In lieu of current bbq activity, I thought it best to raise the spirits with the memories of a proper SA braai from earlier in the year. First off a fillet or two for the extended family - here's one in close up:
Most would say that fillet is not as tasy as other beef steak cuts, but when seared whole with an olive oil, mustard and black pepper baste, served rare, the discovery of fire makes a whole lot more sense.
Required:
- Two large whole fillets
- Craked black pepper
- Grain mustard
- Olive oil
Preparation
- Trim the fillets of all extra fat and sinew if your butcher hasnt done this for you
- Pour a little olive oil over the fillets and then roll in the the fillets in the black pepper, pressing down to make sure it they stick into the flesh
- Smear the mustard over the fillets, fairly thinly spread, not so thick that it forms a solid crust
- Cover the fillets and leave out for an hour or two to make sure that they come up to room temperature and take up some of the flavour of the coating
- Start the braai/bbq about 30-45 mins before you'd like to start cooking
The BBQ/Braai
This is very simple. Make sure the coals are hot and drop the grid down to searing temp level. Lay the fillets on the grid and allow to brown, turning frequently to make sure the fillet is evenly cooked. I prefer rare fillet so for me, as long as the fillet started off at room temperature the sear is sometimes enough - anything from 5-10 minutes. And since the fillet tapers off there's always a bit that cooks quickly to medium, leaving the rest for those who enjoy their steak as nature intended.
Serves 8
Comments