ribbetjie, noun

Forms:
Also ribitje.
Origin:
Afrikaans.
Ribs (or ‘rack’) of lamb or mutton (see quotation 1970); chops. Also with defining word, as braairibbetjie/ˈbrai-/ [Afrikaans, braai grill(ed)], barbecued ribs, skaapribbetjie/ˈskɑːp-/ [Afrikaans, skaap sheep], mutton ribs. See also soutribbetjie.
1916 Farmer’s Weekly 27 Dec. 1585The ‘old style’ man goes to town for ‘Nachtmaal’ every quarter, lives in his wagon while there, eats ‘gebraaide ribbetje’ or ‘biltong’ at the camp fire, and drinks his coffee out of his own kettle.
1935 P. Smith Platkops Children 213An’ the picnic was saasaaties an’ ribitjies cooked on the coals, an’ coffee an’ cookies.
1958 A. Jackson Trader on Veld 23Her range of culinary art was limited to serving us with ‘braairibbetjie’ (grilled mutton chops) without vegetables for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
1968 L.G. Green Full Many Glorious Morning 232Richter and Frikkie had just finished their evening meal of braairibbetjies with potatoes baked in the embers.
1970 Evening Post 17 Oct. (Suppl.) 6Braairibbetjie, This consists of 4–6lb of mutton or lamb. When the shoulder has been removed, the breast and ribs are cut and chopped down to the spine, just before the chops are reached. Keep the ribbetjie in one piece, but chop through the bones so as to cut it into convenient serving pieces when grilled.
1984 Sunday Times 7 Oct. (Lifestyle) 1This (sc. Graaff-Reinet) is a typical platteland town, you know. We like our ribbetjies on the braai after church.
1985 T. Baron in Frontline Feb. 31White mussels, they told us that night in the bar as Scotch Jan fed us skaapribbetjies. They taste better than limpets, even to a galjoen.
Ribs (or ‘rack’) of lamb or mutton (see quotation 1970); chops. Also with defining word, as braairibbetjie/ˈbrai-/ [Afrikaans, braai grill(ed)], barbecued ribs, skaapribbetjie/ˈskɑːp-/ [Afrikaans, skaap sheep], mutton ribs.
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19161985