Braai Banquet

Entertaining is lots of fun, especially when you go beyond the casual braai and elevate it to a braai banquet. This braai-table-meets-picnic is a great idea for a party or even a small wedding, and is guaranteed to be enjoyed by all who attend. Take some ideas from our braai banquet to make your own.

Steak with chimichurri sauce

In my opinion there is nothing as good as a well-braaied steak sliced on a board and eaten hot with a little salt. Take a braaied steak to the next level with this recipe.

1kg steak (the cut of your choice)

Marinade

2/3 cup olive oil
½ cup orange juice
1/3 cup lemon juice
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons vinegar
4 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper

Chimichurri sauce

1 cup parsley
1 cup coriander
1/4 cup oregano
½ onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons vinegar
Pinch of chilli flakes
¼ – 1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

Mix all the ingredients for the marinade, add the steak and marinate for an hour or preferably overnight. Grill on a hot fire until done to your liking. Serve with chimichurri sauce. For the sauce place all the ingredients in a food processor except the olive oil and blitz until small pieces. Add the olive oil until it comes together. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve poured over the steak.

Mushroom Skewers

1 pack mushrooms
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
Handful thyme leaves, chopped
Wooden sticks soaked in water for 30 minutes

Add the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and thyme to a bowl and mix well. Thread the mushrooms onto the wooden sticks. Place in a shallow dish and pour over the marinade. Set aside for 30 minutes. Cook on a hot fire until cooked through.

Flowerpot bread

Grease terracotta pots with oil and add proofed premade dough to each for a quick and easy accompaniment to the banquet. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and place in a kettle braai and bake for 15 – 20 minutes. Serve in the pots with butter and jam.

Roasted Chickens

Season a couple of whole chickens with salt and pepper and cook in a kettle braai to roast to perfection in a few hours. Top with freshly chopped thyme and lemon juice before serving.

Veggie Garden Flowers

A banquet is not complete without flowers. We gathered vegetables, fruit and herbs as well as hardy foliage and flowers that can last out of water for the day and made our own funky arrangements. Cut a cabbage in half and it makes a fairly decent vase. Skewers and cocktail sticks help secure the items into the cabbage vase. Once the event is over, you can rearrange the flowers in water, put the veggies back in the fridge or make a big pot of vegetable soup.

Décor

To set up our braai banquet we used two rustic branches on either side of pallet tables to hang bunting, balloons and paper lanterns, which add a festive flair and add to the party atmosphere.

Buckets are very useful for rustic dining. They can be used as candleholders when filled with sand for lighting as the sun goes down, packed with ice for drinks, or filled with flowers to add to the décor.

Add your favourite potato salad to the table, along with paper plates and wood or bamboo knives and forks for easy clean up, sliced bread and butter and some extra herbs to keep the bugs away. Scatter some blankets and pillows and enjoy the time with friends and family.