A South African Braai, Canadian Style 🇿🇦🇨🇦

I love Toronto, but one thing I truly miss is a proper South African braai. I’ve had some good Canadian BBQs, but let’s be honest, BBQ just isn’t braai.

So a couple of weeks ago, my husband and I got ourselves a mini charcoal grill, what one of my brothers calls a Weber Junior 😆 and we knew we had to break it in properly. Cue a sunny long weekend and a road trip to Byng Island Conservation Area along the Grand River, family in tow.

Byng Island is a great spot for a day out or camping. They’ve got shaded picnic areas, river views, and a swimming pool with splash pads for the little ones.

🔥 What We Braaied

Top of the list? Boerewors, a classic South African beef sausage seasoned with coriander and spices, bought from a South African store in Thornhill. Then came chicken drumsticks, seasoned with white pepper and Aromat (a South African seasoning salt that’s amazing on eggs, but honestly, good on everything). We were out of SA chicken spice, so Aromat to the rescue! I whipped up a quick basting sauce -half dhanya chutney (from SA), half ketchup and it hit all the right notes.

We also added burger patties left over from a previous hamburger night. Not traditional, but hey, we had to add a Canadian twist to it, cause fusion is what we about!

My husband made the sides: a classic potato salad and a sweet-and-tangy baked bean salad with red bell pepper, vinegar, and sugar.

Snacks? Blueberries, black cherries, strawberries, and Bear Fruit Rolls for our toddler. Plus a packet of potato chips, cause we all about balance 😆

🧺 The Vibes

Byng Island delivered: shady trees, a breeze off the water, and plenty of space for our toddler to run wild. The smell of boerewors on the grill took us straight back to SA. The chicken was sticky and golden, the wors juicy and full of spice, yum!

It was a taste of home, with Canadian scenery. With boerewors available in local SA stores, it makes recreating that feeling so much easier.

✨ More Than Just a Meal

We even have a holiday back home thats celebrate Braai, Heritage Day, its been officially dubbed as Braai Day. Because if there’s one thing all South Africans have in common, no matter the background, it’s braai!

A braai isn’t just about the food,it’s about the gathering, the laughs, the music, and above all, the “gees” (Afrikaans word for spirit) that brings it all together. It’s a vibe you don’t quite get with your average BBQ.

This day out was a simpler version of a South African braai with a Canadian twist. Good food, beautiful setting, full hearts and wherever South Africans are… when we braai, we braai!

What’s your version of the perfect outdoor meal?
A braai? A lakeside BBQ? A family picnic?
Drop your favourites in the comment section below. I’d love to hear how you do food with a view!