How to choose meat for barbecue? What meat is best for barbecue: culinary advice. Chicken kebab - the most delicious marinades to make the meat soft and juicy

07.08.2019 Lenten dishes

It is believed that chicken kebab is a budget option for a dish cooked over charcoal. And indeed it is. Poultry meat is much cheaper than pork, lamb, veal and beef. But, despite this, chicken kebab always turns out to be very juicy and tasty.

There are many ways to make such a dish for a holiday or camp table. In this case, the taste of the kebab completely depends on the selected marinade.

In this article, we will present you with several options for how you can soak meat for its further charcoal roasting.

Meat selection

What part of the bird do you need to use to make a delicious and juicy kebab? Typically, chicken breasts, legs, thighs, white meat or wings are taken for this. As for the back and neck of the bird, they are not suitable for such a dish, since they have a large number of bones.

It should be said that kebab made from chicken hearts and ventricles is very unusual. However, not all housewives enjoy a giblet lunch. Therefore, we decided to present several methods of cooking meat dishes on charcoal.

The easiest chicken kebab recipe

The simplest to prepare is the kebab made using white poultry meat. This dish turns out to be very tender, juicy and tasty.

So how to make chicken skewers? To do this, we need the following set of products:

  • medium fat mayonnaise (it is better to take olive) - 150 g;
  • dried caraway seeds - ½ dessert spoon;
  • large chicken breasts - 4 pcs.;
  • table salt - 1.5 dessert spoons;

We process and marinate meat

Before marinating chicken skewers, poultry meat should be properly processed. If the breasts have been frozen, they are completely defrosted and washed. At the same time, the skin and bones are carefully removed from them. As for the remaining pulp, then cut it into large pieces. Also peel the bulbs separately and chop them with thick rings.

After the meat is processed, it is laid out in a bowl, and then seasoned with table salt, dried caraway seeds, mayonnaise and ground pepper. After thoroughly mixing all the ingredients, add onion rings to them, cover with a lid and leave in this form for 1-2 hours. During this time, the meat should marinate well, become softer and more aromatic.

Heat treatment

After marinating the meat, it is carefully strung on large skewers, alternating with thick onion rings. Next, the dish is placed over hot coals and cooked for about 20-25 minutes. To make the poultry meat rosy and soft, turn it over regularly and make sure that it does not burn.

As soon as the chicken breast kebab is ready, it is removed from the grill and placed on a large plate decorated with green lettuce leaves. At the table, such a dinner is served along with fresh vegetables or some other side dish.

Making a kebab from chicken hams

We described above how to cook chicken skewers on skewers. But if for such a dish you decide to use not white poultry meat, but hams, then you will need real skewers. But first things first.

The presented chicken kebab recipe is good for those who want to cook a hearty and tasty dish, but do not want to spend a lot of money. To implement this option, we need the following products:

  • semi-sweet red wine - 150 ml;
  • dried rosemary - ½ dessert spoon;
  • large chicken hams - 6 pcs.;
  • table salt - 1.5 dessert spoons (add to your liking);
  • white onion - 2 medium heads;
  • ground pepper - a few pinches.

Meat processing and marinating process

How to marinate chicken skewers from hams? First you need to process the meat. It is completely defrosted and washed thoroughly. Next, the pieces are cut into thighs and legs (they should not turn out very large). After that, the meat product is laid out in a deep bowl and marinated. For this, the onion heads are peeled and rubbed on a fine grater. The resulting gruel is spread to the meat along with ground pepper, dried rosemary and table salt.

After mixing all the components, cover them with a lid and leave in this form for 60 minutes. Over time, a little red semi-sweet wine is poured into the meat. After stirring the products again, they are left at room temperature for 1.5 hours.

How to cook properly?

Chicken hams kebab must be cooked over very hot coals. To do this, the thighs and shins are carefully put on skewers and make sure that they do not have hanging ends.

Due to the fact that such a kebab turns out to be quite large, it should be fried a little longer than the previous version. After installing the skewers on the grill, the dish needs to be cooked for 35-40 minutes. In this case, the meat should be constantly turned over so that it is well browned, but not burnt. By the way, it was for this purpose that we did not remove the skin from the thighs and lower legs.

As soon as the chicken hams kebab is cooked, it is removed from the grill and removed from the skewers. It is advisable to use such a dish hot along with boiled potatoes and plenty of fresh herbs.

Cooking kebab from chicken wings

With the use of chicken wings, the kebab always turns out to be tender and juicy. In this case, it is very important to use honey-tomato marinade. With it, the dish will acquire an unusual taste and appetizing gloss.

So how to make chicken wings kebab? For this we need:

  • fresh chicken wings - 10 pcs .;
  • hops-suneli - 2 dessert spoons;
  • olive oil - 2 large spoons;
  • table salt, black pepper - add to your liking;
  • fresh honey - 1.5 large spoons;
  • tomato paste - 2 large spoons;
  • green onions - 1 large bunch.

How to properly process and marinate meat?

Before preparing marinated chicken kebab, the meat product should be properly processed. The wings are completely defrosted and washed thoroughly in cold water. If there are hairs on the skin, then they should be singed over an open fire.

Do not cut the chicken wings in half. But if you think that such pieces are too large, then they can be divided into 2 parts.

After the meat has been processed, it is dried with paper towels and placed in a deep bowl. Next, they begin to prepare the marinade. To do this, combine olive oil, fresh honey, table salt, hops-suneli, tomato paste, black pepper and finely chopped green onions in one bowl.

The resulting mixture is spread over the wings and mixed well. Covering the meat product with a lid, it is left aside for 60-180 minutes. During this time, the wings should be marinated, acquire a pleasant aroma and color.

Cooking on the grill

Due to the fact that chicken wings are a rather bony part of the bird, it is better to fry them not on skewers, but on a regular barbecue net. It is placed on the grill, over hot coals, and then all the pieces of meat are laid out one by one.

Regularly turning the wings over, using cooking tongs, they are periodically greased with the sauce that remains in the bowl after marinating the product. After 25-35 minutes, the kebab should become completely soft and acquire a pleasant blush.

Having cooked chicken wings in honey-tomato sauce, they are laid out on a large dish and immediately presented to the table. It is advisable to use such a lunch with a lot of greens and a side dish in the form of french fries.

Cooking delicious kebabs in the oven

Surely many have heard that chicken kebab in the oven is in no way inferior to the dish that is made using hot coals. Of course, such a dinner does not have the smoke and aroma that are inherent in the classic barbecue. But if you do not have the opportunity to go out into nature, then the chicken heart shashlik in the oven will serve as an excellent alternative to a camp dish.

So what ingredients do we need to make this lunch at home? In fact, there is nothing difficult in preparing such a dish. To do it, you need to purchase the following products:

  • table salt, hops-suneli, ground pepper - add according to your personal taste;
  • chicken hearts (if possible, use only large ones) - 400-600 g;
  • soy sauce - approximately 100 ml;
  • tomato paste - 1.5 large spoons;
  • olive or other vegetable oil - 2 large spoons.

