Pork shish kebab recipes

Being the birthplace of shish kebab, Caucasian cuisine is famous for its long-standing traditions of preparing this dish. For the reason given to us, no people can cook shish kebab the way the Caucasian peoples do.

The main element of a real Georgian pork kebab is the correctly selected meat and the marinade sauce for it. Typically, kebabs in Georgia are also prepared from beef and lamb, but mtsvadi is made only from pork meat. In order for the kebab to cook from the inside, it must be cooked at the right temperature. The crust must be crispy so that the pulp retains its juices. This is exactly how real Georgian kebab should be prepared.

Ingredient Selection

The meat for Georgian kebab must be juicy and cut into not very small pieces so that this same juice does not leak out.
Choose only the freshest. It must be refrigerated, but under no circumstances frozen. Such meat will lose a lot of flavor after it thaws.

“The high-quality properties of pork vary greatly depending on the age of the slaughtered animal. If you have such an opportunity, pay your attention, first of all, to this."

Usually pork pulp is used in mtsvadi. The most delicious are those from the back and neck of the animal; they are meatier. When cutting pieces of pork, leave a little fat on any of them: when frying, it will melt and the kebab will be the most juicy and tender.

Marinating in Georgian cuisine

According to old traditions, there is no marinade in Georgian kebabs. Instead, freshly chopped pieces of raw pork are placed in a bowl, covered with salt, ground pepper and various herbs and spices, and then crushed by hand. Movements in such a process must be performed with great force. The principle of operation is identical to the chop, only the pulp must not be beaten with a hammer, but softened with your hands. You can see exactly how this is done in the video.

Recipes for making marinades for barbecue

Wine marinade

Chop the onion into rings, then add the following spices: dark pepper and salt (to taste), paprika and coriander (2 grams per kilogram of pork), thyme (half a teaspoon).

After this, pour 1 glass of reddish dry wine on top and mix everything thoroughly. Marinate for 2 hours at normal room temperature.

Georgian yogurt marinade

Excellent for pork. Pour 4-5 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1-1.5 cups of yogurt (preferably not very sweet) over the pieces of meat, then sprinkle with pepper and salt and rub thoroughly with your hands.

“If the meat is not very soft or young, you can add little mineral water to your marinade. Gas bubbles will help soften the pulp."

Georgian pork shashlik recipes

This mtsvadi recipe is the most common, old and common. He does not ask for the rarest ingredients and additional preparation. There is also no need to soak the meat in the marinade for 8-10 hours.

Cooking meat

Method 1 (without marinade):

We take a cup and cut the onion into half rings, then pepper and salt it. Mash the onion with your hands and leave quickly so that the onion releases its own juice. We trim the pork, rinse it under cool water and chop it into pieces of approximately 50-60 grams each.

Place the chopped pieces of meat in a cup with onions and add spices to your taste on top (you can add any, just don’t overdo it). Add bay leaves there.

Carefully knead and mix the contents of the bowl with your hands. The stronger it is, the softer the meat will be, but do not overdo it, otherwise you will squeeze all the juice out of it. If you are not convinced how this is done, watch the video.

After the meat and other ingredients are well mixed, cover the cup with a lid and let it sit for 2 to 3 hours at normal temperature.

Place the meat in the marinade prepared in advance and carefully knead it with your hands.
Cover with a lid and leave it to settle at room temperature for 3-4 hours.

“Meat will need to sit longer if you leave it in the refrigerator.”

Lighting the fire

The properties of firewood are very important in making any kind of barbecue. As a standard, these should be fruit trees or even grape branches. They burn and smolder well, and their smoke gives the meat a good smell. You are unlikely to find these in the town, but it is still recommended to take the selection of firewood seriously.

“It is not permissible to grill kebabs over pine wood. The resin that they release during the combustion process will spoil all the meat.”

Place the marinated meat on skewers one at a time together with various vegetables, such as tomatoes, eggplants, etc.

We grill kebabs over smoldering coals. It is important that it is not yet a blazing fire. It will dry out the kebab and will not be able to cook thoroughly.

