Recipes
South Africa

Grilled Snoek with Apricot Glaze

A West Coast classic — butterflied snoek braai'd with a sweet-tangy apricot glaze.

Ingredients

  • 1 whole snoek, butterflied
  • ½ cup apricot jam
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp butter, melted
  • Salt & pepper
  • Optional: chopped chilli, ginger, or soy sauce

Method

  1. 1

    Mix apricot jam, lemon juice, garlic, melted butter, salt, and pepper.

  2. 2

    Pat fish dry. Brush lightly with oil. Season with salt and pepper.

  3. 3

    Place snoek skin-side down over medium coals. Close lid if using kettle braai.

  4. 4

    Brush apricot glaze onto snoek during the last 5–10 minutes. Do NOT turn the fish.

  5. 5

    Serve hot with bread, salads, or pap.

Swaps & variations

  • Replace snoek with yellowtail or mackerel
  • Use honey instead of apricot jam
  • Add peri-peri for spicy glaze
  • Add fresh herbs like thyme or coriander

Storing & freezing

Cooked snoek keeps 2–3 days in the fridge. Freeze raw snoek up to 2 months. Apricot glaze freezes well.

Grow it yourself

  • Apricots: Thrive in hot dry summers and cold winters; plant in winter; full sun; prune annually; mulch
  • Lemons: Evergreen sun-loving citrus; feed regularly; protect from frost
  • Garlic: Plant in winter; harvest mid-summer; well-drained soil
  • Thyme: Thrives in hot dry areas; Coriander: Prefers cool weather
  • Use sticky traps for fruit flies on apricot trees
  • Citrus trees: treat aphids with soapy water or neem
  • Encourage wasps and ladybirds for natural pest control
  • Mulch fruit trees to reduce weed competition
  • Apricots: Harvest when soft, fragrant, and richly coloured
  • Lemons: Pick when fully coloured and heavy
  • Garlic: Harvest when lower leaves brown; cure before storage

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