Preparing the main product

Before making such an unusual dish in the oven, you should thoroughly process the chicken offal. Frozen hearts are thawed and then washed and unwanted veins and ducts are removed. After that, the offal is laid out on a towel, dried and placed in a deep bowl.

To make the chicken heart shashlik as tasty and aromatic as possible, it must be marinated. To do this, combine olive oil, soy sauce, table salt, tomato paste, ground pepper and suneli hops in one bowl. The resulting mixture is spread over the hearts and mixed well. In this form, the offal is covered with a lid and left at room temperature for 60-90 minutes.

How to form a shish kebab from hearts and cook it in the oven?

To get a real shish kebab in the oven, it is recommended to put chicken hearts on wooden skewers. This can be done in any way (along or across).

As soon as all the giblets are strung on a kind of skewers, they are laid out on a baking sheet, where baking paper is placed in advance. If you wish, then such a dish can be cooked on the wire rack. However, you will have to install a tray down to which the juice of the hearts will drain. By the way, you can pour a little liquid smoke into it. In this case, the kebab will turn out to be more aromatic and tasty.

After the offal is placed in the oven, it is closed and the temperature is set to 190 degrees. With this mode, the kebab is cooked for half an hour. In this case, the chicken hearts should become soft and ruddy.

How and with what to present to the dining table?

Having prepared chicken kebab at home, it is immediately presented to the table. For this, wooden skewers with hearts are laid out on a flat dish decorated with lettuce leaves.

It is advisable to use such a meal together with a fragrant sauce or any side dish. Chicken hearts go well with potatoes, as well as fresh vegetables and herbs. Bon Appetit!

Meat

Secrets of cooking meat for barbecue

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Meat is usually the main grill dish, and picnics are often held with the main purpose of eating kebabs. To make your kebab perfect, you need to choose the right meat for it, cut it correctly, marinate it and cook it.

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If you are not a kebab pro, our tips will help you not to be disappointed.

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How to choose meat for barbecue?

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Traditional shish kebab is made from pork or lamb, but some kebab lovers do not always know how to choose it correctly. After all, it is so offensive if the kebab turns out to be tough, fatty or sinewy, although it would seem that the meat looked quite decent!

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- Do not buy frozen meat at the store, since there is a great risk that you will get the wrong thing. Moreover, fresh meat tastes much better. If you have a good chunk of frozen meat in the freezer, you can defrost, marinate, and cook it slowly, as long as it hasn't been frozen several times.

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- Before buying, inspect the meat well and make sure that it has not been thawed: there are no traces of snow, bloody smudges on it, and a puddle of water does not form under it.

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- The color of the meat should be light and in no case dark red, this could be a sign that the meat is old and tough. Bright red meat may indicate the use of dye. Also, the meat should be glossy, not matte.

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- Smell the meat, its smell should be completely neutral and not harsh. If you experience any unpleasant sensations, immediately refuse to buy, the meat is probably not very fresh.

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- For pork kebab, choose the neck area. Ask the salesperson for this particular part. Unfortunately, if your eyes are not trained, you cannot always distinguish the neck from some other parts of the carcass, so rely on the honesty of the seller or contact only a trusted butcher.

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- There are usually streaks and fatty stripes in the pork neck - that's it! However, they should be thin. Do not take meat without layers of fat at all - there is a risk that the kebab will turn out to be dry. The secret is that a thin layer of fat is melted during cooking.

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- The meat should be firm and not sticky to your hands, when pressed, a hole should not form.

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- With chicken meat, there are usually no problems with a choice, however, make sure the chicken is fresh and not thawed. By the way, it is very easy to determine the freshness of chicken meat by the smell: fresh chicken should not smell at all, and the one that will lie in the refrigerator for several days or it has just been thawed acquires a smell that intensifies over time.

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Which meat is best for barbecue?

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Which meat to choose for barbecue depends on your preferences and wallet. Pork, lamb and veal are usually not the cheapest options, but chicken is cheaper and tastes just as well if cooked properly.

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The meat, of course, must be fresh, but not paired, since it is known that he should lie down for a while under the right conditions. Remember that steamed meat is usually much tougher than lingering meat.

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The most traditional meat for barbecue is pork. If you are not on a diet and your religious beliefs allow you to eat pork, then why not choose that meat? Young pork is very tender, and the right piece will be lean, but not dry.

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What's more, pork meat is delicious even when it's cold. The neck area or tenderloin should be chosen, these areas of the pig's carcass move little during the life of the animal, so they are more tender and tasty. A good pork neck for barbecue looks like this:

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Lamb is an expensive and very specific meat, which is not always tasty, and sometimes it can have an unpleasant specific smell that not everyone can tolerate.

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If you are convinced that you have got the right piece of a young animal, then you can safely cook it. This meat is not particularly tasty when it cools, so it should be eaten immediately after cooking. Usually they take the hind leg, ribs or loin of a young lamb.

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Beef. For kebabs, it is best to use calf meat, as the meat of an adult cow is tough enough and can ruin your entire table.

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Veal- dietary meat, therefore ideal for those who are afraid to gain weight and keep fit. The sirloin and tenderloin are usually considered the best pieces for kebabs.

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Hen. Usually, for cooking chicken kebabs, its fatty parts are used: legs, drumsticks, thighs, wings. You can also use brisket, but it is not very fatty, so it can turn out to be dry. To prevent this from happening, pieces of meat are wrapped in thin bacon, strung on skewers and thus fried. The same goes for turkey meat.

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Delicious kebabs are obtained from quail meat. These little birds taste a bit like chicken, but they have their own special and unique taste. To prepare a shish kebab from quails, they can be skewered, fried whole on grates, stuffed with dried apricots, rice and raisins, or you can cut the carcasses on one side and spread them on the grates. It should be remembered that tender poultry meat cooks very quickly, so it is important not to overexpose it!

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Rabbit meat. Rabbit meat is highly valued, it is not always easy to get it, but if you still succeed, try to make a kebab out of it, you will not regret it. First of all, rabbit meat is valued for its delicate taste and dietary properties of meat. Portions are marinated like any other meat, with spices and onions, then fried on a wire rack. You can put the pieces on a skewer, or you can fry the whole carcass.

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How much meat for a barbecue?

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Many people who want to cook barbecue in nature, especially if they rarely do it, wonder how much meat should be taken so that everyone will have enough. Of course, it is better to take a little more meat and be calm so that no one will go hungry.

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On average, they take 300 grams of raw meat per person, but this is only if you have many other different appetizers and side dishes, including mushrooms and potatoes. If besides meat there are only light vegetables, then it is better to take more of it - 500 grams per person.

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These are average figures when there are women, children in the company, but if it is a purely male company, which also takes a lot of alcohol with it, the amount of meat will most likely increase, since alcohol usually requires more food.

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How to cut meat for shish kebab?

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Pork, lamb or veal meat should be cut into medium pieces, the size of which can be determined by placing the piece completely in the palm of your hand. On average, each piece should be 5 by 5 centimeters.

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When you skewer the meat, make sure it doesn't fall off. If the piece is too large, it will not fit in the palm of your hand. Moreover, large pieces will not bake well, and too small pieces will be dry.

