How to make delicious lamb shish kebab. The most delicious marinade for lamb kebab to keep the meat soft
The most correct and traditional dish on the grill is lamb shish kebab, which has been prepared since ancient times. The ancestors began frying pre-marinated lamb meat immediately after acquiring the ability to make fire. But despite thousands of years of experience, In order to cook lamb shish kebab correctly and tasty, you need to know the intricacies of the entire procedure.
Obtaining juicy and tasty meat at the end directly depends on compliance with three stages:
- choice of lamb;
- pickling;
- frying
Important! A successful barbecue requires following all the steps, but first of all, the marinade will determine its intense flavor.
Classic lamb shish kebab recipe
The dish, prepared according to the classic recipe, has been tried and appreciated by every connoisseur of traditional kebab.
To complete this recipe you will need:
- lamb pulp – 1 kg;
- onions – 5 pcs. medium heads;
- dry wine – 200 ml;
When recreating the classic taste, you must follow the following instructions:
- Lamb meat, from which the film and veins are first removed, is cut into small pieces, after which it is salted, peppered and seasoned with spices.
- Meat pieces are mixed with pre-cut onion into rings.
- Vegetable oil and wine are added to the meat and onion mixture.
- After 1-2 hours, depending on the hardness of the meat, the pieces are strung on skewers, which are sent to the fire.
- During frying, which lasts 15 minutes, the skewers are periodically turned over and the lamb is sprinkled with wine.
Attention! Glass or ceramic containers are used for pickling: metal containers are susceptible to oxidation, which can cause serious poisoning.
Caucasian kebab recipe
At all times, kebab prepared by mountain peoples was famous, the creation of which requires a minimum set of products:
- lamb pulp – 1 kg;
- onion – 500 g;
- grape vinegar – 2-3 tbsp. spoons;
- fresh greens (parsley and cilantro) - 1 bunch;
- water – 200 ml;
- salt and spices (pepper, basil, thyme) - to taste.
For preparation:
- The pulp, cut into small pieces, is salted and mixed with spices and chopped herbs.
- Water is poured into a separate bowl and vinegar is added.
- The meat is placed in a marinating container, onion sliced into thin rings is laid out on top, after which everything is filled with a water-vinegar solution.
After 5-6 hours, the lamb is ready to be grilled over hot coals for 20 minutes.
Advice! To avoid drying out the meat, sprinkle it with marinade when frying.
Recipe with vinegar and onions
To make the meat soft, add acid - vinegar, lemon juice.
To create a dish from 1 kg of lamb meat on the grill you will need:
- wine vinegar - 2 tbsp. spoons;
- lemon – 1 pc.;
- sugar - a pinch;
- vegetable oil – 2 tbsp. spoons;
- salt and spices (pepper, basil, marjoram, savory) - to taste.
The vinegar marinade for lamb kebab begins to be prepared after the standard preparation of lamb meat as follows:
- Peeled onions are cut into rings half a centimeter thick so that they can be cooked together with meat on skewers.
- The onion is placed in a container with the meat pieces, where salt, spices and granulated sugar are added to soften the sour taste.
- Vegetable oil, vinegar and juice squeezed from lemon are poured into the mixture.
- After thorough mixing, the container with pickled lamb is kept on the table for an hour, then moved to the refrigerator.
Important! If the flesh is hard, then it should be marinated for at least 5 hours.
Adding ginger to the marinade
If you add ginger during marinating, the taste of the kebab will improve significantly: the ginger additive makes the meat more tender, giving it a unique aroma.
Taking the recipe for making shish kebab with vinegar and onions as a basis, the latter is excluded. And when mixing meat with traditional spices, add a little ground or chopped ginger root.
Original mint addition
You can prepare aromatic kebab with a spicy aroma by adding mint to the vinegar marinade. Along with the spices, three chopped mint sprigs are placed with the meat. A richer taste is obtained by marinating meat for 10-12 hours.
Marinade with yogurt
Another original way to marinate lamb, adding originality to its extraordinary taste.
To prepare a kilogram of pulp, you should purchase the following ingredients:
- red wine – 50 ml;
- yogurt – 200 ml;
- garlic – 4 cloves;
- olive oil – 1 tbsp. spoon;
- salt and spices (pepper, paprika, coriander) - to taste.
To obtain shish kebab in this marinade:
- Wine, salt, spices, olive oil and garlic passed through a press are diluted in yogurt.
- Meat cut into small pieces is placed in the resulting marinade.
- After mixing, the mixture is placed in the refrigerator for 6-10 hours.
- After the allotted time has passed, the lamb is threaded onto skewers, where it drains before being placed on the grill,
- Fry on all sides for no longer than 10 minutes over intense heat.
Advice! To give the dish a special aroma, you can add chopped mint sprigs to the marinade with yogurt.
Recipe with honey and mineral water
This method allows you to quickly marinate any lamb.
For honey shish kebab from a kilogram of lamb pulp you will need:
- honey – 15 g;
- sparkling mineral water – 1 glass;
- onion – 150 g;
- fresh greens (cilantro and parsley) - half a bunch each;
- salt and spices - to taste and availability.
To prepare lamb with honey:
- Randomly chopped greens and onions, liquid honey are added to the chopped pieces of meat in a bowl for marinating.
- The contents of the container are salted, seasoned with spices and filled with highly carbonated water, after which everything is mixed well.
After 3 hours, the meat is ready for grilling over charcoal.
