Fire basics
How to Light a Braai Fire (Wood or Charcoal)
Build a fire that lights first time and burns evenly — no lighter fluid needed.
5 min read · By the Khan's Food butchers
Step by step
- 1
Clean the braai
Scrape out old ash so air can flow underneath the fire. A fire starved of air smokes and burns cold.
- 2
Lay firelighters and kindling
Place two or three firelighters in the centre, then build a small teepee of dry kindling or thin sticks over them.
- 3
Add your fuel
Stack wood in a loose log-cabin or teepee shape, or pile charcoal/briquettes in a pyramid over the kindling. Leave gaps for air.
- 4
Light and leave it
Light the firelighters and don't fiddle. Let the flames catch the fuel for 10–15 minutes before adjusting anything.
- 5
Spread the coals
Once the flames die down and the coals glow under a layer of white ash, rake them into an even bed — thicker on one side for high heat, thinner on the other for gentle cooking.
Wood, charcoal or briquettes?
- Wood (sekelbos, rooikrans, kameeldoring): the classic flavour and a real social fire. Takes 45–60 minutes to burn down to coals.
- Lump charcoal: lights quickly and burns hot. Ready in about 20–30 minutes.
- Briquettes: steady, long, even heat — great for chicken, whole cuts and indirect cooking. Ready in about 25–35 minutes.
The chimney starter trick
A chimney starter (a metal cylinder with a grid inside) is the easiest way to light charcoal. Fill it with charcoal, light newspaper or firelighters underneath, and in about 15–20 minutes the top coals turn grey. Tip them into the braai and spread.
Avoid these mistakes
- Using lighter fluid or petrol — it taints the meat and is dangerous.
- Putting meat on while there are still flames — you'll burn the outside and leave the inside raw.
- Building the fire too small. It's easier to push extra coals aside than to add more later.
Quick answers
- How long before I can braai on a wood fire?
- Usually 45–60 minutes from lighting until the flames have died and you have glowing coals covered in white ash.
- Do I need lighter fluid?
- No. Firelighters and dry kindling, or a chimney starter, light a braai reliably without chemical flavours.
Get the meat sorted
Halaal, SANHA approved and cut by family butchers. Add to your order and collect or get it delivered.
Times and quantities are general guidance — every fire, cut and weather day is different. Use a meat thermometer when in doubt.