When turning the kebabs, sprinkle wine or lemon juice and a little vegetable oil on them for the crust. Thanks to this, the meat will not dry out, and its taste will become more interesting.

How to properly serve shish kebab in Georgian style

Mtsvadi kebab is usually served on a large tray. Cover its bottom with lettuce leaves or pita bread. Cooked meat is laid out in the center, and chopped fresh vegetables are placed around the edges. The meat is sprinkled with parsley, cilantro and green onions. Classic Georgian sauces, such as tkemali, are served in separate cups. The ideal drinks are reddish dry wine, cognac and chacha.

If you strictly follow the recipe given to us, you will get, if not completely real, then literally very close to the original, a Georgian kebab. The main thing is to choose excellent ingredients and cook your dish with love.

Read also: “Pine nuts salad” recipe”

Kakheti-style shish kebab - a true mtsvadi recipe

In Georgia, shish kebab (mtsvadi) is one of the most popular and widespread dishes. No feast is complete without mtsvadi, Georgian wine and toast. A roadside cafe may not have salads or soups, but Georgian-style shish kebab will certainly be available.

The best shish kebab in Georgia is prepared in Kakheti - a region with an abundance of wine, fruit and meat. We will share a specific Kakheti shish kebab recipe.

So! The main thing in barbecue is meat. It doesn’t matter so much whether you use pork or lamb. It is important that the meat is fresh. The standard is paired. Take the pork neck - you can't go wrong.

Now the main surprise is that the meat does not need to be marinated.

Absolutely. At one point, in response to the question “How is this?” The Georgian answered: “Look, good meat, right? Why spoil it?

The miracle happens like this: we cut the meat into narrow, long pieces and string it onto wide, flat skewers so that it does not turn during frying. It is important that the meat is approximately 1 size and does not hang from the skewer - it will burn.

Now it's coals. According to the Kakhetian recipe, we burn a bunch of grapevines right on the ground. It burns brightly and quickly - in about fifteen minutes the perfect coals will be ready. It is necessary to start frying the meat when the coals are covered with snow-white ash.

The meat on skewers is placed very close to the coals - the distance should be almost 3-4 cm. In Kakheti, a kind of barbecue is used for these purposes - an iron frame of a suitable height. But we can make do with ordinary bricks)

When the meat has been placed, we carefully “catch” the kebab. Carefully turn over once the crust has browned. Often there is no need to turn back and forth. The barrel was browned, salted, and turned over. The salt must be finely ground. Another one is browned - it’s time to take it off. Fresh meat is cooked in about 15 minutes, no more.

When the meat is cooked, remove it to a large vat using a huge slice of lavash - puri. And sprinkle with onion rings. And if you happen to have a pomegranate at hand, it’s just a parable!

Carefully press the lemon kernels directly into the skin so that the skin is not damaged. Later, cut the crust and pour the pomegranate juice into the vat with the roast meat and onions. Stir well and voila!

Mtsvadi kebab is served on the table with a huge amount of vegetables, herbs, wine and sauces - satsebeli and tkemali. Bon appetit!

Georgian kebab

How to cook shish kebab in Georgian style
Marinades
What is it served with?

Where can you find real experts in preparing grilled dishes if not in Georgia. They know a lot about good meat, laconic and tasty marinade. Georgian shish kebab can be prepared according to various recipes, because many have been made over the centuries. Below are popular and easy methods for roasting meat according to Caucasian traditions.

How to cook shish kebab in Georgian style

In Kakheti, not a single feast is complete without barbecue. But this dish is prepared there in a special way, observing certain aspects that are not taken into account by chefs in other countries.

No frozen meat. As a standard for barbecue, only steamed meat is used. One of the most common options is pork neck.
It is not necessary to marinate the meat. It is enough to cut it into long pieces, approximately equal in size. Excessive spices will only spoil good meat.
In Georgia, there is no rule stating that the distance from the coals to the skewers must be at least 12 cm. Here the kebab is fried 3-4 cm from the hot coals.
Salt the meat already during the frying process, when turning it over. This way it remains the juiciest.
Usually, kebab is served with coarsely chopped onions. But there is another secret of taste - pomegranate juice. The fresh fruit, without peeling, is kneaded in the hands, and then the crust is cut and the juice is poured into a vat with meat and onions. All that remains is to mix.