Kiwi recipe
Kiwi is an excellent ingredient that can tenderize even very tough lamb.
To prepare a kilogram of lamb, the following products are prepared:
- kiwi – 1 pc.;
- lemon – 1⁄2 pcs.;
- onions – 2 large heads;
- Sunflower oil – 2 tbsp. spoons;
- salt and spices (pepper, basil, marjoram, savory, coriander and others) - to taste.
After preparing the meat as required by the lamb, the preparation of the marinade begins:
- The onion is crushed in a blender to a pulp or grated.
- Kiwi is also turned into puree using a blender or potato masher.
- Along with salt and spices, onions and kiwi are placed in the container where the meat is located.
- After seasoning with sunflower oil, the mixture is stirred and kept on the table for no more than 2 hours.
Carefully! Do not over-expose lamb in the kiwi marinade: pieces of meat may soften to the consistency of minced meat.
Thus, bringing to life one of the recipes described above will provide a positive barbecue mood for a friendly company and the unsurpassed taste of lamb on the grill.
I want to raise the topic of marinade for lamb shish kebab. And it’s not at all accidental. Do you know what I consider the most truthful “indicator” of the onset of spring? No, not a calendar that eloquently indicates that it is the first of March. And not even the sun's timid attempts to hint that it will soon be warm. And not gradually reducing the amount of outerwear on cheerful passers-by. And the smells. The tart aroma of budding buds on trees. The smell of slightly warmed asphalt. And, of course, fried meat. When the time for barbecues and picnics begins, then real spring begins with a smooth transition into summer. Therefore, I just can’t get around the topic of barbecue. And I’ll start with the most successful marinades for delicious lamb kebab. This meat requires a special approach. After all, the specific aroma and harshness often scare away. But not us! We will properly process and marinate the lamb. And then we will enjoy the soft, juicy and tasty lamb kebab. Go?
Marinade for shish kebab from tough meat (lamb) with vinegar
To make the lamb soft, you definitely need to add acid to the barbecue marinade. Tangy wine vinegar and lemon juice will do the job of tenderizing the meat 100, no, even 1000 percent. And to soften the acid, add a pinch of sugar. Lamb kebab with this marinade will turn out simply excellent!
Ingredients for marinade for 1 kg of shish kebab:
- light wine vinegar - 2 tbsp. l.;
- lemon (medium size) – 1 pc.;
- onions (yellow, large) – 2 pcs.;
- granulated sugar - a pinch;
- odorless vegetable oil (sunflower or vegetable) – 2 tbsp. l.;
- salt – 1 tsp. (taste);
- coarsely ground black pepper – a pinch;
- thyme, marjoram, savory and oregano - a pinch each.
Method for preparing marinade with vinegar:
Start preparing the vinegar marinade for lamb after preparing the meat. Wash it. Cut into portions. Place in an enamel deep bowl. Don't forget to remove fat and films. This will eliminate the specific smell. Peel the onion and cut into fairly thick rings. Approximately 0.5-0.7 cm thick. Can also be cut into half rings. But then you won’t be able to fry the onion along with the lamb on skewers. Add onion to lamb. Add spices and salt there. Add a pinch of sugar to balance the sour taste. It is not necessary to use all the spices. You can only put those that are in stock. Or use ready-made seasoning. Pour in vegetable oil. Don't forget about acid - vinegar and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly with your hands and leave for an hour at room temperature. Then place in the refrigerator for at least 5-6 hours.
And for lovers of lamb, I have an excellent one, which always turns out tasty and aromatic.
Kiwi marinade for lamb shish kebab
Kiwi works real miracles with meat! Even lamb kebab made from tough meat in a kiwi marinade will be soft and juicy. Just don't overdo it with the amount of kiwi. And marinating time. Otherwise you will have to fry the minced meat.
For a kilogram of lamb take:
- kiwi (medium size) – 1 pc.;
- onions (yellow, large) – 2 pcs.;
- lemon (medium size) – 1/2 pcs.;
- salt - to taste;
- coarsely ground black pepper - a pinch;
- coriander, thyme, cumin, basil, paprika (ready-made seasoning for barbecue/lamb) - to taste and availability;
- odorless sunflower oil – 1-2 tbsp. l.
How to prepare kebab marinade for kiwi lamb:
Prepare and cut the meat. Place in a large bowl. Blend the onion with a blender into a paste. Or grate it directly into the meat on a coarse grater. Puree the kiwi in a blender too. Or crush with a potato masher. Pour the puree into the meat. Add spices. Add some salt. Pour in the oil - the last ingredient in this kebab marinade. Mix thoroughly. Leave the lamb to marinate at room temperature. For 1 hour - minimum. And for 2 hours - maximum. You don't want to fry pate instead of kebab, do you? And if you are planning to cook pork kebab, you can look at the best marinade recipes.
Marinade with kefir for delicious lamb shish kebab
Kefir not only softens meat, but also gives it a slight sourness. The lamb is literally saturated with the aromatic marinade and becomes juicy. Why don't you try it? Well, it turns out very tasty!
To prepare 1 kilogram of delicious lamb shish kebab you will need:
- kefir - 1,200 ml glass;
- onions (medium size) 2-3 pcs.;
- sugar - a pinch;
- salt – 1-1.5 tsp;
- coarsely ground black pepper – 4-5 peas.
