How Armenians soak shish kebab. Armenian pork kebab: secrets from the master

Great kebab. This recipe was recommended by a cook from an Armenian restaurant; in his words, this is the most correct kebab.

Of course, the most important thing in barbecue is the meat! Choosing meat is a whole science, I’ll share my secrets. I cook pork shish kebab (if you don’t like pork or it’s not permissible for religious reasons, you can take other meat you want), I usually buy meat at the market, preferably from a seller I know (I don’t recommend buying it in stores - you often find it splashed with water, not only that They cheat with money, so instead of frying the meat begins to cook from the inside).

Meat on the market usually lies without a refrigerator, this is a guarantee of freshness (otherwise it would stink), the meat should be soft, when pressed with a finger, the hole should quickly close, it is better to give preference pork neck(loin will also work well), you shouldn’t be afraid of white fluffy fat (this kind of fat melts), it’s better to choose lighter meat (it’s younger), don’t be shy to smell it and twirl it in your hands. On average, for 3 eaters you need about 2 kilos of meat (namely meat and not marinated kebab).

So, let's start cooking! Cut the meat into small cubes (the size of a child’s fist or large egg), we remove various veins or films, we have no use for them!

The next most important ingredient is the well-known onion! It’s better not to use red or white onions (we’ve experimented with them many times and they behave differently), regular onions are better! We cut the onion in any order (rings, half-rings, cubes, chop - AS YOU WANT). The main rule of onions should be 1 to 1 to the weight of meat! 2 kilos of meat - 2 kilos of onions! Pour the onion into a deep container (saucepan, basin), and imagine that there are relics, squeeze with your hands (we need juice).

Add our chopped meat to the onion and squeeze again, knead the meat and onion like dough!

Pepper with finely ground black pepper (preferably from a mini mill), do not skimp on the pepper.

Next we need one glass mineral water, choose water according to your taste, just don’t take water like Aqua Mineral or Bon Aqua, you need real natural mineral water! Well-known popular brands include Essentuki, Borjomi, and Narzan. (well, if you are Armenian then of course BJNI).

Knead everything thoroughly, cover it with a plate of a smaller diameter pan or basin, and put a weight on top (a salting stone or a jar of water). We leave it for 12 hours (overnight), you can get by with 2 hours, you can stretch it out for a day. If you are short on time, leave it at room temperature; if you have 12 hours left, put it in the refrigerator.

SALT!!! There are several fundamental opinions here! Some argue that you need to salt raw meat, because this way it is better salted inside. Others argue that cooked meat needs to be salted, because salt in the marinade has a negative effect on the softness of the meat... for me Alternative option, I salt the marinade 10-15 minutes BEFORE BAKING!!! For this serving 2-3 teaspoons.

A little about the coals, the coals should cook well, be hot, but it’s too early to cook, you need to wait a pause - the coals should “grey”, a small ash white pollen will appear, now is the time!!!

Armenian cuisine is one of the most ancient in Transcaucasia. Vintage culinary traditions were carefully preserved by the people for centuries and have come down to us almost in their own in its original form. And the dishes themselves arouse keen interest among gourmets and ordinary connoisseurs of tasty and healthy food. You can verify this by looking at such a wonderful and beloved dish as shish kebab.

Product Feature

What is barbecue in Armenian? First of all, these are selected varieties of lamb meat, less often pork. Secondly, be sure to use spices and seasonings to give the food a special aroma. This includes basil, cilantro, pepper, and cloves. Often meat to make it real kebab in Armenian, marinated not only in vinegar or wine, but in pomegranate juice, cognac or kefir. And, of course, the dish has its own characteristics special ways heat treatment. Much attention is paid to the size of each piece of meat. Traditionally, Armenian kebab is fried from preparations weighing 30 g. Consequently, about 125-130 g of the main product are consumed per serving of the dish. In many regions of Armenia, meat is baked together with onions, eggplants and tomatoes. Thanks to vegetables, it becomes especially juicy and acquires a unique flavor bouquet. Armenian shashlik is served, according to ancient culinary etiquette, on lavash, with big amount fresh parsley and dill, collected in small bunches.

