Every family has a few recipes that never lose their charm; the ones scribbled in old cookbooks, smudged with flour and memories. This is one of ours. A proper old-school roosterkoek recipe that’s been in the family for years - the kind that reminds you of Sunday braais, enamel coffee mugs, and stories shared around the fire.
Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. This simple bread is still one of the best things to ever come off the coals.
What is Roosterkoek?
Roosterkoek (pronounced “roor-stir-cook”) literally means “grill cake.” It’s a South African classic - bread dough cooked over open coals on a grid until the crust is crisp and smoky and the inside stays warm and soft.
It’s the heart and soul of the braai: humble, handmade, and always best shared.
The Family Recipe
This one comes from an old Afrikaans family cookbook that’s been around for decades - the pages yellowed, the corners curled, and the recipe written in that neat, looping handwriting that makes you nostalgic for simpler times.
Ingredients
- 1 kg whole grain flour
- 5 ml dry sourdough
- 5 ml salt
- 12.5 ml brown sugar
- 500 ml lukewarm water
- 12.5 ml oil
Method
- Mix lukewarm water, brown sugar and dry sourdough together. Let it stand for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, mix & knead all ingredients together. It will form a stiff dough.
- Coat the inside of a plastic bag with oil, place the dough inside, and let it rise until doubled in size (about 30–60 minutes).
- Once risen, gently flatten the dough to about 2.5 cm thick on a floured board.
- Cut into even squares.
- Braai on a lightly greased grid over medium coals until cooked through, turning often.
Tip: Patience is key - keep your coals steady and moderate. Too hot, and you’ll have a burnt outside and raw inside.
How to Enjoy It
This is proper braai comfort food. Split open a warm roosterkoek and load it with butter, cheese, apricot jam, or if you really want to level up, a juicy piece of staan rib.
The mix of the soft bread, sweet jam, and smoky lamb fat is unbelievable. The richness of the rib melts into the dough and the sweetness of the apricot breaks through perfectly. It’s pure magic in a sandwich.
You can also try it with boerewors and chakalaka, or simply with butter straight off the fire. It’s the kind of bread that doesn’t need much, just good company and glowing coals.
Why This One’s Special
There are a thousand roosterkoek recipes out there, but this one hits different. Maybe it’s because it’s been in our family for generations, maybe it’s because it’s written in Afrikaans with old-fashioned measurements, or maybe it’s just because some things never need changing.
It’s the same bread that’s been served beside lamb chops, pap, and potato salad for as long as anyone can remember. And every time we make it, it tastes like home.
Try It This Weekend
If you’ve never made roosterkoek before, this is the one to start with. No fancy tricks - just flour, water, and a fire.
So dust off your grid, get the coals going, and try your hand at this old-school family favourite. And when you do, share your photos with #Roosterkoek; because every roosterkoek has a story, and we’d love to see yours.
Recipe source:
Family recipe — passed down through the years, lovingly translated from an old Afrikaans cookbook.
Image: Unsplash.
