Braai Wood & Charcoal
Sekelbos Braai Wood
Delivery available across the Isle of Man. Secure checkout via Paddle.
Sekelbos (sicklebush) is the go-to wood for South Africans who braai often. Sun-dried in the Southern African heat, extremely dry and dense — typically around 6% moisture when kept sealed and off the ground. It catches and lights more easily than the heavier hardwoods, yet still delivers excellent heat and a steady bed of coals you can rely on. The burn is clean and consistent with a pleasant, subtle aroma that suits everything from a quick weeknight braai to a relaxed weekend with friends. Supplied in an 11kg bag.
Sun-dried and extremely dense — typically around 6% moisture when kept sealed and off the ground. Burns slowly and hot.
In-depth review
Sekelbos (sicklebush) punches well above its weight. Although it grows as a scrubby, fast-spreading shrub rather than a grand tree, its wood is remarkably dense — around 825–950 kg/m³ — which is exactly why those thin stems make such surprisingly good, long-lasting coals.
With a calorific value of roughly 19–20 MJ/kg it burns hot, yet it stays clean: very little smoke, minimal sparks and low ash. Field references note it "makes no smoke and burns slowly", and compared with Kameeldoring it lights and keeps going more easily while still giving a long, steady braai.
Its real signature is flavour. The wood's natural oils and resin throw a distinctive sweet, earthy bushveld smoke that is prized for lifting meat, poultry and fish — which is why so many braaiers reach for it first.
Sekelbos is cleared from overgrazed veld as part of land management — using it for braai wood puts an invasive bush to good use.
Food pairings
- Chicken & sosaties
- Pork chops & ribs
- Snoek & kingklip
- Boerewors
- Halloumi & grilled veg
- Wood-fired pizza
Best cooking methods
- Everyday grilling
- Light smoking
- Quick high-heat braais
- Wood-fired pizza ovens
- Mixed grills
- Versatile Southern African hardwood
- Lights easily — quick to get going
- Clean, consistent burn and steady coals
- Pleasant, subtle natural aroma
- Extremely dry — typically around 6% moisture when kept sealed and off the ground
- Ideal everyday braai wood
- Supplied in an 11kg bag · fallen branches, sun-dried
Burn characteristics
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A dense hardwood (~825–1,000 kg/m³, ~19.2–19.5 MJ/kg) that still burns plenty hot — it reaches full braai temperatures comfortably, just a notch below the ultra-dense Kameeldoring and Mopane.
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Burns noticeably longer than common woods like rooikrans (by roughly three hours) while staying more forgiving than the heavyweights — a great balance of longevity and convenience for everyday braais.
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Produces excellent, glowing coals with low ash, so it is clean to cook over and quick to clear up afterwards.
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The easiest of our hardwoods to light — it catches and establishes a fire quickly, which is exactly why many braaiers use it to get the denser woods going.
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The flavour champion. Natural oils give off a distinctive sweet, earthy smoke that is especially prized for adding character to meat — a favourite for flavour and light smoking.
A rough guide to how each wood behaves on the grid — not a lab test.