Updated: May 5, 2020
Stock up on South African Boerewors and other sausages in Seattle
As the mercury continues to rise this week in Seattle, we hope you’ve all pulled the cover off the grill and given it the once over with a wire brush. That way, your grill will be ready for action as soon as you bring your On Safari Foods-made sausage home.
Did you know that On Safari Foods started out as a sausage company before evolving into a fully-fledged catering company? Teresa Carew, On Safari Foods’ founder, started making Boerewors, traditional South African sausage, in her kitchen while raising three young children. As more and more South African expats heard about this source of Boerewors in Seattle, orders grew and Teresa expanded to include various varieties of Boerewors and other sausage flavors.
WHAT IS BOEREWORS?
Four hundred years ago the Cape of Good Hope was a refreshment station for sailing vessels on the spice route to the Dutch East Indies and all those spices left a great imprint on South African cuisine including boerewors.
The word boerewors, pronounces BOO-ruh-VORS, is a combination of two Afrikaans words: boer [farmer] and wors [sausage]. It is made from coarsely ground beef (sometimes combined with minced pork, lamb, or both) preserved in vinegar and spices (usually toasted coriander seed, black pepper, nutmeg, cloves and allspice). The result is a deliciously fragrant and flavorful sausage that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Traditional boerewors is usually formed into a continuous spiral and placed on the grill in one piece. Once it has been cooked to perfection, remove the coil and cut it into individual pieces.
GET BOEREWORS IN SEATTLE
Today, On Safari Foods sells a range of sausages from our headquarters in SODO including:
Lamb-Beef-Pork Boerewors (traditional recipe) Made with a blend of coriander and nutmeg with a pork casing
Beef Boerewors Made with a blend of coriander and nutmeg with a sheep casing
Lamb sausage Made with a blend of fresh rosemary and garlic with a sheep casing
Creole pork sausage
Made with a blend of garlic, fresh onion, and cumin with a pork casing
CONTACT US TO ORDER SAUSAGE FOR YOUR NEXT BBQ
HOW TO SERVE BOEREWORS
Boerewors is an extremely versatile sausage. It can be served grilled simply with corn on the cob and a side salad or it can be included with other tasty dishes.
In South Africa, boerewors rolls are very popular. Nestle a piece of grilled boerewors in a crusty bread roll and top it with caramelized onions or a tomato and onion gravy.
The perfect accompaniment to grilled boerewors is a tray of braaibroodjies (sandwiches toasted on the grill). The traditional braaibroodjie features aged cheddar, tomato, onion, salt and pepper between two slices of white or whole wheat sandwich bread with butter on the outside. Grill this sandwich in a closed grid over low heat until the outsides are golden brown and the cheese is melted.
If you are feeling more adventurous, consider pairing your On Safari Foods sausage (any flavor) with rooster brood (grilled bread). Simply put, rooster brood is yeast dough rolls cooked on a grill. For best results, cook over smoldering coals and not on a gas grill. Whether you choose to use store-bought pizza dough or make your dough from scratch, your friends and family will love adding a warm, buttery rooster brood to their plate at your next BBQ.
TO BRAAI OR NOT TO BRAAI
On a final note, the South African word for BBQ is “braai.” This word is used equally by English and Afrikaans speakers (as well as by those who speak one of South Africa’s 9 official indigenous languages) and is a shortened form of the Afrikaans word “braaivleis” [grill meat]. Some would say that braaing is the favorite pastime for South Africans of all cultures when they are not watching, cricket, rugby or soccer. Whatever the weather, friends and family are invited over for a braai where, more often than not, a range of meats are on the menu. A typical braai would include boerewors, curried chicken kebab (sosatie) and lamb chops. Not a hamburger or hotdog in sight.
ABOUT ON SAFARI FOODS
On Safari Foods is a Seattle-based sustainable caterer and corporate food service company. We have been voted the best wedding caterer in Seattle. We use seasonal, local produce whenever possible and are one of the only Seattle caterers with a 100% humanely raised protein program. Contact us to order sausage for you next BBQ.