One of the old recipes

To prepare a truly Armenian kebab, a recipe that came to us from time immemorial requires taking 2 kg pork belly or neck, 1 kg of onion, 1 fruit of a not quite ripe pomegranate and salt to taste, red ground pepper, basil, parsley, cilantro. And of course flatbreads thin pita bread. First you need to marinate the meat. To do this, cut it into portioned pieces, salt and pepper each thoroughly, place in a high enamel pan. Cut the onion into rings, add to the meat, mix gently. Cover the pan and place in a cool place for 8-12 hours. Squeeze the juice out of the pomegranate and pour it over the special Armenian one about half an hour before you start frying it. Fry the meat threaded on skewers until cooked, turning as needed. Separately, chop the greens - onion feathers, parsley stems, dill, cilantro. Remove the finished meat from the skewers, mix with herbs, wrap in pita bread and serve.

Sevan-style recipe

You will get amazingly tasty real Armenian kebab if you make it based on the recommendations of this recipe. The main highlight of the dish is that the meat is marinated in sour milk(yogurt or kefir). And since kefir is absorbed by almost 90% in just an hour, the kebab itself will also be absorbed faster. So, take 1 kg of lean lamb meat. For juiciness, add 150 g of bacon. In addition, you need 4 onions, 4-5 cloves of garlic, half a liter of kefir. And salt and hot pepper to taste. Cut the meat into portions, chop the onion and garlic into cubes, mix everything in a deep saucepan and pour in kefir. Add salt and ground black pepper to the marinade. Place the pan in a cool place for 10 hours. Then remove the pieces of meat, blot them with napkins and string them onto skewers mixed with thin slices of bacon. Fry over smoldering coals until done. Before serving, sprinkle with chopped herbs and add a small bunch of parsley to each skewer.

Meat “Karski style”

Another traditional Armenian dish will appear on your table and will pleasantly surprise your guests if you prepare an original kebab, called “Karski style” or “Middle Eastern”. The only meat it requires is lamb, taken from the lumbar part of the carcass. It should be freed from veins and films. It is cut for barbecue in large pieces approximately the same size and round shape. Therefore, for one batch of the dish you will need at least 2 kg of lamb. The meat should be interspersed on skewers with lard, always fat tail lard. You need from 500 g. Well, the marinade in this recipe (compared to other Transcaucasian types of shish kebab) is also unique. For this, grind 10-12 medium onions through a meat grinder. Prepare fresh lemon zest, grind the pulp and peel (without seeds). Combine both components, pour in 50 g of cognac and 2 tablespoons of vinegar, preferably grape vinegar. Add 3 teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of ground allspice and two tablespoons of chopped basil, cilantro and dill, as well as a little ground cloves. Mix well.

Cooking shish kebab “Karski style”

Place the prepared meat and lard in an enamel bowl. Pour in the marinade and leave for 8 hours. Cut ripe, firm tomatoes into circles 5-6 cm thick. Thread the marinated meat onto skewers, alternating with lard and tomatoes. Fry the kebab until fully cooked, baste with marinade each time before turning. Serve by sprinkling the skewer with herbs and wrapping it in pita bread. Separately, fry the slices of eggplant soaked in vinegar and also cover the served meat with them.

For fans of Caucasian cuisine, we offer recipes for preparing authentic Armenian kebab. Implementing them is absolutely easy, and the result will exceed all your expectations.

How to make pork kebab in Armenian style?

Ingredients:

pork (neck) – 1.8-2.1 kg;
onions – 450 g;
refined – 55 ml;
coriander peas – 10 g;
dried basil – 1 tbsp. spoon;

Preparation

Armenian shashlik is always prepared from pork. IN in this case we will take pork neck, which we traditionally marinate. To do this, peel and cut the onions into rings, and grind the black peppercorns and coriander in a mortar until fine crumbs. Place the meat, washed and cut into slices slightly larger than a matchbox, into an enamel or glass container, add onions, refined oil, chopped coriander and black pepper, add dried basil and salt and knead everything thoroughly with your hands so that the onions and meat begin to release juice. Place the dish with meat on the refrigerator shelf and let it marinate for seven hours. It is better to leave the pork in the marinade overnight, but about an hour and a half to two before frying it is necessary to keep it at room conditions.

