The top 3 cuts to braai this Heritage Day (plus, easy DIY marinades)

Finding your best braai cut starts with choosing quality meat – opting for free-range meat raised without routine antibiotics is undoubtedly your number one option.  Next, think about which cuts will fare best on flames and high heat. And which will let that smoky braai flavour really shine. Finally, take it to the next level with the right marinade.

Try these 3 favourite cuts of meat:

Lamb ribbetjies: A high fat-to-meat ratio makes these supremely tasty and all that marbling means extra crispy bits. Make sure you cook them properly as no one likes a chewy piece of undercooked gristle. Lamb’s flavour match? A green herb marinade with coriander and garlic.

Skinless chicken thighs: These are your best choice for home-made skewers as they are more succulent and won’t dry out on the heat. For best results, grill these slowly away from direct heat. If you’re cooking from scratch, debone them (or buy the skinless boneless packs) and marinade in yoghurt spiked with tandoori spices.

Sirloin steak: It’s a no-brainer. A perfectly braaied steak with a mustard-peppercorn crust is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Braai sirloin fat-side down for a few minutes to make sure it crisps up.

For a green-herb marinade:
5g fresh chives, chopped
10g fresh basil, chopped
10g fresh parsley, chopped
1 t, coriander seeds
1/2 t, pink Himalayan salt
4 T, olive oil

For a spiced-yoghurt marinade:
1 cup, double-thick Greek yoghurt
1 T, Woolworths medium curry powder
1/2  lemon,  charred and juiced
1/2 t smoked sea salt
1/2  red onion, finely diced
2 T olive oil

For a mustard and black peppercorn crust:
3T, Dijon mustard
2T, freshly ground black pepper
5g, fresh flat leaf Italian parsley
Olive oil, to drizzle

For more marinade recipes visit Woolworths.co.za and shop the free-range braai collection here.