Boerewors
Also known as: Farmer's sausage, Wors
The iconic South African farmer's sausage: a thick, coarse coiled sausage of beef (and often pork) spiced with coriander, clove and nutmeg, grilled on the braai or served in a roll as a boerewors roll.
Type
Main course
Key Ingredients
Beef, Pork, Coriander seed
Eaten With
Pap, Chakalaka, Bread roll
Typical Price
$2 to 5 for a boerewors roll
Boerewors, literally farmer's sausage in Afrikaans, is one of the most recognizable foods in South Africa and Namibia, and a fixture of every braai. It is a thick, coarse-textured sausage made mostly from beef, usually blended with some pork or lamb and a good amount of fat to keep it juicy over the fire. What sets it apart from other sausages is the spicing: warm, fragrant notes of toasted coriander seed lead the way, joined by clove, nutmeg, allspice and black pepper, with a splash of vinegar and sometimes a little wine. The meat is coarsely minced rather than ground to a paste, so you get a satisfying, meaty bite. Tradition (and South African law, which sets a minimum meat content) keeps the recipe honest, and the result is distinctly its own thing rather than a generic banger. Boerewors is almost always shaped into one long continuous spiral, a single coiled rope of sausage that gets laid across the grid in one piece.
The classic way to eat it is straight off the braai, the skin blistered and the inside still juicy, sliced up and shared as part of a larger spread with pap and chakalaka. Just as beloved is the boerewors roll, or boerie roll, a length of grilled wors tucked into a soft bread roll and topped with a tomato-and-onion relish, chutney or mustard. The boerewors roll is the great democratic street food of the region, sold at sports matches, markets, school fundraisers, fuel stations and roadside stalls, and it is many people's first and fondest memory of the flavor. Cooking it well is a point of pride: the coil should be turned gently and never pricked, so the juices stay in. For a visitor, a boerewors roll bought at a busy market or a slice of wors handed to you at a backyard braai is an easy and genuinely tasty introduction to South African food, and it pairs naturally with the wider braai culture it belongs to.
How It's Eaten
Grilled in its signature coil on the braai and sliced to share as part of a meal with pap and chakalaka, or served as a boerewors roll: a length of grilled sausage in a soft bread roll topped with relish or chutney. It is eaten with the hands as often as with a knife and fork.
Cultural Context
Boerewors is a national food icon in South Africa and Namibia and an essential part of any braai. The word means farmer's sausage and reflects its roots in Afrikaner farming tradition, though it is enjoyed across all communities. The boerewors roll is a ubiquitous street and event food, sold everywhere from sports stadiums to fundraisers, and is a cherished everyday taste of home for many.
Variations
Boerewors roll
A grilled length of boerewors served in a soft bread roll with tomato and onion relish, the classic South African street food.
Droewors
A dried, cured version of boerewors, similar to a thin coriander-spiced biltong stick eaten as a snack.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is boerewors?
Boerewors is a traditional South African sausage whose name means farmer's sausage in Afrikaans. It is a thick, coarse, coiled sausage made mainly from beef (often with some pork) and spiced with coriander, clove and nutmeg, usually grilled on a braai.
What is boerewors made of?
Boerewors is made from coarsely minced beef, often combined with pork or lamb and fat, seasoned with toasted coriander seed, clove, nutmeg, allspice, black pepper and vinegar. South African regulations set a minimum meat content, which helps keep it authentic.
How do you cook boerewors?
Boerewors is traditionally grilled in its long coiled shape on a braai over wood or charcoal. The trick is to turn it gently and avoid pricking the skin so the juices stay inside, cooking it until the casing is browned and the inside is just cooked through and juicy.
What is a boerewors roll?
A boerewors roll, sometimes called a boerie roll, is a length of grilled boerewors served in a soft bread roll and topped with a tomato and onion relish, chutney or mustard. It is one of the most popular street foods in South Africa and Namibia.
What does boerewors taste like?
Boerewors has a rich, juicy, meaty flavor with a warm, fragrant spicing dominated by coriander, alongside clove and nutmeg and a slight tang from vinegar. Its coarse texture gives it a hearty bite that is quite different from a smooth, finely ground sausage.