We first learned how to soak pork kebab correctly when we visited Georgia. It must be admitted that the Georgians are real experts in this matter. Yes, and the Caucasus is considered to be the birthplace of barbecue. It happened to try Armenian shish kebab. But they don’t use marinade there, believing that it spoils the meat. Use only salt and seasonings. It also turns out very well, but the Georgian "mtsvadi", tasted in hospitable sunny Georgia, was much more liked.
Now we cook barbecue ourselves, without even paying attention to the beautiful packaging of supermarkets with the inscriptions "pork barbecue in vinegar and mayonnaise." No comparison!
Most often, lamb or lamb is chosen for barbecue. For our markets, this product is rare, and therefore this time we will take pork for cooking.
In general, when we are asked, from pork (or lamb), we answer: start with a good company, mood, freshest meat and fruit tree.
Indeed, the most delicious fragrant barbecue It is prepared on the vine or from the firewood of fruit trees. Pine and spruce do not fit here at all. Too strong smell and too much resin. And this is not beneficial.
Barbecue is fried in the heat. The meat on top should be covered with a crust, while retaining tenderness and juiciness inside. Don't simmer the meat. And turn it over often so that it cooks evenly.
Ideal for barbecue necks. The tenderloin will do, but it will be tougher and drier than the neck. Frozen meat must not be used. Such meat (even the neck) has already lost its qualities and will not turn out juicy, tasty and fragrant. Perfect for ribs and brisket. But then it is better to use not skewers, but a grill.
Now for the specific question "how to soak pork skewers" a specific ... question: what exactly do you want to achieve?
There are two options here: or make quality meat tasty? The method of pickling depends on the purpose.
High-quality fresh meat is usually marinated for about an hour, no more than two. Georgians do not spare onions and spices. How much meat, the same amount of onions. Plus spices and herbs. The main set for pork includes ground black pepper, cilantro, parsley, basil, tarragon and, of course, onion and salt. Parsley, rosemary, basil are added to lamb.
Greens do not need to be cut, after cooking it is simply removed. The meat is cut not into pieces, but into pieces that can retain juiciness after the fire. small pieces just dry up and become, sorry for the mockery of the Russian language, relatives of crackers. The men are preparing a barbecue. That is the custom. Women only serve ready-made meat.
Wine can also be used as a marinade. White dry. instead of vinegar. In the same way, onions, peppers, seasonings, salt, herbs are added. In this version, the meat is marinated for five hours, or better, all night. Then you get both softness and juiciness.
Another option. Sliced meat is soaked for 5-7 hours in highly carbonated mineral water. Then onions, spices and salt are added and aged for another hour and a half.
The last option to Georgian cuisine It has nothing to do with it, but the barbecue turns out really excellent.
Recipe for pork skewers, or subtleties on the note.
It is undesirable to use mayonnaise for pickling. If only because the mayonnaise itself is undesirable to be thermally processed, and it will not add softness and juiciness to the meat.
When marinating, it is advisable to add a little oil (vegetable), especially if you use dry spices. The oil will enhance the aroma of spices, and the meat itself will be more ruddy.
Use dried basil instead of fresh basil. Fresh gives the meat bitterness, and dry - only flavor.
Well, the famous Georgian wine, tkemali sauce and any fresh vegetable salads are perfect for barbecue.
Now you know how to soak pork kebab and cook it properly.
Cook and enjoy!
In Georgia barbecue (mtsvadi)- This is one of the most popular and common dishes. No feast is complete without mtsvadi, Georgian wine and toasts. A roadside cafe may not have salads or soups, but Georgian barbecue will be a must.
The best kebab in Georgia is prepared in Kakheti - in the land of abundance of wine, fruit and meat. It is the Kakhetian barbecue recipe that we will share.
So! The main thing in barbecue is meat. It doesn't matter if you use pork or lamb. It is important that the meat is fresh. Ideally, a pair. take pork neck- make no mistake.
Now the main surprise - the meat does not need to be marinated.
Generally. Once, in response to the question "How so?" The Georgians replied, “Look, good meat, right? Why spoil?
The magic happens like this: we cut the meat into long narrow pieces and string it on wide flat skewers so that it does not turn when frying. It is important that the meat is about the same size and does not hang from the skewer - it will burn.