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Chicken is often bought already cut- separately legs, wings, white meat. If you are making white meat kebabs, they should be cut into square pieces about 4 by 4 centimeters in size.

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One of the options for cutting chicken. Red strings show the incision sites.

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The rabbit can be cut into portions as follows:

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Or you can bake it whole on a wire rack:

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You do not need to cut the quail, but you can cut it along the breast and spread it back up:

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If you have several pieces of meat, which, in your opinion, will not make the best kebab, it does not matter. You can use them to make kebab kebab, also called lula kebab.

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This oriental dish is grilled. The meat for him needs to be minced, and then minced, as for cutlets (with the exception of eggs and bread).

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Place the minced meat on a skewer with a diameter of about 5 centimeters, and then grill over the coals, like a regular kebab.

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How to marinate meat for barbecue? Barbecue marinade recipes

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There are a great variety of barbecue recipes, it all depends on individual preferences. Often they use those seasonings that are at hand, but go best with shashlik thyme, bay leaf, rosemary. All recipes contain onions.

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There are several classic methods for marinating pork for kebabs:

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- In kefir: this method is ideal for kebabs that need to be quickly marinated before cooking. For 1.5-2 kg of meat, about 0.5 liters of regular kefir is used. Kefir quickly softens the meat and penetrates into it, so if you keep the meat in this marinade for too long (for example, overnight), it will become sour. Marinate meat in kefir for no more than 4 hours. By the way, for a quick marinade, it is better to grate the onion, and not cut it into rings.

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Recipe:

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Cut 1.5 kg of pork neck into medium pieces, pour 500 ml of kefir, add 1 teaspoon of sugar, 5 medium onions chopped into thick rings, salt, chili (to taste), 2 tablespoons of curry. Mix everything, leave to marinate for 2-4 hours, preferably in a cool place, but not in the refrigerator.

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- In vinegar: some kebab lovers have long abandoned this marinade method, believing that vinegar spoils the taste of the kebab. Vinegar, however, gives the meat its distinctive flavor when added sparingly with seasonings. You can marinate kebabs in vinegar all night.

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Recipe:

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Pepper and salt the washed and dried pieces of meat, put in a bowl. Place onion cut into rings, chopped parsley, cilantro between the layers of meat. Sprinkle the layers evenly with vinegar diluted in water in a ratio of 1 to 1. The meat should not float in water. Leave to marinate for 10-12 hours.

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- In mayonnaise: it is one of the most popular marinade methods. Marinated meat in mayonnaise can lie for about a day, while its taste will become even richer.

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Recipe:

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For 1 kg of pork, take 200 grams of your favorite mayonnaise, better with a pronounced taste. Add a few tablespoons of barbecue spices, 3 heads of onions, cut into rings, a couple of tablespoons of mustard, salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything thoroughly and leave to marinate overnight.

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- In beer: Beer will also help you to marinate the kebab quickly - in 3-4 hours, giving it a kind of beer flavor. For beer lovers the most it.

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Recipe:

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Take 1.5 kg of meat, cut into pieces, cover with a bottle of light beer (0.5 ml), mix with onion rings (3 heads), crushed garlic (7 cloves), 3 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of dry rosemary, 1 a teaspoon of peppercorns, 1/3 cup of olive oil, salt. During frying, you need to pour the meat with this liquid marinade.

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- In wine: Sometimes kebabs are marinated in dry red wine. From this, the meat acquires a peculiar wine taste and a dark burgundy color. Not everyone likes this marinade, so if you are making it for the first time, it is better to first make a small batch to try. You can use white wine instead of red.

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Recipe:

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For 2 kg of barbecue, take 0.5 ml of dry red wine, 5 onions, a teaspoon of sage, thyme, parsley, 1 grated apple. Mix everything and leave to marinate overnight (10-12 hours).

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How to cook the right meat for a kebab?

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After you have poured the marinade over the meat, cover the pot with a lid and place something heavy on top. This will press down on the meat, it will absorb the marinade better. If the meat is marinated at night, it is best to refrigerate it. No need to refrigerate for a quick marinade. Stir the meat before frying.

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- For grilling, it is recommended to use ready-made grilling coals(but not coal) or firewood from trees such as birch, aspen, oak and other deciduous trees. Coniferous wood contains many aromatic essential oils and resins that can spoil the taste of the dish.

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- Put pieces of meat on skewers should not be too close to each other, but not too far, onion rings or chopped vegetables can be placed between the pieces.

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To prevent the meat from burning too much, coat the slices with vegetable oil before putting it to fry.

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- When preparing a kebab, you must not leave it! This is an important rule that is often overlooked. It is necessary to constantly monitor that the tongues of the escaping flame do not scorch the meat, otherwise it will burn on top, but inside it will remain damp. To do this, there should be a container with water or some kind of drink (maybe wine or beer) or a liquid marinade at the ready, which will extinguish the flame. The coals should smolder, not burn.

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- You can check the readiness of the kebab with a knife. The finished meat will not have blood inside. However, shish kebab with blood also has a right to exist, there are lovers of half-raw meat.

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Before serving, you should not immediately cut the meat off the skewers and chop it, wait 5 minutes after removing from the heat, covering the shish kebab with a bag. Then the meat will be more juicy.

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Shashlik. A variant of the marinade for meat on skewers.

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When is the kebab season- discussion and testing of various barbecue marinades begins.

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There are probably as many options for marinades for meat as there are people. I spread my own, it does not shine with novelty, but this option is the most "sufficient" for my taste. Moreover, barbecue, I'm not afraid of this word - is everywhere - we love and respect. And when the barbecue season opens in spring * ht * tp: //your*meal.ru, the forests are simply covered with smoke from barbecues.

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For barbecue you will need:

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  • A piece of pork neck weighing 2.71 kg (judging by the price tag).
  • 3 medium onions
  • Balsamic vinegar (~ 40g.) (What it was. Replaced with wine. I use the usual only when canning).
  • Garlic, several teeth
  • Ground paprika (1 tablespoon)
  • Abkhazian adjika Amtsa (slightly more than a third of a small teaspoon)
  • Salt.

We make a barbecue marinade and prepare the meat.

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Press the garlic cloves with the flat side of the knife and chop it finely
We cut the onion (I cut it into thick half rings)

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We put all this goodness in a container (Glass or enamel) and, sprinkle with salt a little, press with our hands so that the onion gives juice.

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We take a little adjika, I would like to say a little about it. For me, the most delicious adjika you can buy. Very spicy, moderately salty and very aromatic, and it is precisely the "correct" aroma. Produced in Abkhazia. It is good to use not only for pungency, but also as a spice mixture - very aromatic indeed. Over time, the aroma is practically not lost, as long as the jar is covered with a lid. It is stored in the refrigerator for a very long time (while one jar in an open state (just with a screwed lid) lives for more than 2 years).

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We take 40 grams of your favorite vinegar and stir adjika in it. I take so little Adjiki because I don't want the meat to be spicy in the first place. All that is needed is the scent of spices, not the pungency.

