Johan Botha, Braai & outdoor editor | fire.co.za

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Johan looks after everything that happens over coals at fire.co.za: braai stands and kettles, wood and charcoal, potjies, spit braais, fire pits and pizza ovens.

His guides start from the questions people ask at the fire. Which wood gives the best coals? How much meat do I buy for 20 people? Is a R1,500 kettle good enough? He compares what is actually on sale in South Africa, using manufacturer specs and current local prices, and says plainly which option he would pick.

Writes about

Braai stands & kettles
Wood, charcoal & briquettes
Potjiekos & braai food
Fire pits & pizza ovens

Every fire.co.za guide follows our editorial standards: no paid placements, prices from retailers' own sites, and safety advice checked against official sources.

Guides by Johan (22)

Logs burning down to coals in a steel braai stand

Best braai wood in South Africa: rooikrans, sekelbos & more

Which braai wood gives the best coals? Compare rooikrans, sekelbos, mopane, kameeldoring, blackwattle and vine stumps, plus which woods never to braai with.

Johan Botha · 7 min read

A built-in braai with a chimney under a timber-roofed outdoor entertainment area with a wooden table and benches

Built-in braai and braai room guide: planning & chimneys

Planning a built-in braai or braai room? What to decide first, how chimneys and extraction work, wood vs gas, approvals, and how to brief a builder.

Johan Botha · 7 min read

Gas fire pit with a glass wind guard burning on a paved patio at dusk

Fire pit guide: types, safe placement, DIY builds and ideas

An independent fire pit buyer's guide for South Africa: steel bowls, bomas, gas fire pits and chimineas compared, plus safe placement, a DIY build and ideas.

Johan Botha · 10 min read

Steaks, lamb chops, pork belly strips and chicken drumsticks laid out on a large black braai grid

How to choose a braai: a South African buying guide

Kettle, drum, gas, built-in, portable or kamado? Compare braai types, what to check before you buy, and which one suits your space, budget and cooking.

Johan Botha · 8 min read

Logs burning under a lifted wire braai grid, with flames still rising from the wood

How to make a braai fire (and know when the coals are ready)

Step-by-step: build a braai fire with wood or charcoal, get an even bed of coals, and use the hand test to know exactly when to start cooking.

Johan Botha · 7 min read

Pizza on a wooden peel at the mouth of a white wood-fired oven with flames burning inside

Pizza oven guide: gas, wood-fired and built-in compared

An independent pizza oven buyer's guide for South Africa: gas, wood-fired, built-in brick and braai-top ovens compared, plus temperatures and how to use one.

Johan Botha · 8 min read

Four large hinged wire braai grids packed with sosaties cooking side by side over a long open braai

Braai grid guide: hinged, flat, fish and stainless options

Toeklap or flat? Stainless steel or chrome? Compare braai grid types and materials, pick the right size and learn how to clean and look after your grid.

Johan Botha · 8 min read

Long hinged grids packed with sosaties cooking over an open fire on a large outdoor braai

Braai ideas: 12 recipes beyond chops and boerewors

Fresh braai ideas with real recipes: braaibroodjies, snoek, prawns, sosaties, stuffed butternut, halloumi and desserts on the coals, in metric with clear steps.

Johan Botha · 9 min read

A bowl of Greek salad with tomato, cucumber, green and yellow peppers, olives and feta

Braai salads: 10 classic South African sides with recipes

Ten braai salads and sides South Africans actually make: potato salad, three-bean, beetroot, coleslaw, chakalaka, sous and more, with metric quantities.

Johan Botha · 9 min read

Logs burning in a black steel box braai stand on a patio at dusk

Braai stand guide: types, sizes and what to look for in SA

Drum, kettle, free-standing box or fold-up? Compare braai stand types, materials and sizes, and learn what to check before you buy or build your own.

Johan Botha · 10 min read

Stainless steel tongs turning a lamb chop on a kettle braai grid over glowing coals, with sparks rising

Braai tongs and tools: the essential braai accessories guide

Which braai tongs, gloves, brushes and starters do you actually need? A practical guide to essential braai tools and accessories, and what you can skip.

Johan Botha · 7 min read

Close-up of pillow-shaped charcoal briquettes covered in grey ash with orange glow between them

Charcoal vs briquettes: a braai fuel guide for South Africa

Lump charcoal, briquettes or instant-light? How each burns, how much to use, how to light it without fluid and how to store it so it stays dry and ready.

Johan Botha · 8 min read

Logs burning beside two pizzas on the floor of a domed wood-fired oven

DIY pizza oven: how to build a brick, kit or braai-top oven

Want to build a pizza oven? Compare a brick dome, a modular kit, a clay cob oven and a braai-top conversion, with materials, build steps and how to cure it.

Johan Botha · 8 min read

Burger patties cooking on the cast-iron grid of an open gas braai, with a flame licking up between them

Gas braai buying guide: burners, size and safety in SA

How many burners do you need? Grid or griddle? Lid or not? An independent guide to choosing a gas braai in South Africa, plus cylinder setup and safety.

Johan Botha · 9 min read

Meat on a grid over a brick braai, with a wood fire burning next to a pile of charcoal

Gas vs charcoal vs wood braai: which is best for you?

Gas, charcoal or wood? An honest comparison of flavour, time, heat control, running costs and space to help you choose your next braai.

Johan Botha · 7 min read

Raw steaks, lamb chops, pork belly strips and chicken drumsticks laid out on a braai grid

Braai meat per person: how much to buy for any group size

How much braai meat per person? Quantity tables by group size and cut, a full shopping list for 10 people, and how to braai wors, chops, steak and chicken.

Johan Botha · 9 min read

Green ceramic kamado with bamboo side shelves on a wooden deck, a smaller black kamado behind it

Kamado guide: how a kamado braai works and how to choose one

What a kamado braai is, how airflow controls the heat, kamado vs kettle, brands sold in South Africa, what to look for, and a simple first cook to start with.

Johan Botha · 8 min read

Two racks of basted ribs on the cast-iron grid of a patio gas braai with the warming rack above

Megamaster braai guide: gas, built-in and fireplace ranges

Onyx, Pinnacle, Legacy or Apex? A neutral guide to the Megamaster range in South Africa: gas braais, kettles, built-in braais and fireplaces.

Johan Botha · 9 min read

A black three-legged cast-iron potjie standing in the ashes beside a burning log fire

Potjiekos guide: choosing, seasoning and cooking in a potjie

Everything about potjiekos: which potjie to buy, how to season it, the layering rule, how many coals to use, three recipes and the mistakes that ruin a potjie.

Johan Botha · 8 min read

Bacon and chopped peppers frying in a wide non-stick pan on a portable gas burner on a wooden picnic table

Skottel braai guide: choosing, cooking and gas safety

What is a skottel, what can you cook on it and which size do you need? Choose the right Cadac-style skottel braai, use it safely and keep it in shape.

Johan Botha · 9 min read

A whole lamb and a suckling pig turning on spits above a wood fire in a large brick braai

Spit braai guide: how to spit braai, timing per kg and hiring

How to spit braai a whole lamb or pig: sizing for your guests, approximate timing per kg, managing the coals, safe temperatures, and DIY vs hiring a caterer.

Johan Botha · 10 min read

Two racks of pork ribs on the grid of a charcoal kettle braai, with briquettes glowing at the sides

Weber braai guide: kettle, gas and portable ranges explained

Original Kettle or Master-Touch? Spirit or Q? A neutral guide to the Weber braai range sold in South Africa, who each suits, accessories and care tips.

Johan Botha · 9 min read