Grilled springbok

Name: Grilled springbok
Prep time: 90 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 110 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Namibie
Ingredients: 800 g whole springbok steaks, 4 pieces measuring 3 cm; 20 g rapeseed oil; 40 g lemon juice; 8 g crushed garlic; 2 g crushed coriander seeds; 2 g fresh thyme leaves; 1 g ground black pepper; 4 g fine salt; 100 g hot water

Springbok grilled with lemon, thyme and coriander, finished gently to retain its juices.

Ingredients

800 g whole springbok steaks, 4 pieces measuring 3 cm
20 g rapeseed oil
40 g lemon juice
8 g crushed garlic
2 g crushed coriander seeds
2 g fresh thyme leaves
1 g ground black pepper
4 g fine salt
100 g hot water

Preparation

Use 15 min to check the springbok’s origin, remove only accessible silverskin and pat the steaks dry. Mix oil, lemon, garlic, coriander, thyme and pepper in a food-safe container. Coat without piercing. Refrigerate at no more than 4 °C for 1 h, turning halfway with clean tongs. This seasons the surface; it does not disinfect the meat or replace cooking.

Use the remaining 15 min of preparation to clean the work area, prepare two pairs of tongs and heat a two-zone grill: one hot area for searing and one moderate area for finishing. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator only when ready to cook, drain and lightly pat their surfaces dry. Discard the raw marinade. Distribute the 4 g salt over both sides. Keep serving plates away from the raw-meat dish.

Sear for about 4 min in total, turning after 2 min to obtain brown marks without charring. Move to moderate heat and continue for about 10 min, turning once. Insert a thermometer sideways into the centre: reach at least 70 °C for 2 min. Thickness and grill performance may require longer; the thermometer takes priority over the clock. Do not aim for a rare centre with this game.

Allow about 1 min more to complete the temperature hold, then transfer using the clean tongs. Rest for 5 min on a clean platter under loosely placed foil, without trapping steam. The stated 20 min cooking time includes this hold and rest. On a grill fitted with a pan, add the 100 g hot water to unburnt cooking juices; otherwise simply serve the resting juices, never the discarded marinade.

Identify the grain of each steak and slice fairly thinly across it. Divide one steak and its juices onto each plate. Serve immediately, with accompaniments separately to preserve the crust. If reaching the safe temperature required extra time, report that actual duration rather than shortening the rest. Finally clean the probe, tongs and all surfaces that touched raw meat.