How to prepare kefir marinade:
Trim all fat from meat. Remove films. Rinse well under running water. Dry. And put the meat in a bowl. Add salt. Add pepper. Mix the lamb shish kebab mixture thoroughly. Peel the onion. Cut into massive rings. Pour into a bowl. Stir. Pour room temperature kefir mixed with sugar into the lamb in small portions. Each time, mix the meat with the onion and massage it, as it were. You don't need too much kefir. Cover tightly with a lid. Or cover with film. Leave the kebab to marinate at room temperature for about an hour. Then refrigerate overnight.
Uzbek-style shish kebab marinade for lamb
A very interesting version of the marinade. With character. Thanks to fat tail fat, wine vinegar, oriental spices and onions, lamb acquires such a bright taste and aroma... In general, it is difficult to convey in words. All that remains is to try!
List of ingredients for marinade (per kilogram of lamb):
- fat tail fat – 200 g;
- medium-sized yellow onions - 3 pcs.;
- coarse table salt – 1 tsp;
- dried cumin (cumin) – 1 tsp;
- ground black pepper – 1 tsp;
- dried coriander – 1.5-2 tsp;
- light wine vinegar - 2 tbsp. l.
Preparation procedure:
Cut the prepared lamb meat and tail fat into approximately equal pieces. The size of a matchbox. Place in an enamel bowl. Add some salt. Add pepper and other spices. Mix well. Cut the onion into rings. Add it to the bowl. Pour in vinegar. Stir again. To make Uzbek-style lamb kebab more juicy and flavorful, it is advisable to put it under pressure. To do this, you will need a lid of a slightly smaller diameter than the dish with meat. Place it directly on top of the marinated lamb. Place a weight on top. For example, a two-liter jar of jam or pickles. Then place this “structure” in the cold. You need to marinate for at least 5 hours. Maximum – a day. First thread a piece of lard onto a skewer. Then - meat pieces. And at the end - fat tail fat.
Marinade for lamb shish kebab with mineral water
Mineral water is not only an excellent means of restoring good health after a good party. And not only the main ingredient for delicious cheburek dough. Mineral water does an excellent job of softening lamb for barbecue. Let's add juicy tomatoes and aromatic onions to make the most delicious marinade for lamb shish kebab!
To prepare a marinade in mineral water you will need (per 1 kg of meat):
red tomatoes, small – 1 pc.;
lemon (small size) – 1 pc.;
mineral water with a high content of gases – 200 ml;
large onion – 1 pc.;
black bread – 100 g;
salt and black pepper - a large pinch each.
Process and rinse the meat. Dry. Cut into portions. Place in a deep enamel bowl. Peel the onion. Cut into medium-thick rings. Wash the tomatoes. Cut into circles. Add both to the meat. Squeeze the juice out of the lemon. Pour it over black bread, cut into small slices. Send to lamb. Add a large pinch of salt and pepper there. It is advisable to grind the pepper coarsely. Mix everything and fill with mineral water. Marinate the lamb shish kebab in mineral water for 6-8 hours in the refrigerator with the lid closed.
With these marinade recipes, you are guaranteed a good barbecue mood!
The correct choice of ingredients is the key to a tasty dish, so below we describe how to choose the right meat and which part of the lamb is best to cook shish kebab from.
The most delicious lamb shish kebab comes from young meat, as it is very soft and does not have a characteristic unpleasant odor. The ram should be no more than one year old. Its color will help determine a good carcass; young rams have noticeably lighter meat than older ones. If we talk about which part of lamb is better suited for barbecue, then preference should be given to the ham or the front shoulder. Usually these parts of the carcass are used due to their meatiness and lack of connective tissue. You should also avoid frozen meat, as it loses its taste. In order to check whether the lamb has been frozen, you need to press on it with your finger. Meat that has been frozen will be irrevocably deformed and water will appear on it at the point of pressure. Fresh lamb, in turn, will quickly return to its original shape.
Remember that only good meat will produce the most delicious and juicy lamb kebab.
Marinade for lamb shish kebab
The basis for a good shish kebab is the marinade.
Before marinating, you need to cut the meat into squares approximately 4-5 centimeters in size. Meat of this size will be able to marinate well, will not become too dry during the frying process, and at the same time will be the juiciest. For marinating, you need to use a deep container made of glass, ceramics, stainless steel or any enamel dish. It is strictly not recommended to marinate meat in an aluminum pan, as in this case the lamb will have an unpleasant metallic taste. When aluminum comes into contact with products such as citric acid or vinegar used in the marinade, harmful substances are released, which a person feels when eating ready-made meat. You should salt the meat about half an hour before cooking, because salt can draw the juice out of the meat and the kebab will turn out very dry.
Lamb shish kebab recipes
There are many variations on how to marinate and how to cook lamb kebab. Better recipes will be presented below.
Caucasian-style lamb shish kebab
Ingredients
- 1.Lamb
- Greenery
- Salt to taste and other spices
- Grape vinegar
- Purified cold water
Pour clean drinking water into a container and add 2-3 tablespoons of grape vinegar. Mix until smooth.
In a free bowl, place layers of already chopped lamb and onion cut into rings. You can add spices to your taste, but do not forget that salt is added at the end. Pour the prepared marinade over the meat so that the liquid completely covers it. Cover with a lid and place in a cool place out of direct sunlight. For example, in the refrigerator. Leave to marinate for 3-4 hours. At this time, you can prepare the grill. When threading pieces of meat onto skewers, you need to leave at least small gaps between them. The meat will fry for about 20 minutes; while cooking it, the skewers need to be turned regularly. During the frying process, you can sprinkle the kebab with the remaining marinade, so the lamb will be saturated with its smell. At the end of cooking, you can remove the meat from the skewer and serve, garnished with herbs.
