Walking around a Tentco shop for a prolonged period is a recipe for disaster. They have everything and more with regards to camping equipment, and you are almost forced to spend too much money before heading home to a difficult conversation with your significant other. And now, during braai month, Tentco has extended their already comprehensive line-up with their own brand of braai equipment. Anton Willemse Jnr was ready to do the testing…
Cooking in the bush can be a bit of a pain. Space is a problem, sand is a problem, and most of all, a cranky, hungry wife is a problem (the popular urban term hangry comes to mind!).
Cooking meat, in particular, is a nightmare without the correct equipment. First of all, you must keep your meat secure and away from the ground. Nobody likes a crunchy piece of meat. This is something my colleagues can attest to after being left with a different kind of coating during our first night on recent Botswana adventure when yours truly dropped the entire bowl of just-cooked chicken!
I have found that the good old toeknyprooster or clamp grid works best. Tentco has a wide range of new clamp grids on offer, ranging from just big enough for a chicken flattie to the Kudu grid which will take a Texan steak with ease. They are truly designed for durable affordability: the grid is made from stainless steel which will probably outlast you, and the collapsible handles make these grids compact and ultra-easy to pack away. The grid mesh is fine enough to make them ideal for cooking multiple pieces of lamb chops, chicken pieces, and, of course, the South African staple, boerewors. Thanks to your meat being clamped into the grill, dropping it in the sand isn’t such a huge risk anymore (did I hear a sigh of relief from my colleagues?). Couple your clamp grid with Tentco’s multi-height braai grid stand, and you have plenty of adjustability concerning the amount of heat you need while cooking. The only problem with cooking with a clamp grid is that it is not ideal for steak or fillet, because you risk squeezing out the juices, making your meat tough and dry.
So, with the cooking done, I hear Mrs Hangry complaining about a dirty grid in her car. Luckily Tentco offers a solution here, too. Rather than sacrificing an onion (or a lemon) every night, you can use their durable steel grid brush which works perfectly to scrape all the meaty residue off your grid before using it again. And since I would not recommend using the clamp grid to tan those steaks and fillets, you can always use Tentco’s braai tongs. These are perfect for either cooking your steak evenly or just gathering up some hot coals to get your braai started.
Tentco’s braai line-up is impressive: everything is of good quality and, more importantly, it’s affordably priced. They are the sort of utensils you’d use around the house too – giving the missus nothing to complain about since you will happily be slaving behind the braai every night!
On the menu
We partnered with Tentco to give away some of their braai utensils and received some great recipes. However, Tommie Richards’ full braai menu has to take the cake… or is that the steak?
For starters:
Sherry marinated boerewors on a skewer
Prep time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 10 minutes | Serves: 6-8 | Difficulty: Easy Ingredients:
- ½ kg boerewors
- 1 cup port or sherry
Method:
- Prick the skin of the boerewors several times with a sharp knife.
- Place the sausage in a dish and pour the sherry or port over it
- Cover and allow to marinate in a cool place overnight (do not refrigerate)
- Skewer and braai to taste
- Serve with a strong English mustard or condiment of your choice
On the side:
Chimichurri sauce
Prep time: 15 minutes | Serves: 6-8 | Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley (stems removed)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves (stems removed)
- ¼ cup fresh oregano (stems removed)
- ¼ cup chopped red onions or shallots
- 3 cloves garlic (peeled)
- ½ teaspoon red chilli flakes
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Method:
- Place the parsley, oregano, cilantro, onion and garlic in a blender or food processor and mince finely.
- Add the red chilli flakes, olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice and pulse 2-3 times to mix. Season with salt to taste.
- If you don’t have a food processor, finely mince all the ingredients with a sharp knife and whisk with olive oil, vinegar and lemon juice in a bowl or shake in a covered glass jar.
- Prepare the sauce a day or two in advance and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
For dessert:
S’more sandwiches
Prep time: 30 minutes | Serves: 6 | Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:
- 12 pink and white marshmallows 6 strawberries, halved
- 200g dark chocolate 12 oat snap cookies
- 6 bamboo skewers
Method:
- Using a slim knife, cut a hole through the middle of each marshmallow.
- Push a strawberry half through the hole in each marshmallow. Place two stuffed marshmallows on each skewer.
- Break the chocolate into pieces and place in an ovenproof saucepan. Place the saucepan on the braai to melt the chocolate. Keep stirring until the chocolate has melted. The fire should be at a medium to low heat.
- Hold each skewered marshmallow kebab over the heat of the braai until the marshmallow has melted.
- Using a spoon, scoop melted chocolate over the skewered marshmallows.
- Place the dipped marshmallow onto an oat snap cookie (you can also use Tennis biscuits) and sandwich it between another cookie. Press the sandwich down and remove the skewer. Eat immediately.
*Tip: Soak the bamboo skewers in warm water for about 30 minutes; this helps prevent them from burning.