Chicken

Despite the fact that chicken meat is not at all considered a common ingredient for making shish kebab, there is a Georgian recipe that uses it. This dish is worth the time spent on it, because it turns out very tasty.

chicken (fillet) – 1 kg;
water – 500 ml;
garlic cloves – 2 pcs.;
ground dark pepper – 5 g;
tomato paste – 50 g;
sumac – 5 g;
soy sauce – 50 ml;
coriander powder – 5 g;
sugar – 15 g;
barberry – 5 g;
salt - to taste.

Wash the fillet and dry on napkins. Cut into small pieces of such a size that it is convenient to thread on skewers.
Peel the garlic, finely chop it with a knife and add to the meat along with coriander, salt, barberry, sumac, sugar and pepper.
Add tomato paste and soy sauce to other ingredients. How to mix everything with your hands.
Pour water into the container and cover it with a lid. Leave it overnight (that is, in the dark) in the refrigerator.
Thread the cooked meat onto skewers and place over heat. 7-10 minutes is enough, no more is needed, there is a risk of drying out the kebab.

Pork kebab recipe

Pork is also far from being a standard product for making barbecue, but this does not mean that this dish is not made from it in Georgia. They do, and quite often. There it is called “mtsvadi” and is very popular.

pork – 1.3 kg;
reddish onion (Yalta) – 1 pc.;
ground pepper, salt - to taste.

Wash the meat and dry it. If necessary, cut out the seeds and veins. Cut into small pieces.
Mash the pork well with your hands. This should be done until the pieces become sticky (about 20 minutes).
Place the pieces on skewers and send them to the grill; by this time the coals should be slightly covered with ash.
After 20 minutes, it’s time to add salt and pepper to the kebab.
Sprinkle the finished dish with chopped onion into large pieces and serve.

Veal shish kebab

Marinating beef shish kebab takes a lot of time due to the toughness of the meat. But the veal dish turns out delicious, so you definitely need to cook it. In individuality, if we are talking about a real Georgian recipe.

veal – 0.5 kg;
onion – 1 pc.;
wine vinegar – 15 ml;
fresh cilantro – 40 g;
ghee – 10 g;
salt, spices - to taste.

Wash the meat, dry and cut into small pieces.
Peel the onion and chop into thin rings.
Place the veal in a marinating container, preferably a clay one. Dump the onion slices in there.
In a separate container, combine vinegar, salt, and spices. Bring the herb sauce to a boil over medium heat. Cool.
Pour the marinade over the meat and leave it in a cool place for 2 days, covered with a lid.
Thread the cooked meat onto skewers, alternating with onion rings. Grease with melted butter.
Place the kebab on the grill and fry until done (30-35 minutes).
Sprinkle the finished meat with fresh cilantro.

The dish can be served with the usual Georgian tkemali sauce.

Lamb kebab

Real Georgian lamb shashlik is not difficult to prepare. Thanks to the spices, the taste of this dish is excellent, and the smell will bring not only the family, but also the neighbors to the table, just like in friendly Georgia.

lamb – 1.5 kg;
flour – 15 g;
onions – 3 pcs.;
ground reddish pepper – 3 g;
garlic cloves – 4 pcs.;
fat – 150 g;
salt, dark pepper - to taste.

Wash the meat well and dry with a towel. Cut into size 1 pieces, beat lightly, trying to give them the shape of cubes.
Peel the onion, cut into half rings and place in one container with the lamb. Send spices and salt there.
Peel the garlic, pass through a crusher or chop with a knife. Add to other components.
Leave the meat to marinate for 4 hours on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
Place the prepared pieces on skewers and sprinkle with a little flour.
Fry on the grill, turning over every 15 minutes and pouring melted fat.

