BBQ Glazed Skaapstertjies

By Chef Stephen Fraser

Ingredients

YOU’LL NEED

  • 1kg skaapstertjies
  • 15ml olive oil
  • 10g rosemary
  • 1 lemon, cut in wedges
  • 10ml worcestershire sauce
  • 5g peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup water
  • 10g coriander seeds crushed
  • 5g biltong spice
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 5g salt
  • 100ml bbq sauce

PLUM BBQ SAUCE

  • 6x plums, stones removed and chopped
  • 15ml oil
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • ½ cup pinotage wine
  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • ½ red onion (peeled & chopped)
  • 30g piece of ginger (peeled & sliced)
  • 1 clove garlic (peeled & cut in 3)
  • 2 medium red chilli’s (can be removed)
  • 4 plum tomatoes, rough chopped
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 ⁄4 cup brown sugar (replaceable with honey)
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
  • 100ml tomato ketchup
  • 10g mustard seeds
  • 50ml soya sauce
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 1/3 tsp ground mustard
  • 1 tsp molasses
  • 1 tsp salt

TO SERVE

  • Big pinch of smoked chilli flakes
  • ½ a lemon
  • Rosemary, removed from stork and
  • rough chopped
  • Maldon salt (mixed with the rosemary)
  • Cured mustard seeds
  • 10mls extra-virgin olive oil

BBQ Glazed Skaapstertjies

These traditional Skaapstertjies pair perfectly with our Pinotage wine, and can be enjoyed as a main or as a delicious starter around the braai.

Serves: 4 people

Preparation Time: 1 hour & 30 Minutes

Cooking Time: 8-10 minutes

Method

BBQ SAUCE

Gently heat a deep, medium-size pot and add a drizzle of oil and the onions. After 2 minutes, add in the ginger, garlic, chilli, mustard seeds, plums and cinnamon stick and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add in all the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a steady simmer and leave to cook for around 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally. The sauce should be a thick, red, glossy texture. Strain this mix while it is warm and discard any pieces. Transfer the sauce to a jar or a sealable container, and allow to cool. The sauce must be stored in the fridge and can be kept for up to three weeks.

PREPARE THE SKAAPSTERTJIES

Pre-heat your oven to 190’C. Place the Skaapstertjies in a casserole dish that ideally has a lid. Drizzle the tails with olive oil, season with salt, pepper, coriander, biltong spice and Worcestershire sauce. Then add the water, bay leaves, lemon pieces, garlic and rosemary. Close the casserole with the lid or with heavy duty foil and place it in the oven for about 25-30 minutes or until the Skaapstertjies are almost falling off the bone. You can also prepare this in a pressure cooker, for 10-12 minutes. Once the Skaapstertjies are cooked remove the tails for the left-over stock, put the tails to the side and allow to cool. The tails can be prepared the day before and left covered in the fridge.

TIME TO BRAAI

It is best to cook the tails over hot, white coals. Place the Skaapstertjies on the grid and cook for 8-10 minutes, turning every other minute. You want to melt the fat and cook until golden brown and the edges are crisp. Once you are happy with them, remove them from the braai and give them a good coating of the smoky Plum BBQ sauce. Add a few more coals to the fire and add the coated tails back to the heat. Cook for 10 minutes until they have a lovely sticky glaze to them and serve.

PAIRING SUGGESTION

Serve with smoked chilli flakes, a squeeze of fresh lemon, a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of cured mustard seeds and rosemary salt. Enjoy this dish with our Lanzerac Premium Range Pinotage, while celebrating Pinotage month.