Armenian lamb shish kebab
Ingredients:
- Mutton
Spices to taste
Bulb onions
Tomatoes
bell pepper
Eggplant
Many people consider this lamb shashlik recipe to be the most delicious of all existing ones.
Place the chopped and washed meat in a bowl, periodically sprinkling it with vinegar. Next, add spices to taste. Cut the onion into rings, put it in a bowl and mix everything well. The onion should release its juice, pay special attention to this. Place in the refrigerator to marinate. Armenian kebab is marinated for quite a long time, about 10 hours, so it is recommended to prepare the meat the evening before the day of its preparation. Meanwhile, wash the tomatoes, bell peppers and eggplants. Remove seeds from vegetables. After the time has passed, we string everything onto a skewer, alternating meat, onions and vegetables. The latter, by the way, need to be baked whole. The shish kebab takes about 20 minutes to prepare. Serve vegetables and meat in one plate.
Azerbaijani-style lamb shashlik
Ingredients
- Mutton
- Tomatoes
- Lemon
- Butter
- Wine or lemon vinegar
- Tkemali sauce
- Dill and parsley
- Ground black pepper and other seasonings
The Azerbaijani kebab recipe is quite simple.
Place the meat in a container and sprinkle it generously with ground black pepper. Then pour wine vinegar or, in extreme cases, lemon vinegar. Mix thoroughly and place in a cool place for 5-6 hours. Before cooking, do not forget to salt the lamb and grease it with butter, this way we will get a delicious kebab. Cook on skewers until done. The shish kebab is served with fresh tomatoes, herbs, lemon slices and tkemali sauce.
Lamb shish kebab under mineral water
Ingredients:
- Mutton
- Mineral water
- Lemon
- Spices to taste
- Fresh vegetables
Many kebab lovers claim that marinating meat with mineral water makes the dish very tasty and juicy.
First, cut the meat and place it in a marinade vessel. Next, cut the onion into half rings and add to the lamb. The lemon should be cut into two parts. Cut one of them into medium-sized slices and add to the marinade. After all this, you can also add spices to the meat to taste. Mix all the contents of the marinade thoroughly. Pour the ingredients with clean mineral water. The liquid should completely cover the lamb; this will require about 500 milliliters of mineral water. After this, you need to squeeze the citrus juice from the second remaining half of the lemon into the marinade and put the meat in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. If desired, the kebab can be salted about half an hour before cooking. Frying the meat on the grill will take about 20 minutes. It is recommended to serve the dish on a plate with fresh vegetables.
Lamb kebab with pomegranate sauce
Ingredients:
- Mutton
- Seasonings
- Garlic
- Lemon
- Butter or sunflower oil
- Lemon
- Pomegranate juice
- Greenery
For this recipe, the meat needs to be cut into smaller pieces than usual, about 3-4 centimeters. Next, cut the onion into half rings and, lightly sprinkling it with salt, mash it until the juice releases. Having achieved this effect, put the lamb and onions in one bowl. Then mix coriander, red bell pepper, dried basil and thyme - about a teaspoon of each seasoning. If some seasonings are missing, they can be omitted or replaced to taste. Add this mixture to the marinade. Then peel 3 cloves of garlic and press them onto the meat. You can just chop it finely. At the end, you need to add 2 tablespoons of butter or sunflower oil, a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice and about half a glass of pomegranate juice to the meat. Mix everything thoroughly so that each piece of meat is well marinated. Leave the kebab in the refrigerator or any other cool place for 5-7 hours. Since the salt has already entered the meat along with the onions, it is not recommended to add additional salt to the kebab. You need to fry this kebab for no more than 12-15 minutes, otherwise due to its size it will turn out too dry. The dish is served to the table while still hot and, as a rule, decorated with herbs.
Spring is beginning, and soon sunny, fine days will invite us to spend more time outdoors, in a cheerful company. And in this case, what could be better than ruddy, aromatic kebab? We will tell you some excellent marinade recipes for lamb kebab to make it juicy and tasty.
Secrets of vinegar-based marinade
As you know, lamb is a special meat, quite difficult to process. It can be harsh, stringy, and many consider its smell to be specific. Therefore, it is customary to keep lamb in a marinade based on acid-containing products in order to get rid of unpleasant features.
The main secret of marinating lamb is the high acidity of the marinade. Therefore, vinegar is considered the simplest, and at the same time widespread product.
Acetic acid softens tough meat and makes it tender. When preparing the marinade, it is very important to maintain the proportions specified in the recipe, otherwise the meat may turn out sour.
Meat in vinegar marinade
- For half a kilogram of lamb you will need the following products:
- medium-sized bulbs – 2 pcs;
- lemon – 1 piece;
- vinegar – 1-2 tablespoons;
- vegetable oil – 1 tablespoon;
pepper, salt, bay leaf to taste.
- This marinade is very easy to make:
- Pour in lemon juice, oil and vinegar.
- Mix thoroughly, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add bay leaf and leave to marinate.
Please note: it is very important to cut the barbecue meat correctly. Pieces that are too small will take on more marinade than necessary and will be dry and tough after frying. Large pieces will not be completely soaked and may not be cooked completely: they will be browned on the outside and raw on the inside.