Now coals. According to the Kakhetian recipe, we burn a heap of vines right on the ground. It burns brightly and quickly - in fifteen minutes the ideal coals will be ready. You need to start frying meat when the coals are covered with white ash.
The meat on skewers is placed very close to the coals - the distance should be literally 3-4 cm. In Kakhetia, a kind of barbecue is used for this purpose - a metal frame of the desired height. But we can do with ordinary bricks)
When we put the meat, we carefully “catch” the barbecue. Flip carefully as soon as the crust has browned. You don't need to turn back and forth often. The barrel was browned - salted - turned over. Salt should be coarse. The other is browned - it's time to shoot. Fresh meat is cooked in 15 minutes, no more.
When the meat is cooked, remove it into a large vat with the help of a large slice of puri. And sprinkle with onion rings. And if there was a pomegranate at hand - it will turn out just a fairy tale!
Gently remember the pomegranate kernels right in the peel so that the peel is not damaged. Then cut the crust and pour the pomegranate juice into the vat of hot meat and onions. Mix well and voila!
Mtsvadi barbecue is served on the table with a lot of vegetables, herbs, wine and sauces - satsebeli and tkemali. Bon Appetit!
Cooking delicious and fragrant barbecue is one of the most important highlights of the Caucasian peoples. There is probably not a single nation in the world that would perfectly repeat all these culinary masterpieces.
The basis of a tender barbecue is the right meat and the marinade prepared for it. During cooking, the meat pieces should be browned on the inside, and the fried crust on the outside helps keep them juicy.
That's it then taste qualities barbecue will really be revealed, and during the meal it will be very difficult to break away from such a delicacy.
What meat to choose
The quality of Georgian shish kebab directly depends on the age characteristics of the killed animal, the size of the cut pieces, their juiciness, as well as the duration of their pickling. The most refined version is obtained from the meat of a young ram or pig.
The peoples of the Caucasus, before killing an animal, prepared barbecue grills for frying meat in advance. Unfortunately, all of us are simply not able to repeat this tradition every time.
That is why it is better to go to a store that sells fresh meat. It is very important to take into account the fact that for barbecue it should not be frozen, otherwise then its taste will change significantly.
As we have already noted, Georgians traditionally use the pulp, both lamb and pork, for frying. It is best to take those pieces that are cut from the neck or back of the animal. Also pay attention to the fact that there is a little fat on the pieces of pulp. Thanks to him, the finished kebab will be much juicier and more tender.
How to cook Georgian marinade
As for pickling Georgian barbecue, here I immediately want to draw attention to the fact that according to the traditional Georgian recipe meat is not soaked in any marinades. Rub fresh sliced pieces on all sides with salt, add ground pepper and greens, after which they immediately begin to cook.
But modern cooking does not stand still and, of course, in search of new tastes, Georgians began to use several classic marinades. Thanks to them, it was possible to emphasize the taste characteristics of meat cooked on a fire.
Consider the most popular barbecue marinade recipes. We will take all the ingredients with the expectation of 1 kilogram of fresh meat.
Wine based marinade recipe
Ingredients:
- dry red wine - 200 ml;
- ground pepper - a pinch;
- large onion - 3-4 pcs.;
- coarse salt - 1 tsp;
- paprika - 2 g;
- coriander - 2 g;
- thyme - ½ tsp
Add the onion cut into half rings into the meat, then sprinkle it with all the spices and finally pour a glass of red wine. Mix everything well and marinate room temperature for two hours.
Marinade with yogurt
- natural yogurt - 1 glass;
- lemon juice - 4 tsp;
- salt - 1 tsp;
- pepper - to taste.
This marinade is suitable for both pork and lamb. Sprinkle the pieces of meat with spices and fill them lemon juice and yogurt. Let marinate for a few hours.
Marinade based on mineral water
- mineral water - 1 glass;
- salt - 1 tsp;
- spices (cumin, coriander, pepper) - to taste.
Marinade with mineral water should be used if the meat is not quite young. Spices are added as desired and to taste. There are no strict requirements for this. Thanks to gas bubbles, the meat will become softer and more tender.
Georgian pork barbecue recipe
We will consider classic recipe Georgian barbecue, which does not need to be marinated, and it takes a minimum of time to cook it.
