There’s nothing quite like a well-marinated piece of steak sizzling on the braai or a burst of flavour from perfectly seasoned veggies. Whether you’re grilling tender steak, juicy chicken, fresh fish, or colourful vegetables, the right marinade can make all the difference. Fire up the braai, and let’s dive into these mouth-watering braai marinade recipes that will keep your guests coming back for more.
Summer, winter, midweek or weekend, South Africans love to braai. Take your next get-together up a notch with these simple homemade braai marinades for everything from steak and chops to fish, chicken and vegetables.
TIP: While these marinades can be used immediately, we’d recommend letting it sit for at least 2 hours, or overnight, to soak up all of the flavour. Be careful not to let it sit for longer than 24 hours, as after this the meat proteins start to break down and it can become mushy.
Sweet and sticky chicken marinade
Leave chicken pieces to marinate in this sweet and sticky sauce for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. To make, mix the following:
- 2tbsp smooth apricot jam
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Black pepper, to taste
- Sprinkle Maldon sea salt
- 2tbsp olive oil
Vegetable marinade
Try this smothered over mealies, grilled mushroom skewers or as a homemade filling for a baguette. Mix the following:
- 2tbsp butter, melted and left to cool slightly
- 2tbsp basil pesto
- Sprinkle Maldon sea salt
- Chilli flakes, to taste
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Steak and chop braai marinade
Red meat calls for bold flavours – this is a crowd-pleasing combo that works well on chops, steak, ribs… or anything, really! Mix together and brush the marinade onto the meat.
- 2tbsp soy sauce
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1tbsp olive oil
- 3 sprigs rosemary, stalked
- Black pepper, to taste
- Juice of half a lemon
- Splash dry red wine (optional)
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Braaied seafood marinade
This zesty seafood marinade is as good on prawns as it is on kingklip or sardines. Mix all ingredients together and apply to seafood. No matter what you’re serving it on, we recommend enjoying it with a good glass of wine!
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 cloves garlic
- Thumb of ginger, grated
- 2tbsp butter, melted
- 1tbsp olive oil
- Splash rice wine vinegar
- Parsley, finely chopped
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