How to make a braai fire (and know when the coals are ready)

A good braai starts with a good fire. Here’s how to build one that gives you even, hot coals, and how to tell when they’re ready.

What you need

• Braai wood or charcoal (see our braai wood guide)
• Firelighters, or dry kindling and newspaper
• A braai tong or spade to move the coals
• Matches or a long lighter

Method 1: a wood fire

1. Start small. Place two or three firelighters (or a few balls of newspaper) in the centre of the braai.
2. Build a teepee or log cabin. Stack small, dry kindling over the firelighters, then three to five pieces of braai wood around it. Leave gaps: fire needs air.
3. Light it and leave it. Light the firelighters and let the wood catch properly. Resist the urge to keep poking it.
4. Add wood as it burns. Once the first pieces are burning well, add a few more. More wood means more coals.
5. Wait for the flames to die down. After about 45 minutes to an hour, the wood breaks down into glowing coals covered in a light grey ash.
6. Spread the coals. Rake them into an even layer under the grid. For different heat zones, make one side thicker (hot) and the other thinner (cooler).

Tip: keep a small fire going at the back or side of the braai. You can rake fresh coals forward if you need more heat later.

Method 2: charcoal or briquettes

1. Use a chimney starter if you can. Put two firelighters on the braai grid, place the chimney over them and fill it with charcoal.
2. Light and wait about 20 minutes, until the top coals are covered in grey ash.
3. Tip and spread the coals where you want them.

No chimney? Pile the charcoal into a pyramid over firelighters, light it and spread it out once most of the coals have ashed over.

The hand test: are the coals ready?

Hold your hand, palm down, about 10 cm above the grid and count how long you can comfortably keep it there:

Coals that still have flames on them are not ready. Flames scorch the outside before the inside is cooked.

Common mistakes

• Cooking too early. Flames mean the fire isn’t ready yet.
• Not enough coals. You need a full layer under the meat. Run out halfway and the last batch suffers.
• Using fuel like paraffin or petrol on the fire. It’s dangerous and it flavours the food. Use proper firelighters.
• Braaiing in the wind without a plan. Wind makes coals burn hotter and faster. Shield the braai or build more coals.

Safety

Keep children and pets away from the fire, keep water or a fire blanket nearby, and never leave a fire unattended. When you’re done, let the coals burn out completely or douse them with water, and never put warm ash in a plastic bin.

More braai guides