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Then pour the whole mixture into a container with onions and garlic and sprinkle with paprika (about one tablespoon). Why paprika, I still do not understand, because it does not give any particular color or taste, but once I made such a marinade, I liked it, so I do not deviate from that recipe.

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You can also add a little odorless vegetable oil, for this amount about 2-3 tablespoons. Mix again and press with your hands, but without fanaticism.

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Next, mix all this stuff together with onions and garlic, cover with a lid and put in the refrigerator. I marinate from 3 hours to one and a half days. Since there is almost no salt (apart from the one that was added to the onion for juice), there are also almost no liquids, the meat does not give off juice and is not soaked in the marinade. From time to time I just take out the pan, vigorously stir the whole thing and put it in the refrigerator again.

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At the onset of "Time H" we take out the skewers, string the meat, add a little salt and immediately on the grill.

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We fry the shish kebab on "gray" coals until cooked. We follow the process, do not forget to turn the skewers, but not very often. When an open fire appears, it is best to pour over diluted wine over the coals. The main thing in cooking a kebab is not to overcook, not to overexpose, so that the meat is juicy, and even more so, not to burn the kebab.

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For other types of meat, the marinade may also be different. For example, lamb shish kebab requires one marinating method, and chicken kebab requires another marinade.

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For asado - beef kebab - no marinade is required at all.

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Spring May holidays are just around the corner. And by tradition, we always associate them with the opening of the summer cottage season and the preparation of barbecue. From what it is not only prepared - from pork, lamb, fish and, of course, from chicken meat.

The advantage of chicken meat is that it is softer and more tender. It is also pickled and cooked faster. It is also considered more dietary, especially if it is made from fillets.

Chicken has soft and tender meat, and practically does not require pre-processing, especially for additional softening of the pulp. And basically, marinades are used in order to give additional flavoring shades, as well as to preserve all the beneficial properties and juiciness during frying.

In order to do this, very simple ingredients are used, such as salt, pepper, onion and mineral water, for example. But there are also more complex variations, including many different spices, lemon zest, saffron, various sauces and dairy products such as sour cream, kefir, ayran.

Now ready-made meat for shashlik can be purchased in the store, but nevertheless, self-prepared, cannot be compared with any store counterpart. After all, you can add everything that you love to it - various favorite spices, flavoring additives. And you will surely know what is in the composition, and of what quality. That is why everyone strives to prepare the marinade for meat on their own.

You can fry it both on charcoal on the grill and in the oven.

Perhaps this is the most popular method of all that I know. In any case, most of my friends use this option.

And this is no coincidence, kefir has a moderately sour taste, which contributes to a moderate softening of meat. And the fact that kefir is fatty and quite dense, envelops every piece of meat well and does not drain, allows you to keep all the juice inside, quickly fry it and get a beautiful golden brown crust.

That is, just the perfect marinade.

For cooking, you can use any part of the chicken, and we will use chicken thighs. Their meat is not dry, moreover, it is covered with skin. This will keep the juice inside the bite and give the meat a nice crispy brown crust.

We need:

  • chicken thighs - 2 kg
  • kefir 3.2% fat - 500 ml
  • onions - 1 kg
  • parsley - bunch
  • spices - any for barbecue or chicken - 1.5 - 2 tbsp. spoons
  • salt, pepper - to taste

Preparation:

1. Wash and dry the meat with paper towels.

2. Cut the onion into thin half rings. Try to cut it as thin as possible, so it will more strongly saturate each piece of meat with its juice.

3. Place the chicken in a large container and sprinkle with onions slightly crushed in your hands. Stir and crush the onion slightly.

4. Pour kefir. In principle, it can be used with any fat content. But I usually buy 3.2% fat. Such kefir is tastier in itself, which means that the marinade from it is the most delicious.


5. Add spices. You can also add any of them, including ready-made spices for barbecue. It is good if they contain thyme, or rosemary, or savory, they will give a pleasant aroma to the dish. You can add ground coriander, which, along with cumin, is a favorite Asian spice.

I also always add at least a pinch of ground ginger, I love its zesty taste. In addition, meat with its use always turns out to be softer and tastier.

You can add a little turmeric or paprika for a beautiful, golden brown crust. But these are only useful tips, add those spices that you yourself like best. They will be needed in a total volume of about 2 - 2.5 tablespoons.

6. Add a teaspoon of salt and pepper to taste.

7. Chop and add parsley. It is not necessary to cut very finely, later it will be necessary to remove it so that it does not burn when frying meat. Stir and press down well with your hand. Cover with a flat plate on top and press down slightly so that the marinade covers each bite of our chicken.

8. The pieces are large, so let them marinate for 3 - 4 hours. It is advisable not to leave them in the sun, it is best to put the container with meat in a cool place.

9. String the pieces on skewers or place on a wire rack. You can cook in any way suggested. Carefully remove pieces of onion and herbs from the meat.

10. Fry until tender and until a beautiful golden brown crust appears for about 25-30 minutes. Make sure that the tongues of flame do not burst out and do not burn tender juicy meat.


11. Serve the ready-made kebab with chopped onions, you can pre-marinate it. You can also sprinkle with fresh herbs.

According to the same recipe, you can cook a kebab on mineral water. The only change is that instead of kefir, we use any carbonated mineral water.

The rest of the recipe remains unchanged.

With mayonnaise and garlic

This is another of the most popular marinade options. And most likely everyone knows how to cook it. In fact, it is very similar to the previous recipe. You can even say that you can leave everything unchanged in it, only add mayonnaise instead of kefir and that's it, we will get a completely different taste.

We need:

  • chicken - 1 pc
  • garlic - 1 head
  • mayonnaise - 100 ml
  • salt, pepper - to taste
  • spices - for chicken

Preparation:

According to this recipe, we will cook the kebab on a wire rack in large pieces.

1. Wash the chicken and cut into 6 - 8 pieces.

2. Peel the garlic and cut lengthwise into thin slices. Combine spices with salt, pepper and mayonnaise. You can use any spices you like.

3. Place the garlic plates under the chicken skin.

4. Then coat the pieces with the mayonnaise mixture.

5. Fold the pieces into a suitable container and leave for an hour and a half.

6. Then put the meat on the wire rack and fry on hot coals until tender. The finished kebab will turn out to be ruddy, fragrant and very tasty.


Enjoy serving and serving.

I have met such an opinion that it is not advisable to cook chicken kebab with mayonnaise, due to the fact that it contains a lot of fat. And with strong heating, many harmful substances are released.

Whether it is true or not, one can only guess. But there is a recipe for such a marinade, and I am describing it. Therefore, whether or not to cook a shish kebab in this way, everyone will decide for himself.

Marinade with vinegar and onions

This option for preparing meat for frying is currently very controversial. There is an opinion that meat with vinegar turns out tough and tasteless. Therefore, this option was replaced by more gentle methods using sour cream, mayonnaise, kefir and other, not so aggressive ingredients.

But in principle, if you are not zealous with the amount and percentage of vinegar, you can get a rather tasty, soft and juicy shish kebab.

Therefore, we will not disregard this method, and we will cook a chicken using it. I would recommend it for large pieces of chicken such as thighs or drumsticks. That is, when the meat is on a large bone and large enough. As a rule, I do not use this option for breast and fillets.