Marinades

Although Georgians do not favor marinades, the abundance of cuisine exceeds its traditions. And that’s why culinary experts in Georgia have made many fascinating marinade recipes.

Wine marinade

You can’t do without homemade wine in Georgian kebab recipes.

Ingredients for 1 kg of meat:

dry reddish wine – 200 ml;
thyme – 3 g;
ground pepper – 3 g;
coriander – 2 g;
onions – 3 pcs.;
paprika – 2 g;
large salt - 4 g.

Peel the onion, chop into rings, and add to the meat.
Place thyme, pepper, coriander, and paprika into the same container.
Mix the mixture and add wine.
Marinate for 2 hours at room temperature.

Marinade with yogurt

In this composition you can marinate both pork and lamb.

Ingredients for 1 kg of meat:

natural yogurt – 200 ml;
salt – 4 g;
lemon juice – 20 ml;
ground pepper – 3 g.

Sprinkle the meat with spices.
Squeeze the juice from the lemon and pour it over the future kebab.
Add yogurt. Mix everything thoroughly.
Leave to marinate in a closed container for several hours (how long depends on the type of meat).

Marinade with mineral water

Gas bubbles will help soften even not very young meat.

Ingredients for 1 kg of meat:

mineral water – 200 ml;
salt – 4 g;
spices (cumin, pepper, coriander) - to taste.

Sprinkle the meat with spices.
Add salt.
Pour mineral water over the future kebab.
Soak in a cold place for several hours.

What is it served with?

Traditionally, green tea or dry reddish wine is placed on the table next to the fried meat. The freshest vegetables go well with barbecue. The most popular of them are tomatoes.

A fascinating Georgian sauce is made by adding basil and pepper to cherry jam. Another popular option: homemade yogurt with garlic, cilantro and pepper.

Georgian cuisine is a real treasure trove of kebab recipes. Although they were not born in our country, they can hardly be called exotic. After all, any cook with simple ingredients, free time and desire can try cooking meat according to such recipes. And the best seasoning for such a kebab is a Georgian song.

From Georgia with love. Recipes for real Caucasian shish kebab

Shashlik comes from the Caucasus. More precisely, different countries can argue about its origin, but it came to us, in Russia, specifically from the Caucasus Mountains. Therefore, the ideal kebab, the most faithful and tasty, is the one from Georgia, Dagestan or Armenia. We have collected tried and tested kebab recipes from Caucasian chefs or in the Caucasian style. There are a lot of herbs, spices, etc. vegetable oil. Specifically, it is one of the favorite marinades in the Caucasus.

We asked chefs native to the Caucasus about what Caucasian kebab is.

“Not a single Georgian feast is complete without shish kebab,” says Mamiya Jojua, chef of the Kazbek restaurant . — As a rule, it is necessary to cook it in nature; this creates a whole ritual: making meat, marinade and lighting a fire. One of the brightest recipes is Kakheti-style shish kebab - sliced beef marinated in reddish adjika, served with baked vegetables and Georgian sauces.

When making barbecue, you should limit yourself to very ordinary ingredients: salt, reddish and black pepper, onions and vegetable oil, says Eka Jikia, chef of the Acha-Chacha restaurant. “Such a simple recipe will help reveal the real taste of meat. Almost everyone marinates meat with lemon, kiwi, coriander, thyme and other various spices and fruits. Some people do this to emphasize the catchy taste of spices and seasonings, while others do it to hide the low quality of the product. In Abkhazia, and in the Caucasus as a whole, they do not use complex combinations in marinades. And I support this one hundred percent,” she says.

Veal shish kebab

Recipe by Badri Lemonjava, brand chef of Megobari restaurant

1 kg veal
200 g onions
20 g rock salt
Dark crushed pepper
Reddish ground paprika
200 ml vegetable oil

Step 1. Cut the veal into small pieces and place in a basin.

Step 2. Chop the onion, add it to the meat, along with spices and salt.

Step 3. Pour in oil, stir and leave to marinate for 3 hours.

