Nyama Choma / Barbeque Fest

My household really loves roasted meat, and it’s for this reason it has become a monthly staple that we have become highly proficient at making.

We sometimes go out to have nyama choma but we have concluded that it is much more tastier when we roast our own meat at home.  As a result we have experimented with different marinades and different cuts. 

However our favourite cut of beef is the shank steak, this is the meat from the thigh of the cow running its length till its leg. Though caution should be taken when buying this cut as it can be tough.  When we roast goat meat we love to use the ribs. Prime cuts for roasting are the ribs, sirloin, top side and top rump. (Images of the cuts are provided  at the end of the recipe.)

All in all when choosing the best cut for meat there two things you have to look out for. The first is marbling and some fat around the meat. Marbling are the thin layers of fat that are spread throughout the cut. When roasting the fat aid in softening  it by infusing moisture and flavor in it. 

Lastly a marinade is a great addition, and as always I believe that cooking is a very instinctive process so feel free to experiment with making your own marinade. The only top tip that I can provide is to include an element of acidity in the marinade as this helps in softening the meat.

Ingredients:

-2 kgs of beef, mutton, goat meat or pork

Marinade:

- 1 cup Soy Sauce
-½ cup White Vinegar
-1 teaspoon crushed Garlic
-1 teaspoon crushed Ginger
-4 tablespoons Honey

Method:

-Mix all the contents of the marinade in a saucepan.
-Boil for 10 minutes to reduce the vinegar and soy sauce
-Coat the cuts with the marinade
-Let the meat marinate for at at least four hours prior to roasting in a fridge.This is done to let the marinde sip into the meat.
-30 minutes before roasting the meat remove the meat from the fridge and bring it to room temperature to soften the muscles in the meat to ensure a tender roast.
-On an open charcoal fire, roast the meat. For best results use a medium flame and keep flipping the meat and cutting it slightly while basting it with the marinade to let it sip through.
-Depending on how you like your meat medium or well done remove it from the fire when ready and serve hot with kachumbari or mango salsa (find recipe here) and potatoes (find recipe here)or ugali (find recipe here).

The tasty Nyama Choma

A chart showing the different cuts of beef.