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Snoek Braai (Apricot-Glazed Charcoal-Grilled Snoek)
Flaky, oily wild Cape snoek basted in a buttery apricot and garlic glaze, char-grilled over rooikrans wood coals until caramelized.
The story
Hailing from the coastal communities of the Western Cape, particularly among Cape Malay and artisanal fishing families, snoek braai is an enduring ritual during Easter festivities and casual weekend gatherings. Freshly caught snoek has delicate, oily flesh that degrades rapidly, historically necessitating drying, salting, or quick basting with acidic fruit preserves to balance its potent richness. A crucial technical detail is keeping the skin intact and grilling skin-side down for seventy percent of the cooking duration to prevent the lean, muscular protein fibers from drying out over direct flame.
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