You and I will need a fresh neck to cook barbecue. With a sharp knife, cut it into strips along the fibers. Then we divide them into cubes. It is very important that the pieces are not too large or small.
Make them so that a piece can be eaten in one or two times. Put the chopped meat in a deepened cup and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Mix well and leave for 10-15 minutes.
At this time, we are engaged in lighting a fire. To make the barbecue really tasty and fragrant, you will need grapevine branches. Put them in the fire and wait until they turn into coals. It is on them that the meat will be cooked.
We string pieces of meat on skewers, and after the vine burns out, we put them on the grill. The distance between the barbecue and the coals should be about 5 centimeters. Under these conditions, the meat will cook for 15-20 minutes, and at the same time it will retain its juiciness.
As soon as it browned a little on one side, turn the skewer over to the other. And so on until the steak is completely cooked. Ready meat is usually visible to the naked eye. But if you still have doubts, then you can make an incision on one of the pieces and check if it is baked inside.
We spread the shish kebab on a wide dish, sprinkle it with chopped onion rings and chopped parsley on top.
This recipe is perfect for fresh meat only. If you are not sure about this, or if you know that the animal was not very young, then you should hold the pieces of pork in one of the above marinades.
lamb skewers recipe
Ingredients:
- lamb pulp - 2 kg;
- onion - 750 g;
- table vinegar - 120-130 g;
- fat tail (fat) - 0.4 kg;
- tomatoes - up to 10 pcs.;
- cumin - a pinch;
- cilantro - 200 g;
- salt and pepper - to taste.
Cooking time - at least 5 hours.
Calorie content - 226 kcal.
Cut the lamb flesh into medium-sized pieces. Ideally, they should be 3x3 centimeters in size. Make sure that all the veins are cut, otherwise the meat may end up being poorly fried.
Kurdyuk first needs to be held a little in the freezer, so it will be much better cut. Then we divide it into smaller pieces, approximately 2X2 or maybe a little less.
We send all the pieces into a deep container. Either a saucepan or a bowl will do. We cut the onion into rings and put it to the meat. Add vinegar, salt and pepper. Before adding cumin seeds, they need to be slightly ceilinged. Then knead them in your hands and send them to the meat. Mix everything well so that the pieces of meat and fat are evenly saturated with spices.
If you leave the meat to marinate at room temperature, then it will take about 4 hours. If you plan to do it at night (which is much better), then we put the bowl with the future barbecue in the refrigerator compartment.
Pickled pieces of meat are put on skewers and put on prepared coals. In order for the lamb to be fried evenly, it must be strung along the fibers. Alternate every two pieces of meat, a piece of fat tail and a tomato.
Fry the meat on each side for 5-6 minutes and turn over. In order for the kebab not to turn out too dry, during frying it can be sprinkled with water and vinegar or dry wine.
After 20-25 minutes, delicious meat will be ready.
What is the best way to fry meat?
The raw materials from which we build a fire also play an important role in the preparation of Georgian barbecue. If you have the opportunity to use firewood, then give preference to the wood of deciduous trees, and even fruit trees are better.
In no case do not use coniferous trees for cooking barbecue, as they contain a large amount of resin. They will not only worsen the taste of the kebab, they will simply spoil them.
Ideally, to get tender and sweet meat, it is better to take plum, cherry or apricot wood. In a burning fire, simply throw dry tree branches and wait until they turn into coals. We put skewers with meat only when they stop smoking. After all, our main task is to bake pieces of meat, and not fumigate them. The distance between skewers and coals should be on average 5 centimeters.
Sauce Recipes
What can be a barbecue without a delicious and fragrant sauce. Consider the most popular options for this dish in Georgian cuisine.
Classical
Ingredients:
- tomatoes - 1.5 kg;
- garlic - 4-5 cloves;
- cilantro - medium bunch;
- adjika - ½ tsp;
- oregano and basil - 1 sprig;
- ground pepper.
Cooking time - 25 minutes.
Calorie content - 30 kcal.
So fresh tomatoes remove the skin, cut them in half, put in a blender cup and chop. Pour the resulting slurry into a saucepan and boil over low heat for about 20 minutes.
A few minutes before the readiness, add all the remaining ingredients, after grinding them. The sauce is served chilled.