And also according to this recipe you can cook if it is too hot outside, and the meat needs to be transported to the dacha in the heat. Although, in my opinion, it is better to transport a whole chicken and marinate it on the spot.

We need:

  • chicken - 2 kg
  • onions - 1 kg
  • ground red pepper - 0.5 tsp
  • ground black pepper - 0.5 tsp
  • salt - 1, 5 tsp
  • bay leaf - 1 -2 pcs
  • spices to taste
  • apple or wine vinegar - 100 ml

Preparation:

For kebabs, you can use a whole chicken and cut it into pieces. Or get thighs or shins and use them.

You can fry on a wire rack or skewers, whoever likes it more.

1. If using chicken, wash it and cut into approximately equal pieces. Adjust their size depending on which method of frying you choose.

2. Peel the onion and cut into very thin half rings. Put it in a bowl in which we will marinate. Sprinkle with salt and squeeze until juiced.

3. Place the chicken pieces on top and stir.

4. Add spices, about 2 - 2.5 teaspoons. You can use them to your liking, ready-made ones that can be bought at any store are suitable. Also add bay leaves and pepper. To mix everything.

5. Cover with apple cider vinegar. You can use regular vinegar 6 or 9%, but in this case, it is better to dilute it with a little water. Thoroughly mix the meat with the marinade, and press down with your hands, then cover.


6. Leave to infuse. It will be enough to lie down for 1 hour, in exceptional cases, two hours. Not worth it anymore.

7. Fry the meat, as usual, until tender and golden brown.

Marinade with soy sauce

Any part of chicken meat is also suitable for such a kebab. Therefore, I leave the choice to you.

We need:

  • chicken - 2 kg
  • onion - 700 gr
  • soy sauce - 4 - 5 tbsp. spoons
  • olive oil - 4 tablespoons spoons
  • lemon juice - 4 tbsp. spoons
  • garlic - 2 cloves
  • pepper - to taste

Preparation:

1. Wash the chicken and cut it into pieces, if it is whole. Try to cut it in such a way that they are all about the same size. This is necessary for even marinating and roasting the pieces.

And if there is an opportunity to cook, for example, from the thighs or legs, then it will be just perfect. Here, all the pieces are already the same size.

If you want the kebab to turn out to be more dietary, then you can remove the skin from each piece. By the way, in this case, the marinade will saturate all the pieces better.

2. Cut the onion into thin half rings. Chop the garlic.

3. Mix soy sauce with lemon juice and pepper. In the recipe, I did not indicate that you need to use spices and salt. The fact is that soy sauce is already salty enough, so there is no need to add it.


Spices, in my opinion, are also not needed here, all the ingredients have their own taste and smell, and they will be quite enough to get an excellent result.

Although, if you wish, you can add spices to your taste.

4. Prepare the container in which we will cook the meat. Put the chicken pieces in it and pour over the oil. If olive oil is not available, regular, odorless vegetable oil can also be used.

Stir in the meat so that each piece is coated with butter.

5. Chop the onion with your hands, pressing on it to let the juice out. You can mash the onion in a separate bowl, and then mix with the meat and stir.

6. And the last step is to pour out the prepared marinade. Mix everything and leave for 2 - 3 hours in a cool place.

During this time, you can mix the contents a couple of times so that each piece is better saturated with juice.

7. String the meat on skewers or place on the wire rack. Peel the onions thoroughly.

8. Fry on hot coals for 20 - 25 minutes, periodically turning the meat over and not letting the flames flare up.


The finished shashlik will be covered with a beautiful golden brown crust, will be soft, juicy and tasty.

With soy sauce and honey

According to this recipe, we will cook chicken skewers also using soy sauce, but add new honey notes, thanks to which the meat will get a completely different taste.

We need:

  • chicken - 700 gr
  • soy sauce - 1 tbsp spoon
  • light honey - 1 tbsp. spoon
  • lemon juice - 1 tsp
  • zest - from half a lemon
  • paprika, turmeric - 0.5 tsp each
  • chicken spices - optional

Preparation:

1. Rinse the meat and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into portions.

2. To prepare, mix soy sauce, honey and lemon juice. Remove the zest from half of the lemon and add it to the liquid mixture. You need to remove only the yellow part of the zest. The white part is bitter and the meat can taste bitter.

3. Add turmeric and paprika, these spices will add a beautiful color to the finished meat.

You can add spices as desired. But I do not add, since all the ingredients are already quite strong in taste and smell.

4. Pour the marinade over the meat and rub it into the pulp. Leave to infuse for 30 minutes.


5. Then skewer and fry on hot coals until tender and a beautiful golden brown crust.

The sweet marinade penetrates very well into the structure of the meat and it tastes absolutely amazing and unusual.

Such cooking options are not used as often as sour ones, but if you want to experiment, then cook it, it will be unusual and delicious!

And if you add red pepper and mustard to a similar recipe, then you can cook spicy chicken wings. I already have such a recipe in one of the articles. And if you are interested in such a recipe, then, and there you will find its description.

How to cook delicious chicken with ketchup and olive oil

Another tasty option that allows you to get not only soft meat, but also a beautiful crispy crust.

We need:

  • chicken fillet - 1000 gr
  • ketchup - 12 tbsp. spoons
  • olive oil - 8 tbsp spoons
  • spices - paprika, thyme, dried ginger
  • salt, pepper - to taste

Preparation:

This method can be used for any part of the chicken. But we will use chicken fillet today.

1. Wash the fillet and dry with paper towels, then cut into fairly large pieces. Drizzle with oil and stir.

The oil will create a light film on the surface of the piece and prevent the juice from flowing out. In addition, thanks to him, the shish kebab will turn out with a beautiful ruddy crust.

2. Pepper the meat to taste. Add spices. They can be used those that you usually use. It doesn't really matter. You can add a ready-made mixture for chicken kebabs, or just for chicken.

The only spice I always add, among others, is dried ground ginger. I like to add it to pork kebab marinades and any others. It gives a light spice, piquancy and allows you to achieve tenderness of the meat.

If you love the garlic flavor, you can grind a couple of garlic cloves and add that too.

3. Add ketchup and mix everything. Any ketchup can also be used. Someone likes it sharper, so add a spicy variety. Well, or the one in the fridge. Stir the meat with all the ingredients.


4. Leave on for 30 minutes. This time will be quite enough for each bite to be saturated with juice and taste.

5. At the end of the allotted time, add salt. But not very much, there is already salt in the ketchup. Stir again and string on skewers.

6. Grill on charcoal grill. It is best to use coals from any fruit trees, or birch coals will work as well.


Fry for about 15 minutes. The meat is tender and will cook pretty quickly. Sprinkle with a little oil a couple of times during frying. Chicken fillet itself is dryish, and in order to keep the juice inside and achieve a golden brown crust, this will need to be done.


