My goal is to find a recipe that works for cooks who've never been to Ukraine, who have no "swords," and who have no access to special ingredients.
Therefore, I've combined about half a dozen recipes for the following:
SHASHLEEK Шашлык
Serves 6-8- 3 lb. pork (loin, butt, neck meat specially cut)
- 1/4 c. apple cider vinegar, cooking wine, or part lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 1/2 large onions
- 1 T. parsley
- 1 t. coriander
- 1 t. salt (less if using cooking wine)
- 1/4 t. pepper
- 3 bay leaves, torn into fourths
- Apple or zucchini slices, optional
- Mineral water, optional
Cut meat into 2-inch cubes. Rub down with 1/2 cup mayo.
Prepare marinade: Puree onions and garlic. Add seasonings (along with optional apple slices and mineral water).
Marinate pork overnight or longer, stirring occasionally to make sure meat is evenly marinated.
30 minutes before skewering and cooking, remove meat from refrigerator. At the same time, soak bamboo skewers for the same amount of time.
Place meat on skewers, along with apple or zucchini slices, if desired. Don't pack skewers, leave some space between meat.
Grill over medium-high heat for about 8-10 minutes, or until you've reached the desired doneness, rotating every 2-3 minutes for even grilling. Remove skewers from grill and let rest at least 5 minutes before eating, so they don't juice out and end up dry.
Tips: If you can find pork marbled with a lot of the darker meat, it seems like the meat is more tender. Use a meat thermometer so you DON'T overcook.
Comments