In the 50s you could buy a decent length of boerewors from most local butchers. In those days we bought it by the yard rather than by the pound. And because South Africans cannot live without their braai, the butcher enjoyed his own boerewors, so you got the good stuff.
Traditionally boerewors contains: Coarse ground beef, mutton and pork – or veal, sometimes even bacon, selected pork or sheep fat for moisture, salt and coarse pepper, coarse ground coriander, cloves, nutmeg, brown vinegar, maybe Worcester sauce – even a bit of brandy or sweet dessert wine. Doesn’t that sound good? It is believe me.
In the 60s, however, boerewors in the cities went the way of the world and was increasingly adulterated with bad meat, scraps, unspeakables and mealie meal. Only in the 90s did supermarkets get it together enough to reintroduce genuine boerewors to the city. Thank heavens, not a moment too soon.
Americans barbecue weird burgers, which are quite revolting looking, but we don’t. We don’t know about the perfect burger yet, so here it is: The secret revealed – if you promise to tell no one.
Meat is so expensive today that spreading it out a little helps the budget. Now consider what goes into a good boerewors like Grabouw, for one. A Grabouw boerewors roll is wonderful, but this is better.
Cut the meat out of the sausage casing and shape into a burger. On a Portuguese roll – anything is better than a Hamburger roll – spread butter, mayo and tomato sauce – yes, it has to be both. You have to have a few slices of pickled cucumber, tomato and onion. Toasting one side of the roll makes it tastier – a cold roll ruins whatever is in it.
Cook the boerie burgers on the fire and there you are. It is far more delicious than a boerie roll. Immediately you have a rep for the world’s best burgers – and you have stretched the budget beautifully. But keep the secret, okay.