Now we string the slices of meat onto a skewer and fry on the grill until cooked, periodically pouring the juice from the marinade over them.

Real Armenian kebab - carbonated recipe

Ingredients:

pork (carbonate) – 1.8-2.1 kg;
dried parsley – 1 teaspoon;
dried dill – 1 teaspoon;
black peppercorns – 15 g;
dried thyme – 2/3 teaspoon;
dried basil – 1.5-2 tbsp. spoons;
coarse salt - 20 g or to taste.

Preparation

This recipe for Armenian kebab involves the use of pork carbonate for its preparation. First, wash the meat, dry it and cut it into portions about two centimeters thick. Now in a separate bowl, mix dried basil, thyme, dill and parsley, also add freshly ground black pepper grains and mix. Rub the pieces of pork with salt and a spicy dry mixture, place them in a suitable container and leave for two hours at room conditions.

Fry the marinated pieces of pork chops on the grill. For the first five minutes, we maintain high heat under the meat, turning the grill regularly so that the meat does not burn, but acquires a crispy crust, which will help preserve all the juices inside the piece. Then we reduce the intensity of the heat and bring the pork to readiness, trying to heat it evenly on both sides, continuing to regularly turn the grill to do this.

The shish kebab must be served with Armenian sauce, the recipe for which we offer below.

Armenian barbecue sauce

Ingredients:

Preparation

Dilute the tomato paste with water and heat to a boil. Add clove buds, pepper, salt, sugar and cook, stirring for five minutes. Now grate or chop the onion and garlic cloves in a blender, chop the greens, add everything to the sauce and mix.

The kebab season is in full swing, and everyone wants to show off their skill in preparing this delicious meat delicacy to surprise the whole company. Armenian kebab pork, whether a classic or alternative recipe, always wins in this sense, and it is very easy to prepare. The main requirement is to prepare the marinade, cut the meat and fry it in a good mood and with love.

In Armenia, kebab is called khorovats. This word contains the crystal purity of glacial springs, the proud spirit of ancient inaccessible mountains and a piece of the Armenian sun, and the coals are the heat of the hot Armenian heart.

List of ingredients (for 3-4 servings):

pork - 2 kg
onions - 2 kg
250 ml mineral water
salt - 2 tsp.
greenery.

Keep in mind that mineral water is not just soda, but real natural water, such as Narzan, Borjomi, Essentuki! And no vinegar or lemon juice!

Cooking method:

Cut the meat into cubes the size of a chicken egg. Carefully remove all films and cores.
Onion can be cut in any way.
Pour the chopped onion into a deep container and mash thoroughly until the juice appears.
Add the meat to the onion and again knead it well with your hands, like dough, mixing it with the onion.
Season with ground black pepper and mix again.
Then pour in 250 ml of natural mineral water.
Cover everything with a plate or lid smaller than the diameter of the container and press down with a heavy object.
Place the container with the marinated kebab in the refrigerator for 12 hours (minimum 2, maximum 24 hours).
Add salt 15-20 minutes before baking to keep the meat soft and juicy.
Cook the meat over coals only on both sides for 15-20 minutes until browned.
Remove the kebab from the heat and sprinkle with finely chopped herbs to your liking.

Please note that when preparing Armenian-style kebab from pork, you should not put onions or other vegetables on the skewer along with the meat, as they will burn, which will make the kebab taste bitter.

Armenian kebab with pomegranate

The most delicious meat is home-grown, not from the store. If you can find something like this, it will be ideal. Which part to take (tenderloin, neck or rib) depends on your taste.

List of ingredients (for 5-6 servings):

pork - 3 kg
onions - 1 kg
ground black pepper - 1 tbsp.
spices to taste - 1 tbsp.
1 pomegranate
0.5 l mineral water
salt - 1 tbsp.
pita.

Under no circumstances should you add mayonnaise, sour cream or ketchup to the marinade! This is no longer Armenian kebab! You can eat meat with anything, but you shouldn’t add it to the marinade!

Cooking method:

In the evening, before leaving for nature, you need to rinse and cut the meat into medium pieces, clearing it of all excess.

