What is boerewors?

Boerewors (boor-uh-vors) - literally means ‘farmers sausage’ in Afrikaans. A savoury sausage developed by the farmers some 200 years ago. Boerewors is traditionally cooked on the braai or barbecue but like any good sausage, can be cooked in a grill or broiler.

Traditionally, boerewors is made of minced meat in a sausage casing. The meat commonly used is beef but could also be goat, pork or lamb or a mixture of the four. Legally, boerewors must contain 90% meat content and less than 30% fat content. Boerewors has a signature spiral shape similar to Cumberland sausages and is usually made of an herb and spice blend that generally includes all spice, clover, coriander and nutmeg. At K's Wors, we offer a range of award-winning boerewors sausage flavours: countrystyle, chilli or chilli and garlic.

In Southern Africa, we generally serve boerewors with a variety of braai-friendly salads or with pap and chakalaka but it can also be served alongside a heap of mash, chopped and added to pasta, stews or casseroles. 

To cook boerewors in a grill, heat a grill pan over low-medium heat. Grill the boerewors, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked thoroughly. To fry, heat a large frying pan with four tablespoons of water over low-medium heat then add the wors, and turn often cooking slowly while adding a dash of water in between. To finish off, add a knob of butter or a splash of olive oil and turn until golden brown and cooked through. On both occasions, cook for approximately 25-30 minutes. Do not prick your sausages while cooking.