South African Culinary Heritage Collection
SA Recipes
Ref: SAR-0026
Printed 03 November 2026
Dinner
Fish & Seafood
Grilling
Lunch
Snoek on the Braai with Apricot Jam
Recipe by
Christo Lochenberg
Published 13 November 2025
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Ingredients
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- 1 large snoek, butterflied (scales removed, cleaned, backbone often removed)
- 30ml (2 tbsp) Olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- For the Basting Sauce:
- 125ml (1/2 cup) Apricot jam
- 30ml (2 tbsp) Butter, melted
- 15ml (1 tbsp) White vinegar or lemon juice
- A pinch of cayenne pepper or chilli flakes (optional, for a kick)
- A sprig of fresh rosemary (optional, for flavour in sauce)
About This Recipe
A true South African delicacy, especially along the coast. A whole snoek is butterflied and grilled over an open fire (braai), basted with a sweet and savoury apricot jam glaze. The smoky flavour combines beautifully with the rich fish and sticky glaze.
Preparation Instructions
- Prepare the Snoek: Rinse the butterflied snoek and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Lightly rub the skin side with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Prepare the Braai: Get your braai coals ready. You want a medium-hot fire, allowing for slow cooking. Use a hinged braai grid to easily turn the fish.
- Make the Basting Sauce: In a small saucepan, gently heat the apricot jam, melted butter, vinegar/lemon juice, and cayenne pepper/chilli flakes (if using). If using rosemary, add it to the sauce as it heats. Stir until well combined and smooth. Keep warm.
- Braai the Snoek: Place the snoek in the hinged braai grid, skin-side down first. Place it over the medium coals.
- Basting: Braai the snoek mostly on the skin side (about 70-80% of the cooking time), as this helps protect the delicate flesh. Regularly baste the flesh side (the open side) generously with the apricot jam sauce.
- Cook for about 15-25 minutes in total, depending on the thickness of the fish and the heat of the coals. The fish is cooked when the flesh is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. You'll turn it over to cook the flesh side directly over the coals for only the last 5-7 minutes, basting the skin side.
- Remove the snoek from the braai grid and place it on a large platter.
- Serve immediately with potato salad, bread, or side dishes like smoor or chakalaka.
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© 2026 SA Recipes · Recipe by Christo Lochenberg
Source: https://sarecipes.co.za/browse/recipe/snoek-on-the-braai-with-apricot-jam · Developed by Christo Lochenberg
