New to BBQ'ing

[flying_chase]

Hi everyone!!

I'm a South African living in Letchworth. I've been lurking on this site, and others for a while now. I'm very keen on what we call 'braaing' down were I'm from, but also very interested in slow cooking.

I'm just at the beginning stages of building my own offset smoker/BBQ. I have managed to get a clean 55 gallon drum and two cylinders, a propane and a butane, for the smoke box.

I'm currently trying to get hold of either weld mesh or expanded steel for the grill and angle iron, pipe etc for the framework.

Does anyone have any advice for me on a good source. I've tried most of the local hardware and builders merchants around here without any luck.


Charles

[lakemirror]

Hello Charles from another transplant.

This is a great site full of helpful people. Unfortunately I can't help you with your search for parts for your new rig, but others here certainly should be able to steer you in the right direction.

I am unfamiliar with braaing....I'd like to hear more about it.

Tom

[esselle]

Hi Charles,
Welcome aboard. I have a similar build in progress. I got my grills off eBay if that helps.
Scott.

[flying_chase]

Hi Tom

The word braai (plural braaie) is Afrikaans for "barbecue" or "roast". The word vleis is Afrikaans for "meat". So you would be invited over for a braai or braaivleis.

You could also be invited over for a "bring and braai", which is a casual occasion where family and friends are invited to someone's home and bring their own meat, salad, or side dish. Meats are the star of the South African braai. One of our family recipe books suggest that you should cater for a pound of meat per person. Meats typically include boerewors, sosaties, kebabs, marinated chicken, pork and lamb chops, steaks,etc. Fish and Lobster commonly called "crayfish" or kreef in Afrikaans, are also popular.

The other main part of the meal is pap, actually a thickened porridge, or the krummelpap ("crumb porridge"), traditionally eaten with the meat. Made from finely ground corn/maize, it may be eaten with a tomato and onion sauce, monkeygland sauce or the more spicy chakalaka at a braai.

Or you could be invited for a "dop en tjop" (dop being Afrikaans slang for an alcoholic drink, and "tjop" slang for a lambchop).

The slow cooking side in South Africa is actually potjiekos. This is a stew prepared over a fire in a traditional round, cast iron three legged pot, which is called the potjie. This is a very social occasion as the potjie will cook for 3 - 6 hours.

Hi DrSweetsmoke,
I'll give that a try, some of the other items I needed I actually got through freecycle. Which is helping to keep down the costs, but I was having no luck on the grill.

Cheers

Charles

[flying_chase]

Hi Charles,
Welcome aboard. I have a similar build in progress. I got my grills off eBay if that helps.
Scott.

Hi Scott,
do you have a seller that I can look up? Maybe, I'm just using the wrong search terms.

Thanks

Charles

[esselle]

Hi Charles,
I am out at the minute but I will find it for you tomorrow.

[esselle]

Hi Charles,
I had my grill and hot plate from these people but you might find them cheaper somewhere
http://www.barrel-barbecue.co.uk/origin ... rbecue.htm

Cheers

Scott.

[flying_chase]

Hi Scott,

thanks for the link. I have also managed to find a local metal fabrication and welding shop nearby.

cheers
Charles

[stickthekettleon]

Hi,

If my Dad is anything to go by he hoards just about anything. He owns an industrial boiler servicing company and always has the odd bit of steel plate or mesh plate lying around, if you have no luch with the welders place have a look online for any local industrial boiler service engineers, prety much everything you need to build an offset they'll probably have lying around.

Welcome to the forum.

Chris.

[flying_chase]

Hi Chris,
I managed to find a scrap dealer not to far away. Where I managed to get some rolled angle iron, flat plate etc. I also managed to get some 1" stainless steel weldmesh and an Aluminium table/cart to hold the smoker. He sold most of it to me as scrap metal. So the BBQ/smoker is well on the way now.

By the way if anyone is interested, my local LIdl is selling ostrich and sprinbok steaks.