How to choose the right meat and marinade for shish kebab — useful tips

For many Russians, shish kebab is not just meat fried on coals, but a real ritual with its own rules and secrets. It is often associated with outdoor recreation and pleasant company. Izvestia tells how to choose the right meat for a barbecue, prepare a marinade and calculate the amount of finished product for everyone present.

What kind of meat is suitable for barbecue

Pork occupies a leading position in the rating of meat for shish kebab due to its relatively low cost and speed of preparation. In second place is chicken, which is considered a win-win option for this dish. The next line is beef. However, this is the most expensive meat option for shish kebab, so it is much less often chosen.

Mutton closes the rating, which is due to the fact that this type of meat does not like prolonged heat treatment. Often, only experienced chefs can cook the perfect barbecue. Although many of them consider mutton to be the best meat for barbecue. The main advantages of lamb meat are its rich composition of nutrients and low fat content. In addition, mutton is much easier to digest than pork or beef.

Turkey is also used for cooking shish kebab. But even here, skill is needed, since meat is easy to over-dry and even "burn". To prevent this from happening, chef Andrey Makhov advises removing the turkey from the heat before it is fully cooked. The meat will "reach" itself while it is being carried to the table.

But it is important to keep in mind that not all meat is suitable for shish kebab. For example, frozen meat is not the best option. When defrosting, all the juice will go out of it and the shish kebab will turn out to be dry and tough. Therefore, you need to choose fresh meat. Another important criterion is that meat should not be greasy. Oksana Mikhaleva, a nutritionist at SM Clinic, Candidate of Medical Sciences, told Izvestia that the fatter the meat, the more harmful it is due to the formation of large amounts of toxins.

It also matters which part of the meat is used to prepare the dish. So, for pork shish kebab, you should take a tenderloin, neck or shoulder blade, from lamb — a ham or loin, for beef shish kebab — a tenderloin, thick or thin edge. And for a barbecue of poultry meat, it is advisable to take boneless thighs. Chicken breast is often taken, the more dietary part. But if it is cooked incorrectly, the shish kebab will turn out to be dry.

To roast the meat evenly, it must be cut into 5-6 cm pieces. Finely chopped meat will dry quickly. And if you chop it coarsely, it won't cook properly. Shish kebab is cooked over high heat on coals so that a toasted crust quickly forms on the meat, and inside it remains a little raw.

How to marinate meat for shish kebab — types of marinade

Each type of meat requires its own marinade. The recipe must contain products that give acid, sharpness and spice. The most important ingredients are onions and any food acid: apple cider vinegar, grape vinegar, or lemon juice. Additionally, you can add various seasonings, such as dried garlic, soy sauce, olive oil or sesame oil.

Fermented dairy products such as yogurt, kefir, yogurt, sour cream are ideal as a marinade for shish kebab from poultry meat. They make the meat more tender and contain antioxidants that slow down the rate of formation of harmful substances during frying. For a more savory taste, sumeli hops, mustard, and black pepper are added to the marinade. To make the dish more sweet, you can add a little honey or maple syrup.

Marinades based on dry white or red wine are well suited for red meat. Tartaric acid softens the protein fibers, so the cooking time is reduced, and the meat becomes more tender and juicy. Lemon juice, onion, garlic, herbs, vegetable oil, soy sauce, spices and other ingredients are added to the marinade to taste.

The pieces are stacked in layers, interspersed with onion rings, and then poured with wine. Some people use carbonated mineral water instead of wine, which also softens the fibers well.

To emphasize the tender meat of red fish varieties (salmon, salmon, pink salmon), a marinade of lemon and olive oil is ideal. This classic combination is often seasoned with thyme or dill. For white fish, a marinade is often prepared using lime zest and juice, coriander and orange juice.

It is better to marinate the shish kebab in the morning or at lunch, so that it is ready for dinner. 2-4 hours is enough for chicken and fish. Pork and veal are marinated for at least 4-6 hours, but beef or lamb — for at least 8 hours. You can marinate the meat at room temperature. But if it has to stay in the marinade for more than two hours, it is better to put it in the refrigerator.

How to calculate the amount of meat for a barbecue per company

In order for a barbecue to be enough for all family members or a large company, it is necessary to calculate the amount of meat in advance. On average, about 600 g of boiled or 650 g of fried meat is obtained from 1 kg of raw boneless meat. A serving for an adult is about 400 g, for a child — almost half as much. If the chicken shish kebab should be added another 100 g due to the bones.

The resulting number must be multiplied by the number of participants in a country trip or use a special "Barbecue calculator", which is available on the websites of many online hypermarkets, and is also available as a special mobile application.

It is recommended to eat ready-made shish kebab from glassware or disposable paper plates. It is better to abandon plastic dishes, since when plastic comes into contact with hot meat, toxins begin to be released. To prevent harmful substances from entering the body along with food, it is also worth avoiding gasoline-containing mixtures for making a fire and using firewood instead of coals.

Earlier, Izvestia told which marinades for shish kebab can be harmful to health.