Thinly slice the onion into half rings.
Place the onion and pork in a saucepan and stir.
Add spices to the meat, mix thoroughly until juice appears.
Peel the pomegranate and add the seeds to the mixture.
Then mix everything with clean hands.
Pour mineral water and cover the pan with a lid.
Place in the refrigerator until morning.
In the morning, an hour before the picnic, add salt and do not put it in a cold place again.
When frying, the meat should be room temperature.
Place the pieces on skewers, do not discard the remaining marinade.
When the fire settles, you can start frying.
The skewer must be constantly turned over every minute.
After 20-30 minutes the kebab is ready.
Place the pita bread on the table or in a wide plate, place the remaining marinade with onions on it.
Place the finished kebab on the pita bread.

Vegetables can be grilled separately and served along with hot kebab.

Armenian Khorovats in spicy marinade

For lovers of hot tastes there is wonderful recipe Armenian khorovats spicy marinade.

List of ingredients (for 7-8 servings):

pork - 4 kg
onions - 1 kg
ground black pepper - 0.5 tbsp.
allspice, coriander - 1 tsp.
ground chili pepper - 0.5 tsp.
0.5 l mineral water
salt - 1 tbsp.
dried tomatoes - 1 tbsp.
greenery.

When preparing the marinade, do not use chili ketchup instead of dry ground pepper. All sauces are served to the table with the prepared dish.

Cooking method:

Rinse the meat and cut into large portions, place in a deep bowl.
Chop the onion into rings of medium thickness and place on top of the pork.
Add all the spices and dried tomatoes.
Using clean hands, knead the resulting mixture until juice appears.
Fill with mineral water.
Cover with a lid and refrigerate for 6-12 hours.
Add salt and stir 20 minutes before starting to string.

Serve the dish garnished with red pods hot pepper, sprigs of dill or parsley.

Taste ready-made dish depends on many subtleties of its preparation. Here are a few useful tips from the chef of an Armenian restaurant, how to cook delicious and juicy kebab in Armenian:

Choosing meat for barbecue is a whole science. As already mentioned, it is better to buy pork from a familiar farmer, choosing lighter pieces, as this is a sign of the youth of the pig. It is better to give preference to the loin or neck tenderloin.
You need to cut the meat across the grain - this way it will absorb more of the marinade and become softer.
The amount of onion in recipes is minimal; the more, the better. Ideally, as much pork as onions - 1:1.
The depth of the grill also matters. It is important that the height of the walls is approximately 25 cm. With a shallower depth, the meat will burn, and with a high height, it will not be cooked through, but will dry out from the heat of the metal, not the coals.
Firewood or coals must be dry and burn well. When the fire goes out, you need to wait a little for the coals to “grey” - white pollen should appear on them. After this you can start cooking.
When frying, it is important to have a bottle of water or homemade wine. Dripping fat can allow the fire to flare up again. In this case, you need to drop a little water or wine on the coal, but do not overdo it, otherwise you will extinguish the heat.
Don't forget to turn the skewers regularly so that the pieces are fried evenly and retain their juiciness.

Bon appetit! Don't forget that the first toast is to the one who stood at the grill!

In Caucasian countries, kebab is traditional dish. This time we have prepared for you a marinade recipe for this meat dish in Armenian. In every country, region and family it is prepared differently, so we will not position it as traditional. This marinade recipe is not just good, but unique. The meat is marinated in it in just 40 minutes, and can also be left out of the refrigerator for 2-3 days without spoiling. But you should not forget that the meat must be of high quality and should not be left in direct sunlight.

Onion marinade

Ingredients: Sunflower oil 200 ml, Onion 0.5 kg, Beef 1.5 kg, Black pepper (ground) to taste, Coriander to taste, Salt to taste, Cilantro to taste.
Preparation: Pour into the bottom of the dish sunflower oil. Next add black pepper. Optional: coriander and cilantro leaves. Add salt and leave for a while.
Cut each onion into four pieces. Chop the smallest onion and grind with a small amount salt. Add onion to oil.

Chop the meat coarsely. You can take beef or pork. Place the meat in the pan with the marinade and stir. Turn the onions that are on top with the cut side to the meat. Wait 40 minutes and you are ready to cook!

The kebab in this marinade will turn out very tasty! Just when cooking, don’t forget to turn the meat over and reduce the heat.