South Africans know that a braai isn’t just for summer—it’s a year-round custom. These hearty recipes are what we call comfort food goals! Picture this combination: a crackling fire, a glass of Pinotage, cosy knitwear and good company. Sounds like the perfect winter evening, right?
Our friends at Le Creuset and Georgia East have teamed up to bring you three braai recipes that celebrate the best of winter flavours, featuring juicy citrus, rich squash, and aromatic alliums like garlic, spring onion and shallots.
For best results, use a pizza oven, kettle braai, or Weber. However, all three recipes can be prepared in a conventional oven, too.
Moreish Sticky Chicken
This sticky braaied chicken, basted with sweet oranges, marmalade and fresh rosemary, is the perfect main course for a cosy night in.
Image by Le Creuset
Butterflied Chicken with Citrus & Rosemary Basting
Georgia East
Sweet oranges, marmalade and fresh rosemary make an addictive basting for this sticky braaied chicken. By butterflying the bird, it is easily and evenly cooked over the coals with the Le Creuset Alpine Skillet ensuring that no roasting liquids are lost.
Prep Time 20 minutes minsCook Time 1 hour hr
Course Main CourseCuisine South African
Servings 4 servings
1 kg whole free-range chicken, cleaned3 tbsp chunky orange marmalade 50ml2 large oranges zested and juiced25 ml Worcestershire sauce or dark soy sauce3 garlic cloves finely chopped3 sprigs fresh rosemary leaves finely chopped, plus extra sprigs for stuffingSea salt and black pepper1 large red onion unpeeled and quartered150 ml dry white wine or water
Add the marmalade, orange zest and juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and rosemary to a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until reduced and sticky. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to butterfly the chicken by removing the backbone and flattening the bird breast-side up. Clean and dry the chicken with paper towel and brush the citrus glaze all over the underside of the bird.Arrange the orange slices over the base of the Le Creuset Alpine Skillet and place the chicken skin-side up on top of the fruit, tucking a few rosemary sprigs underneath the chicken. Use the rest of the citrus mixture to baste the chicken thoroughly. Tuck the red onion and any extra rosemary around the chicken and pour in the white wine or water. Cover the skillet with foil and place into a preheated 220°C kettle braai or Weber, removing the foil after the first 25 minutes. The chicken will be done once the skin is a golden brown and the juices from the thigh run clear (poke the chicken with a knife to make sure). Leave the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving and serve with the red onion and spoonfuls of the roasting liquid from the skillet.
*Cook’s tip: Use Le Creuset’s silicone basting brush to baste the chicken with its own roasting liquid while it cooks, for a deliciously sticky skin.
Keyword braai, chicken
Grilled Butternut Bliss
What’s a braai without the perfect side dish? This one features a tangy balsamic glaze and fresh sage, transforming it into the ultimate veggie delight. Moreover, butternut and other squashes are rich in vitamin A and fibre—exactly what you should stock up on this winter.
Image by Le Creuset
Smoky Grilled Butternut with Balsamic Glaze, Sage & Seeds
Georgia East
Butternut and other squashes like pumpkin, gem and Hubbard are in season now and their tender taste pairs well with smoky flavours infused from fire. For this recipe, two big butternut squash are halved and roasted over the coals in the Le Creuset Alpine Grill Basket, brushed with a piquant balsamic glaze and stuffed with fresh sage. A scattering of toasted pumpkin, flax, sunflower and sesame seeds finish off this easy veggie dish.
Prep Time 10 minutes minsCook Time 30 minutes mins
Course Side DishCuisine Vegetarian
Servings 4 servings
2 large butternut squash halved lengthways50 ml balsamic vinegar reduction25 ml dry red wine or waterSea salt and black pepperOlive oilA handful of fresh sage30 ml mixed toasted seeds
Pour the balsamic reduction and red wine into a small saucepan over medium heat and reduce until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Rub a little olive oil over the skin-side of the butternut and place into Le Creuset’s Alpine Grill Basket. Use a sharp knife to score the cut side of each butternut in a criss-cross pattern and brush with the balsamic glaze. Put the butternut into a preheated 220°C kettle braai or Weber and cook skin-side down for the first 20 minutes before basting the cut side with more glaze, placing some sage into each cavity and turning the butternut to roast flesh-side down for a further 10 to 20 minutes or until soft. To serve, baste once more with the balsamic reduction and scatter over the toasted seeds.
*Cook’s tip: by roasting butternut in the skin, the vegetable takes on a buttery, nutty flavour. Once cooked, the skin of a butternut can be eaten and is more nutrient-dense than the flesh. This is also a tasty way to roast butternut for soups, sauces and pasta filling.
Keyword braai, vegetarian
Focaccia with Garlic, Spring Onion & Shallots
Enjoy this focaccia as a starter or as a delightful side dish alongside the chicken and butternut recipes. Did we mention it’s a plate of pillowy, bubbly goodness?
Image by Le Creuset
Focaccia with Garlic, Spring Onion & Shallots
Georgia East
Not only great for pizza, Le Creuset’s Alpine Pizza Pan is perfect for flatbread or this easy focaccia. Cold fermentation is essential for a pillowy, bubbly bread and so the hardest part of this recipe is the waiting period! Get creative with different designs for the top of the focaccia – this recipe uses Autumnal alliums like spring onions, garlic and sweet shallots.
Prep Time 30 minutes minsCook Time 40 minutes minsCold-ferment 2 days d
Course Side DishCuisine South African
Servings 4 servings
1 kg stoneground white bread flour850 ml warm water1 sachet nstant yeast 7g10 g honey30 ml olive oil20 g fine sea saltAssorted alliums like garlic, spring onions, shallots and red onionAdditional olive oilFlaky sea salt
Pour the water into a large mixing bowl and add in the yeast, honey, olive oil and salt. Mix to combine and pour in the flour. Mix well, scraping down the bowl, until the flour is thoroughly hydrated. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave for 15 minutes. Using wet hands, stretch and pull the dough, folding it in over itself. Cover for another 15 minutes before repeating the stretching process. I like to do this step three times to really build structure in the dough. After the final stretching process, turn the dough smooth-side up and rub with olive oil. Cover the bowl with clingwrap and refrigerate for 48 hours – 72 if you have the time.Drizzle a little olive oil over the base of the Le Creuset Alpine Pizza Pan and using oiled hands, carefully place the focaccia dough on top. Fold the dough into a burrito-like shape and flip so that it is smooth-side up. Cover the dough and leave to prove for a minimum of 2 hours. I usually prove for 4 hours. By now, the dough should have spread out over the pan but if not, gently assist it using oiled fingers. Oil the alliums and push them into the dough. Drizzle the focaccia with a little more olive oil and season generously with flaky salt.Bake the bread in a preheated 220°C kettle braai or Weber for 30 to 40 minutes. The focaccia is best sliced and eaten immediately.
*Cook’s tip: be sure to oil the veggies and herbs before putting them into the focaccia dough as this will prevent them from blackening on the braai. Other produce like olives, radishes, tomatoes, beetroot, mushrooms, asparagus, figs, grapes, peppers and chillies can be used in place of alliums if desired.
Keyword braai
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