If you leave the lamb in the vinegar marinade to infuse at room temperature, the meat will be ready in literally 2-3 hours. But it’s better to prepare in advance and keep the preparation in the refrigerator for about 6 hours, so the meat will be soaked more evenly. Do not forget to stir the pieces of lamb with the marinade every hour.
Lamb shish kebab in kefir
Kefir marinade will help make the meat tender and piquant. It's great if vinegar doesn't seem like the best option for you. For example, for children, shish kebab in such a marinade is the most suitable recipe.
We offer you 3 options for kefir marinade recipes.
For the first recipe you will need:
- lamb – 3 kg;
- kefir – 3 glasses;
- medium-sized bulbs - 3 pieces;
- basil, dill, parsley, mint - to taste.
- Peel the onion and cut it into half rings.
- Finely chop the dill and parsley, and tear the mint and basil with your hands.
- Place everything in a deep bowl, mix evenly and pour in kefir.
- Pour this marinade over the meat and leave for about 3-4 hours.
Lamb marinated in kefir
To prepare the marinade according to the second recipe, take:
- lamb – 3-4 kg;
- kefir – 1 liter;
- vegetable oil - 3 tablespoons;
- bulbs – 4 pcs;
- salt, black pepper - to taste.
- Place the peeled and chopped onion into rings in a bowl, add pepper and salt.
- Stir thoroughly so that the onion releases its juice, and then pour in the oil and kefir.
- Stir again and pour the marinade over the meat.
Third type of marinade:
- lamb 3 kg;
- kefir – 1 liter;
- onion – 500 grams;
- khmeli-suneli seasoning – 1 tablespoon;
- salt and black pepper - to taste.
- Pour kefir over chopped onion, salt, pepper and seasoning and mix thoroughly.
- You need to keep the meat in this marinade for about 3-4 hours.
Kefir and yogurt for a piquant and spicy marinade
The peculiarity of previous recipes with kefir is that salt can be added not to the marinade, but right before you thread the meat onto the skewer. And the following recipe will help you prepare a piquant spicy kebab. Take these products:
- lamb – 1.5 kg (try to take soft, young meat);
- kefir – 500 ml (fat content 3.2%);
- onions – 5-7 pieces;
- powdered sugar – 1.5 teaspoons;
- salt, pepper - to taste.
Cool the lamb, cut it, wash it and place it in a bowl. Start preparing the marinade.
- Finely chop half the onion. If possible, it is better to grate it on a coarse grater. Add onion to meat, pepper and salt.
- Pour kefir into the bowl with lamb. The meat should be well soaked in it, but not drowned. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and mix thoroughly again.
- Chop the remaining onions into rings and place on top of the meat. Cover the dish with a lid and refrigerate for 10 hours.
The next marinade is prepared using yogurt. Spicy, so important for meat, will be given by seasonings. You will need:
- lamb – 1 kg;
- yogurt – 0.5 l;
- marjoram – 3 pcs;
- paprika – 1 tablespoon;
- bulbs – 2 pcs;
- 1 chili pepper;
- 7 cloves of garlic;
- rosemary – 3 pcs.
Meat in yoghurt marinade
- Cut the meat into cubes with sides of at least 3 cm - the most optimal size.
- Finely chop the onion, garlic, rosemary, marjoram and chili pepper (you can use ground pepper).
- Mix thoroughly with meat, pouring yogurt over everything. It is enough for this marinade to brew for about 3 hours at room temperature.
Soy sauce and wine are a great option for meat
Due to its optimal acid content, soy sauce is excellent for marinating meat, especially lamb. This absolutely natural product is obtained by fermenting soybeans, and the monosodium glutamate it contains will relieve lamb of its specific odor. There is no need to add salt to this marinade; there is enough of it in the sauce itself.
For 1 kilogram of meat you will need the following products:
- 100 ml soy sauce;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- juice of half a lemon;
- sugar – 0.5 tsp;
- spices to taste: basil, pepper, tarragon (tarragon) and others.
- Finely chop or grate the garlic, mix it with the sauce, lemon juice and spices until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.
- Pour the resulting marinade over the sliced meat so that it is evenly coated. Leave for 3-4 hours.
Wine contains a large number of different natural acids - malic, succinic, acetic, lactic and citric, in the proportions necessary for the body. Therefore, from time immemorial, wine has been used for marinating meat, especially lamb.
Dry red wine is considered the most suitable because it gives the meat a tart taste.
Wine is very popular as a marinade for meat
- 1 glass of red wine;
- 4-6 medium onions;
- spices and salt - to taste.
- Cut the meat, put it in a bowl, sprinkle with salt and spices and leave to steep for half an hour.
- Cut the onion into rings and add to the meat.
- Pour in the wine so that it does not cover the meat. Otherwise, it is better to drain a small part. Do not mix the onion with the meat, let it remain on top.
- Cover the dish with a lid and place it in the refrigerator. By morning, the kebab will be completely marinated. If you leave it at room temperature, the marinating time will be reduced to 4 hours.
Fruits at your service: lamb in kiwi and orange
Kiwi, due to its natural acid content, is also perfect for marinating meat. Moreover, this fruit will come in handy if your lamb is old and tough: kiwi will make the meat very soft, as if from a young lamb.
Please note: kiwi contains substances that break down animal protein. Do not use too much kiwi to prevent the marinated meat from turning into a pate. The optimal amount is 1 medium-sized fruit per 1 kg of meat.
