Top Braai Meat for Father's Day Fires
We’re gonna be honest. This isn’t exactly a recipe. It's more of a reminder that the best thing you'll eat this weekend doesn't need a marinade with fourteen different ingredients in it. All you need is salt, pepper, good ribs and a proper fire.
Our friends at Frankie Fenner Meat Merchants wrote this recipe for the oven, but we’re putting it on the braai.
As FFMM themselves will tell you: the success or failure here is entirely about the quality of your meat. Buy good ribs, treat them right, and the fire does the rest.
Recipe Information:
| Prep Time: | Cook Time: | Total Time: | Serves: | Skill Level: | Cook Method: |
| 15 Mins | 90 min | 105 min | 2-3 People | Easy | Braai |
Ingredients:
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1 full rack of lamb ribs. Brisket/breast section, fat cap intact (roughly 1 - 1,2 kg)
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Coarse sea salt (be generous)
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Cracked black pepper (fresh-cracked, not pre-ground)
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2 - 3 tbsp olive oil
That's it. If you're adding more at this point, stop and question your choices.
Equipment
1. Donkey Long Tong 80cm - R900
2. Donkey Tong 69cm - R800
3. Square End Grain Chopping Board with Juice Groove - R799
4. Carving Knife Set - R709
Method
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Pull your ribs out of the fridge 30 - 45 minutes before cooking. Room temperature meat cooks evenly. Cold meat goes onto the braai and tightens up. Don't do that to it.
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Score the fat cap in a diamond pattern. The cuts should be about 1cm deep. This lets the fat render into the meat as it cooks instead of sitting on top doing nothing.
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Rub the whole rack with olive oil, then work in the salt and pepper on both sides. Hard. This isn't seasoning, it's a rub. Get it in there.
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Set your braai up for indirect heat. Medium-low coals. You don’t need a roaring fire for this. Lamb ribs are a slow game. If your coals are screaming hot, you've already lost.
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Lay the ribs bone-side down over indirect heat. Push your coals to the sides and keep the ribs in the middle, away from direct flame.
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Cook low and slow for 60 - 75 minutes, turning every 20 minutes or so. Keep an eye on your heat. You want patience, not panic. The fat will start rendering and you'll smell it. That’s a good sign.
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In the last 10 - 15 minutes, move the ribs over direct heat to get some proper colour on the fat cap. Watch them closely here. This is where things can go wrong fast if you walk away.
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Pull off the fire. Rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting. Yes, ten. The meat needs it. You need it.
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Eat with a big bowl of green leaves. Or not. We're not your mom.
Image by Frankie Fenner Meat Merchants
A Note on the Fire
Lamb ribs are forgiving, but they're not foolproof. Too hot too fast, and you'll end up with charred outside, raw inside. You need low, indirect heat for the bulk of the cook, then a short, hot finish to get the fat crackling and the colour you want.
If you're getting flare-ups from the rendered fat, move the ribs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you braai lamb ribs?Score the fat cap in a diamond pattern, rub with oil, salt and pepper, then cook bone-side down over indirect heat (medium-low coals) for 60 - 75 minutes. In the last 10 - 15 minutes, move over direct heat for a charred finish. Rest for 10 minutes before serving. |
How long do lamb ribs take on the braai?Expect 70 - 90 minutes total. The first 60 - 75 minutes should be low, indirect heat. The final 10 - 15 minutes go over direct coals to get colour and char on the fat cap. Don't rush it. Lamb ribs cooked too fast over high heat go tough on the outside and stay raw in the middle. |
How do I stop lamb ribs from burning on the braai?Use indirect heat for the majority of the cook. This means you need coals on the sides, ribs in the middle and away from direct flame. Only move to direct heat in the last 10 - 15 minutes. If you get fat flare-ups, move the ribs. |
Do I need to parboil or pre-cook lamb ribs before braaing?No. With proper fire management, you don't need to parboil or oven-finish. The braai handles the whole cook. Pre-cooking can actually work against you. You lose the fat rendering process and the smoky flavour the braai adds during a slow cook. |
What seasoning is best for braai lamb ribs?Coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper is the classic and hard to beat when your meat quality is good. A rub with olive oil beforehand helps the seasoning stick and promotes even browning. If you want to add flavour: garlic or rosemary work well. But on quality lamb, salt and pepper alone is enough. |
What cut of lamb is used for braai ribs?Lamb ribs from the brisket or breast section. This cut has a good fat-to-meat ratio, which is what keeps it moist over a long, slow braai. The fat cap is what you score and render to get that classic charred exterior. |
