
Remove the duck from the marinade, lay breast-side up in a foil container and roast in a preheated gas braai or on the braai using the indirect method.
Baste frequently with the leftover marinade.
Pour off the fat half-way through cooking and use to make roast potatoes.
Remove the duck, cover with tinfoil and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with crispy roast potatoes.
BRINED TURKEY WITH STUFFING SKEWERS
Serves 8-10
BRINE
2-3 litres of cold water
250ml salt
250ml sugar
2 oranges, sliced
15ml black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
30ml coriander seeds
15ml caraway seeds
a few whole cloves
30ml allspice berries
a few sprigs of rosemary
a handful of fresh thyme
TURKEY
1 medium turkey
100g butter
45ml Moroccan spice rub
salt and pepper
STUFFING BALL SKEWERS
500g pork sausages
500g pork mince
1 onion, finely chopped
5ml chopped garlic
250ml breadcrumbs
60ml chopped fresh sage
salt and pepper
250g streaky bacon
BRINE: Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Add the turkey, making sure it is submerged (add extra water if necessary). Cover, refrigerate and leave overnight.
The next day, rinse the turkey well and pat dry. Spatchcock the turkey by removing the back bone. This will help the turkey cook quicker.
TURKEY: Combine the butter, spice rub and seasoning and mix well. Smother the turkey with the butter.
Place in a disposable roasting tray and cook over an indirect heat for 2 hours or until the juices run clear when the turkey is pierced at the thickest part.
Keep basting with the pan juices during the cooking time.
Remove and set aside covered for 10 minutes before carving.
STUFFING BALLS: In a bowl, squeeze out the sausage meat from their casings and mix with the pork mince, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs and sage.
Season with salt and pepper and mix together well.
Make into balls and wrap each in a piece of bacon.
Place on a baking tray and bake at 180C for 10-15 minutes, until cooked.
Place on skewers and serve with the turkey.
NOTE: The stuffing balls can also be cooked over the coals.