Cut the lamb, mix it with salt and spices to taste. Grind 2-3 onions in a blender or meat grinder along with peeled and chopped lemon. Mix this mixture with the meat and leave it in the refrigerator overnight.
Try marinating barbecue meat in kiwi
The main ingredient, kiwi, must be added to the marinade no later than 2 hours before frying the kebab. Therefore, when the meat is infused, grind the kiwi pulp using a blender, meat grinder or grater, and mix this puree with the pickled lamb. The shish kebab will be ready for frying just at the moment when the coals of the fire reach the desired condition.
The orange marinade will not only make the meat juicy and soft, but also give it an unusual aroma. This kebab is a little different from the usual one, but it will surely win your love.
Take these products:
- 1 kg lamb;
- 1 liter of orange juice;
- 2/3 cup orange liqueur;
- 1 green chili pepper;
- 100 g coriander seeds;
- 6 oranges;
- Fresh cilantro for garnish.
For this kebab, take young, lean lamb. Cooking will take time and patience.
Shish kebab in orange marinade
- Place the chopped meat in a deep bowl. Rub it with chopped coriander. Pour in liqueur and orange juice.
- Grind the chili pepper and add to the meat. Add peeled and sliced oranges there. Cover the dish with a lid and leave it in the refrigerator for a day. Stir every 3 hours.
- After time has passed, remove the lamb from the marinade. Thread the meat onto skewers alternately with orange slices. Place them on the grill or coals for frying.
- While the kebabs are cooking, prepare the marinade sauce. Place the pan on the heat and simmer until the liquid becomes sticky but not thick. Pour this sauce over the finished kebab and garnish with fresh cilantro.
Shish kebab with mineral water and mayonnaise - the most common options
Mineral water is a very popular base for marinade. It is not only inexpensive, but also quite simple to prepare. All you need for this barbecue is:
- 3 kg of lamb (it is advisable to take meat from the ham);
- 500 ml sparkling mineral water;
- 2 medium sized lemons;
- 2 large tomatoes;
- 2 medium onions;
- 300 g rye bread;
- pepper, salt, spices - to choose from.
- Rinse the lamb thoroughly and cut the meat into small pieces. Be sure to cut across the grain.
- Place the meat in a deep bowl, sprinkle with chopped onion in half rings, and press down a little. Place the tomatoes cut into slices there. Leave it for a while.
- Take another bowl and place the rye bread cut into small pieces into it.
- Cut the lemons into 2 parts and squeeze their juice onto the pieces of bread.
- Fill with sparkling mineral water. Stir and add to the bowl with the meat.
- Season with salt, pepper and spices.
- Stir and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours. This marinade will soften the meat to the desired consistency without disturbing its structure.
Mayonnaise, like mineral water, is very popular as a base for marinade. You will need:
- 2 kg lamb;
- 6 onions;
- 200 g mayonnaise;
- 200 g mustard;
- pepper, salt - to taste.
A mixture of mayonnaise and mustard is an excellent option for a marinade.
- Place the chopped meat in a bowl, add salt, pepper and finely chopped onion. Remember to let the juice flow.
- Mix mustard with mayonnaise, pour into the bowl with the meat, remember again.
- Cover with a lid and leave for 6 hours.
Tip: the taste of the kebab largely depends on the choice of mustard. If you like spicy meat, choose traditional Russian mustard. If you prefer fragrant meat with a mild taste, then sweet mustard - French or Dijon - is suitable.
Spices, herbs and herbs that go well with barbecue
Video about preparing marinade for barbecue
As you can see, there are many options for preparing the marinade, and some of them are quite unusual. Surely you have your own original recipes. Share them with us in the comments. Bon appetit and warm spring days!
Spring and summer are the time to go outdoors, and the best treat for a picnic is barbecue. Experts say that lamb kebab is the most delicious, but only if it is cooked correctly. Lamb is a specific meat and inexperienced cooks do not always make dishes from it. Let's figure out how to properly marinate lamb for barbecue so that the meat is soft, juicy and does not have an unpleasant odor.
Before you start preparing the marinade, you need to choose the right meat. The main secret of odorless cooking is that you need to take meat from young animals under the age of one year. Of course, any seller will praise his product, so it is important to learn how to determine the quality of meat yourself. Before you buy the piece you like, pay attention to the following points:
- Color. This is a very important indicator. The meat of young animals is bright red, and the fat is white, slightly pinkish. Old lamb is dark red with grey-yellow fluffy fat.
- Ribs. A young lamb has thin and flexible ribs; if the intercostal space is narrow, then it is the carcass of an old animal.
- Smell. The meat should not have a strong smell. If you purchase a frozen carcass, it will be difficult to determine the smell. So try “frying” a small piece of frozen meat in the flame of a lighter. If it starts to emit a pungent odor of ammonia, then you should refrain from purchasing it.
What part of meat to use for barbecue
In addition, it is important to know which part to take. Suitable for preparing kebabs:
- loin;
- ribs;
- pulp from the hind leg;
- tenderloin
But a shashlik spatula does not fit well; such meat is more suitable for boiling.
After the meat has been selected, it needs to be cut into medium-sized pieces and marinated. Making the most delicious marinade is not that difficult, but you need to understand that everyone has different tastes. Therefore, we offer you several proven recipes to choose from.
Interesting facts: the word “kebab” came into the Russian language from the Turkic peoples. Literally translated, it means “to skewer, to roast on a spit.”
Classic lamb shish kebab recipe
To begin with, here is a classic shish kebab recipe. The marinade is prepared as simply as possible, the main incident being the onion.
