Kameel and Steel β€” Premium Southern African Braai Wood & Stainless Steel Braais, Isle of Man

A note on BBQ

We call it a braai here β€” not a BBQ. That word appears once on this site, and this is it.

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Kameeldoring Braai Wood

Braai Wood & Charcoal

Kameeldoring Braai Wood

Β£12.50 / 11kg bag

Delivery available across the Isle of Man. Secure checkout via Paddle.

Kameeldoring (camel thorn) is the wood every braai master asks for by name. Grown slowly in the arid bushveld of Southern Africa, it is one of the densest hardwoods on earth β€” which means it burns hotter, longer and cleaner than almost anything else you can put on a fire. Sun-dried until bone dry, typically around 6% moisture when kept sealed and off the ground. Light it once and you get a deep bed of coals that will see you through boerewors, chops, steak and a potjie without reloading. Minimal bark and very little mess β€” proper braai wood, supplied in an 11kg bag.

Sun-dried and extremely dense β€” typically around 6% moisture when kept sealed and off the ground. Burns slowly and hot.

In-depth review

Kameeldoring is the wood SA braaiers ask for by name β€” dense camel thorn that burns hot, slow, and leaves a deep bed of coals.

It does leave a little more ash than Mopane, so cook on a grid rather than straight on the coals if you prefer a cleaner finish.

Sourced from fallen branches that dry naturally in the Southern African sun β€” never felled live.

Food pairings

  • Beef steak & T-bone
  • Lamb chops & sosaties
  • Boerewors
  • Whole leg of lamb
  • Brisket & large cuts
  • Oxtail & short-rib potjie

Best cooking methods

  • High-heat searing
  • Long, slow braais
  • Spit-roast & rotisserie
  • Potjiekos
  • Cook on a grid (not directly on coals)
  • Premium Kameeldoring (camel thorn) hardwood
  • Burns hot and slow β€” coals last for hours
  • One of the densest braai woods available
  • Extremely dry β€” typically around 6% moisture when kept sealed and off the ground
  • Premium Southern African hardwood β€” authentic braai aroma
  • Supplied in an 11kg bag Β· fallen branches, sun-dried

Burn characteristics

Tap a bar for the detail behind the rating

  • One of the densest braai woods on earth (~1,150–1,185 kg/mΒ³) with a calorific value around 19–19.8 MJ/kg. All that mass packs huge energy into every log, so it throws a fierce, sustained heat β€” ideal for searing and high-temperature braaiing.

  • Extreme density means each log holds a lot of fuel and releases it slowly. A single load burns down gradually over hours, so you rarely need to reload halfway through a braai.

  • Forms a deep bed of dense coals that keep radiating cooking heat long after the flames die down. It does leave a little more ash (~2.8%) than Mopane, the only reason it stops just short of a perfect score for cooking directly on the coals.

  • The flip side of all that density: it is stubborn to get going. Build a proper kindling base and give it time β€” once lit it rewards your patience. A few sticks of Sekelbos or a firelighter help it catch.

  • Gives the classic, unmistakable South African braai aroma β€” a clean, woody smoke that flavours meat beautifully without overpowering it.

A rough guide to how each wood behaves on the grid β€” not a lab test.