The South African classic from the grill
Today, the search for the perfect wine to accompany food takes us to South Africa and a true barbecue classic for connoisseurs. When it comes to the harmonious pairing of wine and food, braai bread jies are a fascinating choice that is often underestimated, but impresses with its flavors. These traditional sandwiches, grilled over an open fire, consist of buttered bread stuffed with cheddar, onions, tomatoes and sweet and sour chutney. Grilling on the braai creates wonderful toasted flavors and a crispy texture, while the cheese inside melts and combines with the spice of the chutney. It’s a rustic but flavorful dish that captures the soul of South African barbecue culture. The combination of sweetness, acidity and fat calls for an accompaniment that brings freshness and enhances the complex flavors. Whether as a side dish to the main course or as a stand-alone snack, these sandwiches offer a depth of flavor that is only truly enhanced by the right choice of wine, sending the palate on an exciting journey of discovery. Preparation over an open fire gives the bread an unmistakable flavor that goes perfectly with wines of strong character.
Ideal wine pairing: Methode Cap Classique (Coastal Region, South Africa)
A Methode Cap Classique (MCC) is the ideal choice, as this South African sparkling wine is produced using the traditional method of bottle fermentation and has a fine perlage and complex yeast notes. These brioche and toast aromas perfectly reflect the toasted bread of the Braaibrotjies and create a harmonious aromatic bridge. The lively acidity of the MCC skillfully cuts through the fattiness of the melted cheddar and reliably cleanses the palate after every bite. At the same time, the subtle fruitiness of the wine, often reminiscent of green apple and citrus, balances out the sweet and sour notes of the traditional chutney. The tingle on the tongue provides a pleasant lightness that transforms the rustic character of the grilled sandwich into an elegant culinary experience. An MCC brings exactly the kind of effervescence you are looking for on a sociable afternoon, and its elegant structure massively enhances the supposedly simple dish. It is a balanced interplay that combines South African joie de vivre and wine expertise in a glass and on a plate and leaves you wanting more.
Further wine recommendations for this dish
Steen (Chenin Blanc) WO Stellenbosch (Coastal Region, South Africa)
A powerful Chenin Blanc from Stellenbosch, often called Steen locally, is an excellent partner as it has the necessary texture and aromatic density. With its notes of yellow stone fruit, honey and a subtle herbal spiciness, it complements the onions and chutney in the Braaibrotjies wonderfully. The wine’s vibrant acidity provides balance to the fatty cheese, while the frequent ageing in old wooden barrels lends a creamy texture that clings to the soft interior of the sandwich. This wine reflects the South African sun and offers a wonderful depth that adds an extra dimension to the dish. It creates a round, rich flavor impression that works particularly well when the sandwich has a slight smoky note from the fire. The combination comes across as very authentic and down-to-earth without losing any of its sophistication, making this wine a first-class choice for any barbecue evening.
Verdejo DO Rueda (Castile and León, Spain)
The Verdejo from the Spanish plateau offers a lively aroma of freshly cut grass and citrus fruit, which forms a wonderful contrast to the warmth of the barbecue sandwich. Its characteristic bitter note on the finish harmonizes excellently with the toasted aromas of the bread and the spicy onions. With its crisp freshness, the wine acts as an invigorating counterpoint to the heavy, melted cheddar. It is a very direct and uncomplicated pairing that emphasizes the rusticity of the Braaibrotjies and ensures a high drinking flow. Especially on hot days, this wine brings the necessary lightness to the hearty barbecue dish. The mineral vein of the Verdejo also ensures that the combination is never ponderous, but always lively. The herbaceous freshness of the wine combines playfully with the sweetness of the tomatoes and ensures a balanced and summery taste experience at a high level.