- 3 kg of meat (flesh of the hind leg or kidney part);
- 6-7 large onions;
- salt;
- black ground pepper.
To prepare this dish, only fresh young lamb meat is suitable. You won’t be able to make delicious kebab from old lamb or frozen meat.
The washed meat should be washed and cut into pieces with a taste of 40-45 grams. Pieces that are too large may not be fried, and if you chop the lamb finely, the kebab will turn out dry. When preparing a marinade according to a classic recipe, you cannot use vinegar; the addition of this ingredient “takes away” the natural taste and color of the meat. But if you wish, you can supplement the marinade recipe with a few slices of lemon, although it is not used in the classic recipe.
To prepare the marinade, you need to cut the onion into rings, sprinkle it with salt and pepper and mash it slightly. This is a very important point; it is the onions that are sprinkled with spices, not the meat.
We take glass, ceramic or enamel dishes, lay out onions and meat in thin layers. When all the layers are laid, the mass needs to be compacted a little with your hands, covered with a flat plate and a weight placed on top. The dish with meat must be refrigerated for at least 18 hours, but meat is usually marinated for 24 hours.
Then you will need to string the meat and onions onto skewers and fry over hot coals. Serve the finished meat with fresh herbs, vegetables, adjika and tkemali sauce.
Caucasian lamb shashlik
There are many options for preparing Caucasian-style lamb shish kebab. The meat is marinated in wine vinegar, dry wine, lemon or pomegranate juice. Each region of the Caucasus has its own kebab recipe, so it is extremely difficult to say which one is “correct”. Here is a simple and quick recipe for marinating meat in tkemali sauce.
- 1 kg lamb pulp;
- 200 gr. onions;
- 200 gr. tkemali sauce;
- salt and spices to taste.
Cut the lamb into medium-sized pieces. Chop the onion as finely as possible, you can grate it or grind it in a blender. Mix the onion mass with the meat and tkemali sauce. Add onions and spices. For spices, you can use suneli hops, dry herbs, ground black and red pepper. The meat should be kneaded well with your hands as if kneading dough. It is important that the marinade covers each piece on all sides.
Keep the meat in the marinade (in the cold) for at least 12 hours. Then you need to string the pieces onto skewers and fry the kebabs over hot coals. As a side dish we serve fresh or skewered tomatoes, baked eggplants and always a lot of fresh herbs.
Soft Georgian lamb shish kebab in wine vinegar
Let's prepare lamb shish kebab in Georgian style. In this recipe, the meat needs to be soaked in wine vinegar. Please note that you cannot replace wine vinegar with regular table vinegar; such a replacement will greatly worsen the taste of the meat.
- 1.5 kg lamb pulp;
- 2-3 large onions;
- 3-4 cloves of garlic;
- 150 gr. melted lamb fat;
- 15 gr. flour;
- 0.5 teaspoon ground red pepper;
- ground black pepper, allspice to taste;
- 0.25 cups wine vinegar;
- salt to taste.
We wash the lamb and dry it. Cut into rectangular pieces weighing 40-45 grams. Transfer the meat to glass, enamel or ceramic dishes. Peel the onion and garlic. Cut the onion into thin half rings, the garlic into thin slices, mix the vegetables with the meat.
Read also: Shish kebab in a jar in the oven – 8 recipes
Add spices to taste (do not add salt yet), pour vinegar over the meat and mix well. Leave the meat to marinate for 4-6 hours (you can leave it overnight). Take out the meat, add salt, mix and leave for another half an hour. Then thread the meat onto skewers and lightly dust the meat with flour. Fry the kebabs over hot coals, periodically pouring melted fat over the meat.
Armenian lamb shish kebab with tomatoes and onions
Armenian lamb shish kebab turns out very tasty and juicy; the meat is cooked with tomatoes and onions.
- 1 kilogram of lamb pulp;
- 4 onions;
- 4 tomatoes;
- 4 pods of bell pepper;
- 2 eggplants;
- 120 gr. fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley and green onions);
- 2 tablespoons of wine vinegar;
- 1 teaspoon dry basil;
- 1 teaspoon stewed thyme;
- salt and ground black pepper to taste.
We thoroughly wash the meat and dry it. Cut into cubes with a side of about 6 cm. Peel the onion, cut into thick rings, mix it with the meat. Add spices, salt, wine vinegar. Mix everything well and leave in the refrigerator for several hours. The minimum marinating time is 4 hours, but it is better to leave the lamb overnight.
We prepare the vegetables, wash and cut them, sprinkle with spices and salt. You can sprinkle with vegetable oil and vinegar. Thread the lamb onto skewers mixed with pieces of vegetables and onions. Fry over hot coals. Serve the shish kebab with hot sauces and fresh herbs.
Azerbaijani lamb shashlik
To prepare Azerbaijani-style lamb kebab, you will need fresh pomegranate juice. How to squeeze juice from pomegranate? There are two simple methods. In the first case, the fruit is cut in half and a regular citrus juicer is used. If you don’t have such a juicer, you can do the job manually. It is necessary to remove the seeds from the pomegranate, place them in a thick plastic bag and roll them with force several times with a rolling pin. Then you need to cut off a corner of the bag and drain the juice through a strainer.
To prepare shish kebab you need:
- 2 kg of lamb (pulp);
- 4 onions;
- 1 lemon;
- 2-3 glasses of pomegranate juice;
- pepper and salt to taste.