Barbecue sauce
Ingredients:
- onion - 0.2 kg;
- sunflower oil - 4 tsp;
- garlic - 1 head;
- classic ketchup - 400 ml;
- jam (preferably orange) - 200 g;
- mustard - ¼ cup;
- chili - 1 piece;
- sugar - ½ cup;
- vinegar (apple) - ¾ cup;
- lemon juice - ¼ cup;
- cilantro - a bunch.
Cooking time - 40 minutes.
Calorie content - 166 kcal.
On the sunflower oil fry the onion until it becomes soft. Then add all ingredients except cilantro. Simmer over low heat for about half an hour. As a result, it should turn out moderately thick.
After removing the pan from the stove, add chopped cilantro to the sauce. Give him a chance to persevere. Serve chilled.
Georgian serving traditions
According to the traditions of Georgian cuisine, shish kebab should be served with red dry wine or a cup of green tea. Fresh vegetables, in particular tomatoes, will not spoil the taste of the dish.
If you have some free time, you can cook warm salad from tomatoes or a special sauce for meat. These dishes are very easy to prepare at home, and in time it will not take more than 20 minutes.
Georgians often put on the table with barbecue Cherry jam, to which pepper and a little basil are added. And in the mountainous regions of the country on the tables you can meet yogurt sauce with cilantro, red pepper and garlic.
Thanks to all the above tricks, Georgian barbecue really turns out to be one of the most delicious. Given all these features, now you can also enjoy the most tender meat cooked by yourself.
Barbecue is without a doubt the most popular meat dish in many countries. However, the Caucasus is considered its homeland. Each of the mountain peoples has its own original way of soaking and cooking meat. For example, Armenians do not use marinade at all. It is believed that it spoils the taste of the future dish. Seasonings and salt are all that is required to prepare the meat for frying. This barbecue is also very tasty. But for those who are accustomed to juicy, fragrant, soft meat, it is worth preparing a Georgian barbecue, the recipe of which is described in detail below.
Important Ingredients
Georgians have a great saying: when preparing barbecue, always start with good company, great mood, the freshest meat and fruit tree. “With the first three components, everything is clear, but what does fruit trees have to do with it?” the reader will ask. Everything is very simple. Mtsvadi - shish kebab - is cooked in the heat, and it tastes best on the coals of fruit trees. Grapevine also has a great effect on taste. In no case should you use firewood from coniferous trees. The meat will only be damaged by a strong specific smell, as well as a lot of resin.
According to tradition, Georgians use mutton or lamb meat for “mtsvadi”. Our markets cannot boast of the presence of this product on their shelves. Therefore, if lamb was not found, you can safely buy pork - the dish will turn out to be no less juicy.
You need to choose soft, low-fat pieces. The collar fits perfectly. Tenderloin skewers will turn out drier and tougher, but just as tasty. If you buy ribs or brisket, then you should replace the skewer with a grill. In no case should you use defrosted meat - it has already lost its qualities and is not suitable for a really appetizing dish.
The right marinade
What kind of meat to take is already clear. Now it needs to be properly soaked. If a high-quality neck is available and you need to make it juicy, you need to pickle it for no more than two hours, and best of all an hour. You definitely need an onion. Georgians put as much onion as meat. Salt and spices - optional. The magical taste of pork will give:
- black pepper (ground)
- parsley,
- basil,
- tarragon,
- cilantro.
Suitable for lamb:
- parsley,
- basil,
- rosemary.
Basil is used dry. Fresh - will give the meat bitterness.
The vinegar in the marinade can be replaced with dry white wine. If add vegetable oil, then when frying, the crust of the meat will be rosier, and the aroma of spices will be brighter. Do not use mayonnaise for marinade. It won't make the meat softer or juicier.
If you need to soften the meat and get in the end juicy barbecue, you need to marinate it for at least five hours, maximum - leave it overnight. Spices and onions are added to the marinade.
To get a soft juicy Georgian barbecue, the recipe can be slightly modified. Soak the meat in highly carbonated mineral water for 5-7 hours. After the specified time, add spices, onions and herbs. Leave for another hour and a half. This option does not apply to the traditional foundations of Georgian cuisine, but the taste of the dish corresponds exactly to mtsvadi.
Some nuances
Only men should cook mtsvadi. By tradition, women can only serve the dish to the table.