Nahe Riesling Kabinett (Nahe, Germany)
A Riesling Kabinett with a fine residual sweetness is an insider tip for perfectly absorbing the sweet and sour component of the chutney. The combination of lively acidity and subtle sweetness plays masterfully with the spiciness of the red onions and the creaminess of the cheese. The aromas of peach and apple bring a fruity lightness into play that harmonizes wonderfully with the grilled bread. Thanks to the moderate alcohol content, this pairing remains light-footed and elegant even at an extended barbecue party. The Riesling acts like an aromatic prism, bringing together the various ingredients of the sandwich and highlighting the tomato notes in particular. It is an exciting friendship in the glass that impresses with its complexity and precision and shows how universally applicable a good Riesling is as a food companion. The fine minerality of the Nahe region also gives the whole thing a noble finish.
Beaujolais-Villages AOC (Burgundy, France)
If you prefer red wine, Beaujolais-Villages, made from the Gamay grape, is the ideal companion as it has few tannins and lots of juicy fruit. The aromas of red berries such as raspberry and cherry provide a fresh contrast to the hearty cheese and onions. As the wine is often served slightly chilled, it fits in perfectly with the informal atmosphere of a traditional braai. The fine acid structure ensures that the palate is not weighed down, while the light spiciness of the wine picks up the smoky notes of the barbecue. It is a very harmonious combination that shows that red wines can also shine with vegetarian barbecue dishes if they have the necessary lightness and fruit intensity. The wine does not dominate the sandwich, but caresses the different textures and flavors in a very charming and French way.
Patagonia Pinot Noir (Neuquén, Argentina)
A Pinot Noir from the cool south of Argentina brings an elegant earthiness and fine red fruit notes that go perfectly with the toasted aromas of the Braaibrotjies. The wine’s delicate tannins and cool minerality emphasize the texture of the crusty bread without masking it. With its nuances of forest floor and strawberries, the wine creates a noble frame for the rustic sandwich. The combination with mature cheddar in particular benefits from the finesse of this Pinot Noir. It is a sophisticated pairing that enhances the simplicity of the dish and ensures a long-lasting, delicate finish. This wine impressively proves that the New World can also produce delicate wines that go perfectly with classic grilled dishes and maintain a wonderful balance between power and elegance. The cool nights of Patagonia are reflected in the freshness of the wine.
The recipe:
Braaibrotjies (gegrillte Sandwiches vom Braai)
Cooking utensils
- 1 Grillgitter (klappbares Braai-Gitter)
- 1 Scharfes Messer
- 1 Schneidebrett
- 1 Buttermesser
Ingredients
Die Sandwiches
- 4 Scheiben großes Weißbrot oder Sandwichbrot
- 40 g Butter weich
- 100 g Cheddar kräftig, gerieben oder in Scheiben
- 1 große Tomate in dünne Scheiben geschnitten
- 1 kleine rote Zwiebel in feine Ringe geschnitten
- 2 EL südafrikanisches Frucht-Chutney z.B. Mrs. Ball’s
- Salz und frisch gemahlener schwarzer Pfeffer
Preparation
Vorbereitung der Scheiben
- Alle vier Brotscheiben auf einer Seite großzügig mit Butter bestreichen.
- Dies wird später die Außenseite der Sandwiches sein, die direkt das Grillgitter berührt.
- Die Scheiben umdrehen, sodass die unbutterte Seite oben liegt.
Belegen der Sandwiches
- Die Innenseiten der Brotscheiben dünn mit dem Frucht-Chutney bestreichen.
- Auf zwei der Scheiben nun den Cheddar, die Tomatenscheiben und die Zwiebelringe verteilen.
- Mit einer Prise Salz und Pfeffer würzen. Die restlichen zwei Brotscheiben mit der Chutney-Seite nach unten darauflegen.
Grillen auf dem Braai
- Die Sandwiches vorsichtig in ein klappbares Grillgitter legen und fest verschließen.
- Über mittlerer Glut auf dem Braai (oder Grill) grillen. Dabei regelmäßig wenden, bis das Brot von beiden Seiten goldbraun und knusprig ist und der Käse im Inneren vollständig geschmolzen ist.
Servieren
- Die Braaibrotjies vom Grill nehmen, diagonal halbieren und sofort heiß servieren, solange der Käse noch weich und die Kruste knusprig ist.
Empfohlene Beilagen
- Klassischer grüner Gartensalat
- Südafrikanische Sosaties (Fleischspieße)
- Würziges Chakalaka
