Reuben Riffel's hacks will make you a better braai master

The celeb chef shares tips that’ll turn you on to smarter way of cooking over the coals

BLUNT-EDGED TONGS ARE BEST

You have little control over tongs with sharp or serrated edges and are likely to pop your wors or mangle meat. I favour a simple wooden handled steel tong with clamshell-like pincers available from most supermarkets.

DITCH THE BASTING BRUSH IN FAVOUR OF A SPRAY BOTTLE

I’m not a big fan of basting on the braai because big sloppy brush strokes tend to gather on the meat and fall off, smothering the coals.

I prefer to use spray bottles as they’re more accurate at introducing flavours without killing your fire. A well-aimed spray does the job without clogging the meat with uncooked marinade.

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TAKE A TABLE OUTSIDE

Does a surgeon have to go looking for scalpels? No. Just as you would have a section of the kitchen to prep your food prior to cooking it, you need a similar space outside next to your braai where you can lay out your tools, your meat and any marinades, sauces and spice for easy use. Trekking back and forth to the kitchen makes no sense.

CATERING FOR A CROWD? KEEP A SECOND STASH OF COALS HANDY

The last thing you want is to be halfway through a braai when your coals die out and you have to sheepishly finish off the meat in the kitchen under the grill.

If you have a variety of different things to cook – from chicken to wors and chops – or a bigger cut that’ll require more time, keep a second braai on the side to stock up with more coals.

This article was adapted from ‘Braai: Reuben on Fire’ (Quivertree).