What Is a Spit Braai?
A spit braai is a whole animal or a large roast cooked on a turning steel rod over coals or gas, the South African version of a spit roast. Braai is the Afrikaans word for a barbecue, and the spit is the rod. A whole 18 to 22 kg lamb takes four to six hours on the spit and feeds 25 to 40 guests.
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Spit Braai Meaning
Braai is short for braaivleis, Afrikaans for grilled meat. The spit is the steel rod the meat turns on. A spit braai is therefore meat turned on a rod over a fire, cooked for hours rather than minutes and carved for a crowd.
How a Spit Braai Works
- The meat is clamped to the rod so it turns as one piece.
- Coals are lit in the machine and spread under the thickest parts.
- A motor turns the rod while the meat cooks and is basted.
- A probe in the thickest part confirms it is done, and it is carved at the buffet.
The times for each meat are in how long a spit braai takes, and the machine itself is explained in the spit braai machine guide.
Spit Braai vs Braai vs Hog Roast
| Spit braai | Braai | Hog roast | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is cooked | A whole animal or large roasts | Chops, boerewors, steak, chicken pieces | A whole pig |
| How | Turned on a rod over coals or gas | On a grid over coals | Turned on a spit or in a roasting oven |
| Time | 2 to 6 hours | Minutes per batch | Several hours |
| Typical group | 25 guests or more | A family or small group | A large group |
What Meat Goes on a Spit Braai
The four meats on a spit braai are lamb, pork, chicken and beef. A lamb spit braai costs R150 per person with Spit Braai Feast. A pork spit braai is R129, a chicken spit braai R116 and a beef spit braai R245.
Spit Braai Catering or Machine Hire
A spit braai is either catered, with a chef who cooks and serves, or cooked by the host on a hired machine. Spit Braai Feast offers spit braai catering in the Cape Winelands from R116 per person, and spit braai hire of the charcoal machine from R1,200 for 24 hours.
What Is a Spit Braai? — Frequently Asked Questions
Is a spit braai the same as a spit roast?
Yes. A spit braai is the South African name for a spit roast: meat turned on a rod over a fire.
What does braai mean?
Braai is the Afrikaans word for a barbecue, short for braaivleis, which means grilled meat.
How many people does a spit braai feed?
A spit braai with a whole 18 kg lamb feeds 25 to 30 guests, and a 22 kg lamb 35 to 40, at about 600 g of carcass weight per guest.
Book a Spit Braai
Chef on site · cooked over coals · R116–R272 per person