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You probably didn’t think a single champion of the South African sausage could exist.

Little did you know that Shoprite and Checkers host a Championship Boerewors competition and this year, a 37-year-old financial manager from Centurion was crowned the ultimate Boerewors champ.

How kiff is that?

Ruard Briel reportedly took a decade to perfect his wors recipe, so he undoubtedly deserves the award. The avid game hunter and finance bro nabbed the braai crown after battling it out against nine finalists from across the country at the grand finale at the Blaauwklippen Familly Market in Stellenbosch on Saturday.

The 2024 Shoprite and Checkers Championship Boerewors competition winner, Ruard Briel.

Boerewors is a testament to the art of Saffa sausage-making, bringing a unique combination of spices that tantalise the taste buds.

As if your mouth is watering right on cue, his winning recipe will be available nationwide at Shoprite and Checkers stores from 6 September, just in time for Heritage Day celebrations.

This has been a fantastic way for Checkers and Shoprite to get involved with the people, having sold five million kilogrammes of their Champion Boerwors range since the idea came about and Briel cannot wait to see his special wors on shelves in September.

“I am ecstatic,” Briel told News24 Food. “It is a passion of mine to work with meat, and that is why I continued to enter. I wanted to win. Last year, I got to the top 30. This year, I made it to the top 10 final and won. I am in disbelief. I have tried every year until this year when I finally won.”

If you don’t succeed at first, keep making wors!

There is actual maths to the madness, Briel added. By law, boerewors must be 90% meat – beef, lamb, and pork – with no more than 30% fat.  The rest of the boerie is a mix of spices and other goodies, but offal is not allowed.

“You don’t want anything to stand out or be overpowering; it just comes down to balance,” he said.

Apart from the coveted title of 2024 championship boerewors-maker, Briel also drove away with a brand-new Toyota Fortuner 2.4 GD-6 RB AT worth R600,000, and R20,000 in cash. Jirre, that’s mors lekker.

The competition is now in its 32nd year, attracting a record 2,300 entries this year to showcase the nation’s unwavering love for this beloved South African staple. The finalists were judged by a panel of food experts, including surprise guest judge, former Springbok lock Bakkies Botha.

“It’s a great privilege to be part of this competition because boerewors brings people together,” said Botha.

South African chow is a proper melting pot of the many cultures that have lived side by side on this land for ages. Different styles of cooking have brewed up from this lekker mix of traditions, and boerewors is a prime example of how different cultures came together to cook up what’s now a classic South African dish.

[source:news24]