7. Serve with chopped and pickled onions, fresh vegetables and ketchup. Eat with pleasure.

Chicken skewers with lime and greens marinade

We need:

  • chicken breasts - 2 pcs
  • large red onion - 1 piece
  • bell pepper green or red - 2 pieces
  • lime - 1 pc
  • mint - 0.5 pcs
  • cilantro - 0.5 pcs
  • green onion - 4 feathers
  • garlic - 2 cloves
  • soy sauce - 2 tbsp spoons
  • olive oil - 2 tbsp. spoons
  • chili sauce - 2 tbsp spoons
  • salt, pepper - to taste

Preparation:

1. Rinse the chicken breasts thoroughly, pat dry with paper towels, remove the skin, if desired, and cut into large cubes of approximately the same size.

2. Peel the bell pepper from seeds and remove the stalk. Cut into large squares, about the size of diced chicken.

3. Peel the onion and cut into large rings.

4. Place the meat and vegetables in a bowl and stir.

5. Prepare the marinade. To do this, rinse the cilantro and mint, transfer to the blender bowl. Add chopped green onions and garlic.

Squeeze the juice from the lime into a blender bowl, add soy sauce, chili sauce, olive oil, salt and pepper.

6. Mix all the ingredients into a homogeneous mass and add it to the meat and vegetables. Stir until smooth. Leave to marinate in a cool place for 1 hour, you can also for two hours.

7. Then string on skewers, alternating between pieces of chicken, bell pepper and red onion.

8. Fry on hot coals for about 30 minutes. Make sure that the flame does not burst out of the coals and does not burn tender meat.

You can also roast in the oven.

Serve with fresh chopped onions and fresh or grilled vegetables.


As you can see, cilantro is used in the recipe. I know that not everyone loves her smell. But this cannot be an obstacle and refusal of the prescription. You can use parsley instead of cilantro. And it will also be delicious!

Spicy marinade for grilled chicken wings

We need:

  • chicken wings - 1 kg
  • lemon - 1 piece
  • garlic - 3 cloves
  • olive oil - 100 ml
  • chili pepper - 2 pcs
  • cumin - 1 tbsp. spoon
  • turmeric - 1 tbsp. spoon
  • ground coriander - 1 tbsp. spoon
  • curry seasoning - 2 tsp
  • salt - 0.5 tsp

Preparation:

1. Clean chicken wings from the remains of feathers, rinse thoroughly and dry with paper towels.

2. Prepare the marinade. To do this, peel the garlic and chop it, passing it through a press. Peel the chili and remove the stalk and chop finely.

Peppers can be different in strength of bitterness, so see for yourself, add you one pepper, or two.

3. Rinse the lemon thoroughly and dry and grate the zest, and only its yellow part.

4. Combine olive oil, garlic, chili pepper, zest, all spices and salt.

5. Grate the wings with the resulting mixture, put in a convenient container and put the rest of the marinade on top. Press down with your hand.

Leave in a cool place for 3 - 4 hours.

6. Grease the wire rack with oil and place the wings on it.

7. Fry on hot coals for about 20 minutes. 10 minutes on each side.


The finished wings will brown and become beautiful and crispy.

Chicken shashlik with sour cream marinade from Stalik Khankishiev,

But such an interesting option is offered by the famous culinary specialist Stalik Khankishiev. The recipe uses orange peel, various spices, and even saffron. And this is no coincidence, because the recipe is Iranian.

Therefore, it is not at all simple, but with a mysterious oriental aroma and subtle sophistication.

Look quickly, this is real culinary art!

Well, did you like the recipe? Then take it as a quick note and cook such a shish kebab to surprise everyone who is lucky enough to eat it.

How to marinate chicken for kebabs to keep the meat tender

And so, let's summarize a small summary of our today's review. We looked at various ways to marinate a kebab.

As you may have noticed, they are all divided into 4 main ways:

  • sour
  • sweet
  • sharp
  • neutral

"Sour" way

Chicken has soft and tender meat that does not require long aging in the marinade.

So, for example, if you need to quickly cook meat, then for this you just need an acidic environment, which makes it soft. It can be various fermented milk products - kefir, sour cream, ayran, yogurt, or sour juices - pomegranate, pineapple, apple and others. Also in this category can be attributed to ketchup, or fresh tomatoes, and kebab is always soft with the addition of kiwi, lemon, lime or pineapple.

Sour ingredients also include vinegar, vinegar, or apple cider vinegar. You need to be careful with them, as they greatly soften the meat. Leave the meat in such a marinade for a very short time, preferably no more than an hour.

Spices are widely used as additional ingredients. As a rule, these are various herbs with smells, such as savory, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, bay leaf, and spices such as coriander, ginger, and a mixture of peppers are also used. Paprika and turmeric are added for color, and saffron is added for color and aroma.

Onion is added to almost all marinades, it secretes juice and soaks every bite, making it juicy.


To make the meat better retain juice and look beautiful when finished, olive or other vegetable oil is added, but odorless.

You can add mustard, honey, a little sugar to the composition.

"Sweet" way

If the first method is quite often used in cooking kebabs, then the sweet one is used much less often.

As a rule, when you want something “that”, different, then you can use it.

Soy sauce, or soy sauce with honey or mustard is used as ingredients for such options. Garlic and herbs are added for piquancy.

For the best taste and color, paprika and turmeric are used. And for the smell of lemon or orange peel, or citrus juice.


Such a marinade penetrates very well into the structure of meat, saturates it with a new taste, and in the finished form it acquires completely new taste properties. So, if you “dream up” with the ingredients, you might not even understand what kind of meat we eat. But it turns out delicious! Unusualness and piquancy bribe, and make you come back to such recipes again and again.

"Sharp" way

As a rule, such options are used if the meat is tough enough, or is on the bone. So, such marinades are often used to prepare spicy wings.


Soy sauce is also used as ingredients, but chili pepper, garlic, mustard, our Russian, or French Dijon must be added.

Well, honey or sugar can be used for a balanced taste. So that the meat does not turn out tough, vegetable oil is added. And for a better odor perception, lemon juice or zest is added.

"Neutral" way

I don't really know if such a category exists. But there are marinade methods that do not fall under the previous descriptions.

So, for example, you can make a delicious barbecue using mineral water, onions, spices, salt and pepper. ... In today's article, I did not repeat this recipe, for anyone interested, you can follow the link and read how this is done, and why, in this case, the meat turns out to be soft and juicy.


You can also pickle without mineral water, just using spices, salt, pepper and onions. This is the easiest of all methods.

