South African Grilled Lamb Sosaties Recipe for Braai Success

Easy grilled lamb sosaties prepared in a curry-style marinade and cooked over high heat. This South African braai classic combines boneless leg of lamb, dried apricots, and warm spices for a delightful sweet-and-spicy contrast.

These lamb sosaties capture everything great about meat cooked over an open flame: tender cubes of lamb soaked in a spiced, fruity marinade and finished until sticky and caramelized. Originating from Cape Malay culinary traditions and a staple at South African braais, sosaties balance curry spices with sweet elements like apricot for a memorable flavor profile.

If you don’t have an outdoor braai, you can easily prepare these on any backyard grill. Marinate the skewers overnight, then cook them over medium-high heat until crisp on the outside and juicy inside—about fifteen minutes.

Below you’ll find background on sosaties, ingredient notes, step-by-step instructions, and tips for serving and timing. Let’s get grilling.

What are South African Sosaties?

South African sosaties are marinated meat skewers traditionally cooked over coals on a braai. While lamb is the most common meat, recipes also use chicken, beef, or game. The name combines Indonesian-derived terms—sate (skewered meat) and saus (sauce)—reflecting the Cape Malay influence on South African cuisine.

Sosaties are known for their fruit-forward marinades, often featuring apricot or tamarind paired with curry spices, creating a sauce that caramelizes beautifully when exposed to high heat.

Ingredients

Sosaties are versatile—use whatever protein you prefer—but this recipe focuses on boneless leg of lamb for a rich, lamb-forward version. The classic flavor pairing is a curry-spiced marinade sweetened with apricot jam and balanced with vinegar.

Common marinades vary from lemon-and-herb to the tangy, beloved “monkey gland” sauce, but for this recipe the apricot-curry combination delivers a sticky, glossy finish that complements lamb’s natural richness.

How to Make Lamb Sosaties

Follow these clear steps for the best results. The key is to cook the aromatics gently, cool the marinade completely, and allow the lamb to rest in the marinade overnight so flavors penetrate the meat.

1. Make the marinade: gently sauté sliced onion in olive oil until soft, then add garlic, grated ginger, and the spices and cook briefly.
2. Stir in apricot jam, vinegar, and salt, bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let cool completely.
3. Thread cubed lamb and rehydrated dried apricots onto skewers and place them in a shallow dish.
4. Pour the cooled marinade over the skewers, seal, and refrigerate overnight.
5. Preheat a grill or braai to medium-high heat (about 400°F / 205°C). Grill the sosaties for roughly 15 minutes, turning regularly, until the exterior is glossy and the internal temperature reaches 145°F (62°C).
6. Serve immediately, hot from the grill.

What to Serve With Sosaties

Sosaties pair well with grilled vegetables, potato salad, or a simple green salad. They also work as handheld bites for parties; make smaller skewers for canapés or serve in a split soft roll with mayonnaise and sweet chili sauce to create a sosatie roll.

Times & Temperatures

Grill the sosaties over medium-high heat, around 400°F (205°C). They typically take about 15 minutes to cook through, turning frequently so the marinade caramelizes evenly.

Cook lamb to an internal temperature of 145°F (62°C) for medium-rare to medium. If using charcoal or wood, wait until flames have died back and you’re cooking over hot coals for indirect heat—turn the skewers regularly for even color and doneness.

A practical way to judge coals is the hand test: hold your hand about 6 inches above the coals—if you can keep it there for roughly 10 seconds, the heat is in the right range. If you pull away sooner, the coals are too hot; if you can keep it there much longer, they’ve cooled down too far.

Quick Tips

1. Use a grill basket or grid to turn multiple skewers at once and prevent the apricots from falling through the grates.
2. Cut lamb into even-sized cubes so everything cooks uniformly.
3. Allow the marinade to cool completely before adding it to the meat to avoid partially cooking the lamb during marination.

Grilled Lamb Sosaties

5 from 1 vote

Easy grilled lamb sosaties prepared in a curry marinade and cooked over high heat. This South African braai classic uses boneless leg of lamb, dried apricots, and spices to create a delicious sweet-and-spicy combination.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Servings: 8

Author: Ben Isham-Smith

Equipment

• wooden skewers

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

Marinade

• 1 onion finely sliced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tsp fresh ginger grated
• 3 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 11 oz apricot jam
• 2 cups brown vinegar
• 1 tsp kosher salt

Skewers

• 4 lbs boneless leg of lamb cubed
• ½ lb dried apricots soaked overnight

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat.
• Fry the sliced onions gently until soft and translucent, about 7–8 minutes.
• Add the garlic, ginger, and spices to the pan and cook for one more minute.
• Stir in the apricot jam, brown vinegar, and salt. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and cool completely.
• Thread the lamb and soaked apricots alternately onto skewers and place them in a large dish.
• Once the marinade has cooled, pour it over the skewers, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat your grill or braai to medium-high heat (about 400°F / 205°C).
• Grill the sosaties on the grates or in a grill basket for about 15 minutes, turning regularly, until the internal temperature reaches 145°F (62°C).
• Remove from the grill and serve immediately.