You need to fry the kebab in the heat, often turning it over. The meat should be evenly fried, tender and juicy inside, and covered with a crust on top.
Excellent Georgian wine, tkemali sauce, vegetables are the perfect addition to the dish. It goes well with meat salad for shish kebab, the recipes of which can be found in every cookbook.
This dish has a very long tradition in the Caucasus. Each house has its own traditional recipe shish kebab of pork or lamb in Georgian style. For the sake of barbecue, confrontations stopped, and a holiday began, at which wine or cognac was served with this dish.
Key to delicious barbecue first of all is the recipe good marinade and cooking method. The meat should be fried over low heat. It should be lightly baked, fried on the outside so that the juice does not run out, which should be blocked inside each piece. Only then it will be really tasty!
How to choose the right meat for barbecue
The quality of this dish largely depends on the age of the animal, the juiciness and size of the pieces, as well as the length of stay in the marinade. A good result is obtained from young and fresh lamb or pork.
The peoples of the Caucasus, before killing an animal, organize barbecues and prepare for its frying. Of course, we cannot afford such a luxury, so it is advisable to find a store that sells fresh, not frozen meat - this is very important and will significantly affect the taste of the finished dish.
Ideal for Georgian shish kebab is the flesh of pork or lamb from the back of the animal and the neck. And more importantly, it would be nice if the pulp had a little more fat. Then the baked pieces will be more tender and juicy, and not dry.
Marinade or Georgian barbecue sauce
The most common type of marinade in the Caucasus is a vinegar-based sauce.
However, marinade base options such as:
- pomegranate juice;
- dry red wine;
- mineral water;
- natural yogurt.
You also shouldn't spare the spices.
The original marinade is seasoned with a lot of spices, among which the most popular are:
- ground black pepper;
- caraway;
- thyme.
Great for Georgian lamb kebab marinade based on yogurt. It can be plain yogurt or mixed with fresh lemon juice and spices.
This marinade should be poured over the meat and left for several hours.
A marinade with wine, pepper, paprika and coriander is very good. Also as a basis simple marinade You can use a small amount of lemon juice.
In addition, for a tougher pulp - it can be beef or middle-aged pork, you can prepare a marinade based on lightly salted sparkling water. Gas bubbles will make the product more tender and softer.
Pork shish kebab in Georgian style
Ingredients:
- 1kg boneless pork, it is better to take the kidney part for lovers of lean meat and the neck part for those who like fatter and juicier;
- 500 g of tomatoes;
- 6 bulbs;
- 6 cloves of garlic;
- 1 pomegranate;
- 2 teaspoons of coriander seeds;
- 4-5 bay leaves;
- 2/3 cup of vinegar;
- 10 tablespoons of vegetable oil;
- 2 tablespoons of butter;
- salt, pepper - to your taste.
How to cook Georgian barbecue step by step:
- The pulp must be cut into large cubes, if you wish, you can clean off excess fat, but it is very tasty when the fat is heated on fire and flows down in pieces, forming a delicious fried and juicy crust with a wonderful aroma;
- After cutting the pork, we shift it into a deep bowl;
- Marinade for Georgian barbecue. Onions must be cut into slices thick enough, while it is better to choose medium-sized onions so that the rings are conveniently strung on a skewer and are not too large. Finely chop the garlic cloves and mix with the meat. Meat and onions with garlic, pour vinegar, add crushed bay leaf, coriander, oil and mix;
- Leave the workpiece to marinate under the lid in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. You can cover everything with a flat dish and put a weight on top so that the meat is immersed in the marinade;
- Before frying, string the pieces on skewers alternately with pieces of onion. Fry until golden brown on the outside so that the inside of the meat remains soft. During cooking, pour it with water mixed with olive oil;
- Georgian barbecue is served on a large platter. Before serving, sprinkle with chopped green onions and pomegranate seeds.
What is better to fry - the choice of coal
What we use as coal is also of great importance. If you can afford a campfire or barbecue, then look for wood from deciduous trees, mostly fruit trees.
The use of coniferous wood with a high resin content is excluded in the preparation of barbecue.
Such wood can spoil the taste of the dish. Apricot or plum wood is one of the best, it will give the dish a tender and sweet taste. However, cherry wood is best. Just throw wood into the fire and wait until it burns out and turns into coals.