  • in order for the meat to turn out juicy and tasty, try to use fresh or chilled chicken
  • if, nevertheless, your meat is frozen, then in no case defrost it in water or microwave. The extreme temperature drop will tear the meat fibers and disrupt their structure. The kebab will turn out to be wadded and not tasty. Only thaw chicken at room temperature
  • you need to cut meat for barbecue in equal pieces so that it is evenly marinated and fried
  • do not marinate chicken meat for a long time, especially in sour marinades. This is useless. As a rule, the time is enough from 30 minutes to 2 hours.
  • I am not a supporter of marinating chicken in mayonnaise. It is quite fatty and when heated, carcinogens are released, which are not at all beneficial to health.
  • when stringing meat on skewers, or putting it on a wire rack, be sure to remove the onions and herbs. They will burn from heating, and this will harm the appearance of the meat, make it ugly. In addition, from their burning, the kebab will taste bitter, which will spoil the taste.
  • for coals, use branches of fruit trees or birch. Their smoke has a pleasant smell. Do not use a Christmas tree or pine, they have a resinous smell and a bitter taste when burned
  • you need to fry the meat on hot coals. The heat should be sufficient for a quick roast. If the kebab is on the coals for a long time, the meat will dry out. If a fire breaks out on the coals every now and then, it will burn the meat on top and leave it raw inside.
  • when frying meat, do not leave the barbecue. Insidious tongues of flame will now and then burst out and burn the meat. Prepare a water bottle in advance to extinguish them
  • if the coals are barely smoldering and the heat is not enough, wave over them with special for such cases "makhals" so that the heat of the coals is enough. It is better to remove the meat at this moment from the grill
  • as a rule, it is necessary to fry a kebab from 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the sliced ​​pieces
  • do everything with pleasure and good mood!


And just so that it always turns out to be tasty, soft and tender for everyone, and today's article will help.

Bon Appetit!

How to choose meat for barbecue? This question is especially acute when we are going to a picnic, where we want not only to relax, but also to enjoy a delicious and aromatic Caucasian dish. It should be noted that barbecue has long become the hallmark of those who like to get out into nature and spend all their free time with loved ones.

A Caucasian dish made on the grill should be as soft and juicy as possible. That is why it is extremely important to know how to choose meat for barbecue, marinate it and grill it over charcoal. We decided to devote the presented article to these difficult culinary questions.

Which meat is best for barbecue?

The word "shashlik" came into Russian from the Crimean Tatar language. It consists of two roots: "shish" and "face", which literally translate as "spit" and "for". Since ancient times, such a dish was prepared exclusively from lamb. The meat was planted on rods (shishi) and fried over hot coals. However, recently, pork kebab has become a clear competitor to the lamb dish. Indeed, such meat is cooked much faster, but it turns out to be very tasty, juicy and without the specific smell that is inherent in the above product.

It should also be noted that there are many beef kebab lovers. However, its main disadvantage is that such a dish turns out to be tougher and less juicy. As for the chicken kebab, this is the so-called economy option. After all, poultry is inexpensive, and a Caucasian dish made from it almost always turns out to be tasty and tender.

So which meat is best for barbecue? If you do not want to experiment, but just want to feed your friends or family members hearty, then we suggest that you buy pork. If you are fed up with this kind of meat, then you can pamper yourself with lamb, chicken or beef.

Choosing the right pork

How to choose meat for barbecue so that the Caucasian dish turns out to be as juicy, tender and tasty as possible? To do this, you should purchase pork. It should be not very greasy and as fresh as possible, not frozen. By the way, steamed meat is also not suitable for such a dish, since after heat treatment it will become tough and tasteless. In addition, it is necessary to imagine from which parts of the carcass the most tender kebab is obtained. Ideally, only the one along the ridge should be purchased. Experts call this part a collar. It is here that the most delicious and tender meat is located.

As you know, only two small pieces of such a part, 1.5-2 kg each, can be cut from one animal carcass. That is why it has a relatively high cost. After all, all the veins in the collar are evenly distributed, which makes this meat more tender and soft.

Also, a product that is located along the ridge on the back is ideal for barbecue. It should be noted, however, that there is quite a bit of fat in there and it is best to remove it. As for the lean pork from the back of the carcass, you should not take it, otherwise the kebab will turn out to be dry and tough.

Choosing the right lamb

Lamb meat is also very popular with those who like to relax in nature, enjoying a juicy barbecue. But for such a Caucasian dish to be really tasty, the main product must be as fresh as possible. Best of all, lamb leg or meat on ribs is obtained on charcoal. However, such a kebab should be eaten immediately after frying. After all, lamb has a rather unpleasant property - quickly freeze.

By the way, if you do not want to ruin the whole rest with a tough and tasteless barbecue, then you should not purchase a spatula to prepare such a dish.

Choosing the right beef

As you know, lamb meat has a specific smell. If you are not satisfied with this feature of the product, then it is better to replace it with beef. Although with such meat, you have every chance of getting a hard and dry kebab. In this regard, we recommend that you give your preference to the tenderloin or sirloin. The hind leg of the carcass is not suitable for the preparation of a Caucasian dish. For a shish kebab, it is better to take its inner part or separate places of a thin and thick edge.

How to choose meat for beef kebab? For such a dish, it is recommended to purchase the youngest and freshest product possible. After all, old meat is rather stringy, and this will directly affect the taste and softness of the finished dish.

Choosing the right chicken

As mentioned above, chicken kebab is an economy option. For the preparation of such a dish, it is recommended to use only chilled poultry meat. Moreover, it should be as young as possible. After all, if you make a kebab from old chicken, then it will turn out to be tough and tasteless.

To make chicken skewers, it is recommended to purchase the thigh or drumstick part of the carcass. It also works well with chilled breasts. As for the neck, wings or back, they should not be taken, since they contain a lot of bones and a minimum of pulp.

What kind of meat to take for barbecue, we found out. But what exactly should you pay special attention to when purchasing it on the market? We will talk about this below.

Product color

The color of any meat should be uniform and natural. Moreover, such a product is considered as fresh as possible if it has a glossy rather than matte surface. As for a specific variety, pork should be pink, beef and lamb should be red with layers of white rather than yellow fat, chicken should be pale pink. It should also be said that too dark meat indicates its venerable age, and it is advisable to choose the youngest for barbecue.

Product smell

Now you know what kind of meat is used to make shish kebab. But before choosing one or another variety, we recommend that you pay special attention to its aroma. The smell of high-quality pork, beef, lamb or chicken should not cause sharply negative emotions. If he is still unpleasant to you, then it is better to refuse the purchase. The meaty smell should be fresh, pleasant and somewhat milky.

Product consistency

A high-quality and young product should be as elastic as possible. You should not buy meat if you see slippery pieces in front of you. It is also necessary to refrain from buying if there is too much liquid in the product. This indicates that it is stale. In addition, a piece of pork, beef, etc. should not ooze blood.

As you know, the presented product is paired, chilled and frozen. What kind of meat for barbecue should be purchased is the best, we will consider right now.

Paired product

Paired are those parts of the carcass that are laid out on the shelves immediately after slaughter (up to 3 hours). According to many experts, it is such a product that should have an unsurpassed taste. But actually it is not. After all, if you cook, for example, steamed beef, that is, it will be almost impossible, since the kebab will turn out to be very tough. Thus, for the preparation of a tasty and delicate dish, it is recommended to purchase only a seasoned product, the muscles of which are relaxed.

Chilled chunks

Chilled meat is stored in a refrigerator at a temperature of 0-4 degrees. If you have the opportunity, then you should choose just such a product for making a shish kebab, since its taste is much higher than that of everyone else.

Frozen ingredient

Frozen meat retains all the beneficial properties of fresh meat. In this regard, it can also be used to make delicious kebabs. However, thawed or re-frozen food should never be purchased.