Step 4. At this time, light a fire and wait for the burgundy coals to appear.

Step 5. Thread the meat onto a skewer and place it on the grill. We often turn the meat over so that the kebab is perfectly baked, but remains juicy.

Step 6. After cooking, remove the meat from the skewer. You can serve it on pita bread with a variety of sauces to choose from.

Pork neck shashlik

Recipe by Garik Manukyan, chef of the Khmeli&Suneli restaurant

1 kg pork neck
500 ml pomegranate juice
1 kg onions
6 g ground coriander
6 g ground paprika
4 g dark ground pepper
10 g salt

Step 2. Place the chopped meat in a marinating container, add salt and pepper, add coriander and paprika, leave for a while so that everything is absorbed.

Step 3. At this time, peel the onion, chop finely and mix with the meat.

Step 4. Add pomegranate juice to the meat in small portions, always mixing well. The juice should be distributed moderately throughout the mass.

Step 5. Cover the meat with a plate or lid and marinate for 6-10 hours.

Step 6. Fry the pieces of meat on the grill.

Traditional Caucasian kebab

Recipe by Pavel Pantet, chef of the Caucasian Captive restaurant

1 kg beef slices
300 g onion
12 g salt
Dark ground pepper

200 g tomatoes
70 ml water
5 g dry adjika
1 tooth garlic
Salt and sugar
bunch of cilantro
Spices (khmeli-suneli, utskho-suneli, coriander)

Step 1. Cut the cooked, cooled beef into medium portions, approximately 4 cm each. If the pieces are small, the meat may turn out dry or overcooked, and large pieces may be raw inside.

Step 2. For the marinade, cut the onion into thin half rings. Add salt and dark pepper, stir vigorously until juice appears.

Step 3. Mix the resulting marinade with pieces of beef and let sit for about an hour.

Step 4. Fry the meat over coals. It is important that the coals are moderately heated “to a grayish color.” Then it will be possible to achieve uniform roasting of the meat.

Step 5. Fry until done, depending on the desired degree of doneness.

Step 6. Prepare the sauce: blanch the freshest tomatoes, remove the skin and puree in a blender.

Step 7. Add water, salt, sugar, adjika, finely chopped garlic, spices to the resulting tomato mass and cook for 15-20 minutes over low heat.

Step 8. Cool the sauce and combine with finely chopped cilantro.

Lamb loin on charcoal

Recipe by Grigory Meneshyan, chef of the Khachapuria restaurant

300 g lamb loin
10 g salt
2 g dark pepper
2 g coriander
10 ml sunflower oil

Step 1. Prepare the marinade for the loin: add salt, pepper, and coriander to the sunflower oil.

Step 2. Carefully rub the marinade over the lamb loin and leave to marinate for an hour.

Step 3. Grill for 25 minutes, turning occasionally.

Step 4. Serve with fresh herbs.

Pork chalagach in Armenian style

Recipe by Igor Ten, brand chef of Zharovnya restaurants

320 g pork loin on the bone
30 g reddish onion
40 g salsa sauce
cilantro leaves
Dark peppercorns
15 g mayonnaise
5 ml lemon juice
1 pita bread
30 g pickled onions

Step 1. Prepare the marinade by mixing mayonnaise, salsa, salt, pepper, 15 grams of red onion and lemon juice.

Step 2. Marinate the pork in the prepared mixture for 2 hours. Grill until cooked through and golden brown.

Step 3. Place the loin on pita bread, garnish with the freshest cilantro leaves, salsa sauce and pickled red onions.

Veal kebab with thyme

The creator of the recipe is Fuad Aliyev, brand chef of the Zafferano restaurant chain.

1 kg veal
100 g onion
13 g salt
3 g dark pepper
5 g thyme

Step 1. Clean the veal and cut into pieces of 40-45 g.

Step 2. Cut the onion into rings and add to the meat. Salt and add pepper and thyme. Leave for 1-2 hours.

Step 3. Place the meat on skewers and grill over coals.