Your tips for catering for 10 days camping in Hwange, Zim

[Elena Hanakova]

Hi all,

 

we are staying in Kapula private camp (which is self-catering) for 10 days (5 nights in South Camp and 4 nights in North). The camp has fridges and quite nice kitchen. In our vehicle we have a fridge, too.

We do shopping in Spar in Kasane, Bots.

I appreciate all your tips for catering and meals. The problem is that we cannot eat 10 days grilled meat and eggs. Oh, yes, we can but t is boring.

I also don't remember if it is possible to buy lentils and beans in Bots. Who knows that? In SA, I know, one can buy everything but I am not sure about Bots. However the supermarket is good there.

Can anybody tell me how to make a real South African braai? Or maybe give me a link to a good site? We, Austrians, don't cook braai and have no idea about it, I must apologise. But I'd like to know how to do it. We also don't have butternut, we only have pumpkins here. So, all your ideas are very appreciated.

 

Warm regards,

Elena

[twaffle]

We cook butternuts like pumpkin, at least here in Australia they are considered similar. Not sure about Southern Africa. Sorry, can't help on the other questions.

[luangwablondes]

Try Ron's Fresh Produce in Kasane instead of the Spar. ronskasane@info.bw and ronskasane@gmail.com Be sure you order vacuum packed meat.

[COSMIC RHINO]

butternut pumpkin is available in southern Africa

 

at least in sth Africa they call it by the single word butternut

[Peter Connan]

About braaing:

 

This is probably more complex than can be handled in a single post, but the basics are as follows:

The temperature of the fire is both the most important part and the most difficult to master. This is because the correct temperature depends on the meat being cooked, and because you have no thermometer.

 

Basically, steak/beef requires the hottest fire, then wors (sausage), then lamb, chicken and pork. Sheep ribs require the slowest fire of all. But as a general rule, the fire should always be down to coals (in other words there should be no flames anymore). To give some idea, a steak should be medium to rare (cooking it too long makes it tough and tasteless). The fire for this should be so hot that you can't hold your hand just above the grid for more than 10-15 seconds. The meat should be done in about five minutes. It should be turned just a couple of times, and salt should only be added right at the end, otherwise it tends to dry out the meat. The fire for sausage should be perhaps half that temperature, and for chicken and lamb perhaps half again. Other than beef, all other meats should be well done, but again spices are only added close to the end.

 

Squashes, potatoes, onions, and butternut can be wrapped in tin foil and cooked in the on the coals as well. They take quite a lot longer though, and are done when they are soft.

 

I hope that helps somewhat?

[Elena Hanakova]

WOW!! Thank you all for replies! It is really very interesting and detailed. I will even copy and post it to myself because in Hwange is no WiFi ;-)

[Klotzof]

We have just returned from 10 nights in Hwange. 4 nights at Davisons camp and 6 nights in Kapula north camp. We bought all our food in Victoria falls. You can get pretty much anything there except for lamb chops. The kitchen in north camp is fully equipped. You can cook anything you wish there. You will also be intersted to know that you can get diesel in Sinamatella and there is a small restaurant there which does basic meals. Have fun