Proper preparation of meat for barbecue

Finally, you have decided on the choice of meat for barbecue, bought it at the market and brought it home. What's next? It is necessary to properly cut the product. It should be noted that not everyone knows how to cut meat for a Caucasian dish. Let's talk about it right now.

If you purchased beef tenderloin for barbecue, then it is better to cut it not along, but across the fibers. After all, this is how it will be much easier for you to separate it. In other cases, the cutting method is not so important.

Experts say that a cone-shaped shape is considered ideal for pieces of meat intended for a Caucasian dish. But if you cut the product into cubes, then the kebab won't get any worse. The size of the pieces should be medium so that they are well fried, but at the same time remain as juicy as possible. By the way, about six pieces of meat should fit on a standard skewer. It should also be noted that it is undesirable to leave too much fat when cutting such a product. If possible, get rid of it. It is also recommended to remove all the hanging ends, as they will still burn under the heat of the glowing coals.

How to calculate the amount of meat for a kebab?

When planning a trip to nature, the question involuntarily arises about how much meat should be taken for a barbecue. As a rule, such a product must be taken at the rate of ½ kg per person. But if your company has good eaters or you do not plan to stock up on other food, then it is better to change the calculation formula upwards.

How to cook delicious barbecue?

Surely everyone wondered what needs to be done to make a juicy, tender, soft and delicious pork kebab. The recipe for such a Caucasian dish may include different ingredients. After all, today there is an incredible amount of all kinds of marinades and spices that make the shish kebab unique every time. We will only talk about the classic method. With this recipe, you will definitely get a tender and juicy charcoal dish.

So, we need:

  • chilled pork, not too fatty - 3 kg;
  • fine salt, black allspice - add to taste;
  • high-calorie mayonnaise - 120 g;
  • lemon - ½ fruit;
  • fresh greens, tomatoes, vegetables, bread - for serving.

Meat processing

After purchasing a suitable chilled product, it should be thoroughly washed, all unnecessary films and veins should be cut off, and then chopped across the fibers into medium pieces.

Pickling process

Processed pork should be put in an enamel container, seasoned with pepper and salt to taste, and then add the required amount of mayonnaise. After mixing all the ingredients, add freshly squeezed lemon juice to them, cover with a lid and leave aside. It is recommended to keep the meat in the marinade for no more than 4 hours.

Placement process and heat treatment

After the specified time has passed, the marinated pieces of meat should be put on skewers so that there are no hanging ends. Next, the product needs to be put on a grill with hot coals and cook for 30-40 minutes, turning it regularly. The readiness of the kebab can be checked as follows: a deep cut must be made on the piece with a knife. If blood comes out of it, then it is advisable to keep the dish on coals a little more. If a clear liquid begins to stand out from the incision, then the skewers can be safely removed.

Correct presentation

Pork skewers should be served immediately after cooking. It is recommended to sprinkle it with fresh herbs. It is also recommended to serve bread, vegetables and ketchup with this dish. Bon Appetit!

Variety of kebabs

Shish kebab is an extremely ancient dish, so it is not possible to establish exactly where the meat fried on a spit over coals was first cooked. In Azerbaijan, barbecue is called "kebab", in Turkey and Bulgaria - "shish-kebab", in Georgia - "mtsvadi", in Kazakhstan - "kauap". Most likely, shish kebab replaced the ancient roasting on a spit of whole carcasses of wild boars, bulls and smaller game.

For the meat to cook even faster and to be aromatic, the kebab is usually marinated before baking.

As the base of the marinade, various sour and spicy liquids are usually used - wines, juices, kefir or yogurt, mayonnaise, soy sauce, various seasonings. The acid softens the meat and makes it cook quickly.

Shish kebab is prepared from different types of meat - lamb, pork, beef, poultry, fish and even vegetables. Chicken kebab is especially popular, and this popularity is quite justified. Firstly, chicken meat is affordable, much cheaper than beef and pork. Secondly, chicken cooks faster than other meats. Finally, chicken skewers are easy to digest and are relatively low in calories.

Kebab cooking secrets

In order to cook a truly delicious chicken kebab, you need to choose high-quality raw materials. Buying ready-made pickled meat in the nearest supermarket is not the best option. Unfortunately, many unscrupulous sellers use stale meat to prepare a semi-finished barbecue. This, of course, does not have the best effect on the taste of the finished product. Yes, and health will not benefit from a dish made from spoiled raw materials.

Even if a cookery kebab is made with fresh meat, it doesn't guarantee a good taste. The main secret of a good kebab is, of course, the marinade. Therefore, it is always best to marinate the chicken yourself using time-tested recipes. Vinegar, which at one time was a popular base for kebab marinade, successfully softens meat, but makes it taste somewhat rough. Chicken meat is soft enough on its own, so there is no need to use vinegar. It is better to give preference to such bases for the marinade as fruit and vegetable juices (lemon, orange, pomegranate, pineapple, tomato), fermented milk products (yogurt, kefir, fermented baked milk, sour cream) and dry wines.

When choosing a marinade, you should definitely take into account which part of the chicken the kebab is prepared from. White chicken is low in fat, which is why many find it a little dry. Adding a small amount of vegetable oil to the marinade softens the chicken breast kebab, making it juicy. Dark chicken meat is more fatty, it is good to marinate it in spicy marinades with the addition of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic, tarragon, thyme and other herbs. Typically, chicken is left to marinate for thirty minutes to twelve hours in a sealed container in a cool place. During this time, the chicken pieces have time to soak in the aromatic marinade.

After marinating the chicken is finished, you can proceed directly to baking the kebab. Prepared meat is skewered, sometimes meat pieces can be alternated with pieces of vegetables, such as colored peppers or tomatoes. To cook the meat evenly, the skewers should be turned over every three to five minutes. Unlike some other types of meat, for example, beef, it is not tasty to eat chicken unbaked, "with blood", so it is very important to bring the kebab to readiness, which is checked traditionally - with a knife or fork.

If red juice flows out of the meat, the shish kebab is not ready yet, and if the liquid is transparent, you can serve the dish to the table.

You can serve chicken kebabs with a variety of sauces - lemon, mustard, mushroom, garlic, tkemali and tomato. Garnish can be salads of fresh, pickled or grilled vegetables - onions, tomatoes, peppers, celery, eggplant, zucchini and others. Those who prefer more filling meals can use baked potatoes or garlic stew as a side dish.

Delicious chicken kebab recipes

According to experts, the most delicious kebab is obtained from chicken thighs, chopped into small pieces. Depending on personal preferences, chicken thighs can be cooked with or without skin - in the first case, the shish kebab will turn out to be fatter. For two kilograms of meat, cut into medium-sized portions, you should take one large onion, four to five cloves of garlic, a bunch of parsley, one lemon, salt and black pepper to taste.

Chopped chicken should be placed in a deep bowl (glass, ceramic or enamel). Finely chop the onion and grind with salt until juice appears. Add crushed garlic, finely chopped parsley, lemon juice there. and black pepper. Mix the resulting marinade thoroughly with the meat, rubbing it lightly into each piece, and then leave for a couple of hours in a cool place. Spicy vegetable salads and garlic sauce are perfect for such a kebab.