We wash the lamb pulp, dry it with a napkin and cut it into medium-sized pieces. Cut the onion into rings 0.5 cm thick. Mix the meat with onion, pepper, salt, and knead well with your hands. We try to rub the spices into the meat and mash the onion so that the juice is released.
Next you need to squeeze out the juice from the lemon and pomegranate. Pour fruit juices into the meat so that the liquid completely covers the products. Mix the ingredients and place in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours. Place the marinated meat on skewers, alternating with onion rings. Fry over coals.
Uzbek lamb shashlik with vinegar and onions
Lamb shish kebab can be prepared in Uzbek style; the marinade is prepared with vinegar and onions; the use of spices is mandatory. The meat is strung on skewers mixed with pieces of lamb fat.
- 600 gr. lamb;
- 50 gr. interior lard;
- 80 gr. parsley and dill;
- 200 gr. onions;
- 50 ml apple cider vinegar;
- 30 gr. wheat flour;
- spices (cumin, anise, ground red pepper), salt to taste.
Wash the meat and cut into medium-sized pieces. Place the meat in a bowl for marinating. Add the onion, chopped into large rings, mix, slightly kneading the meat and onion.
Boil vinegar, adding salt, pepper and other spices. Cool this mixture and pour it into the meat. Mix well, cover with a plate and place a weight on top. We leave the lamb in the cold to marinate for at least 4 hours, but you can marinate longer - 10-12 hours.
Cut the lamb fat into small pieces. Thread the meat onto skewers, insert a piece of lard and an onion ring every 2 pieces. Dust the prepared kebabs with flour and fry them on the grill. Serve the kebab with fresh herbs.
Tashkent lamb shish kebab “Uch panja kebob”
You can prepare the Tashkent version of lamb shish kebab, which is called “Uch panja kebob” or translated into Russian as “Three fingers”. The dish received this name due to the fact that the products are strung on three skewers at once.
- 1-1.2 kg of lamb;
- 300-400 gr. fat tail fat;
- 300 gr. onions;
- 5 gr. coriander and cumin;
- 100 ml sparkling water;
- black pepper, salt.
We clean the meat well, cutting off all the films and veins. Cut into rectangular pieces across the grain along the entire length of the piece. The result is elongated pieces of different lengths. Place in a thick plastic bag in one layer and lightly beat. Then transfer to a bowl for marinating.
Grind spices and salt in a mortar or grind in a coffee grinder. Chop the onion into half rings. Sprinkle the onion with the prepared spices and rub with your hands to release the juice. Transfer the onion mixture with the meat and knead everything well with your hands. Then pour in sparkling water and leave to marinate for at least 4 hours, it is better to leave in the refrigerator overnight.
Cut the fat of the tail into rectangular pieces, which are twice as thin and shorter than the meat. Place pieces of meat on the board, alternating them with pieces of fat in the shape of a trapezoid. We put the longest piece first, then the shorter ones, and between the pieces of meat we put the fat tail. In total you should get 5 pieces of lamb and 4 pieces of fat. We thread the first skewer so that it goes through the center of our “trapezoid”, and the other two - along the edges, they need to be placed at an angle.
The result is a fan-shaped structure of skewers. Fry over coals, turning often.
Original shish kebab in Altai style
Altai-style lamb shish kebab is prepared in an original way. It is necessary to marinate the meat in a cedar barrel; thanks to the use of this utensil, the taste of the meat is unusual. The shish kebab is fried not on skewers, but on a barbecue grill, and the pieces of meat need to be wrapped in foil.
- 2-3 kg lamb tenderloin;
- 5-6 onions;
- 1 bunch of greens (cilantro, parsley);
- 1 handful of currant leaves (preferably wild, but garden ones can also be used);
- a few pinches of dry thyme;
- ground hot red pepper and salt to taste.
First of all, you need to steam the currant leaves. Place the currant leaves, washed in cold water, in a cedar barrel and fill with a liter of boiling water. Cover the barrel with a terry towel folded in several layers and leave until the water has cooled completely.
Cut the meat into large pieces across the grain (about 2-3 pieces per serving). Chop the onion into not too thin half rings. Chop the greens.
Read also: Shish kebab in the oven on an onion bed - 5 recipes
In the cooled infusion of currant leaves, put a layer of onion, sprinkle with a good pinch of salt, pepper, lay out the pieces of meat in one layer, sprinkle with chopped herbs on top and add a pinch of thyme. We continue to lay out layers - onions, salt, pepper, pieces of meat, herbs and thyme.
We put it out until all the products are gone. We make the top layer from onions. We place a wooden cedar circle on top of the food and place a weight on top, for example, a 2-liter jar of water. We keep the meat in this marinade for a day. During this time, you will need to mix all the ingredients 3-4 times.
To cook meat, you need to prepare foil and a barbecue grill. Place 1 piece of meat with a small amount of onion on a piece of foil, wrap it well so that the juice does not leak out. Place these pieces on the grill. Cover the grill with a lid and secure it. Fry over hot coals, turning occasionally, for 30-40 minutes. Serve the cooked meat with fresh vegetables.
Turkish lamb kebab
Turkish lamb kebab is prepared using a different technology.
- 2 kg boneless lamb;
- 1 large onion;
- 3 cloves of garlic;
- 1 tomato;
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste;
- 1 tablespoon hyssop;
- 1 tablespoon of cumin;
- ground black pepper and salt to taste.
We thoroughly wash the meat, cut off all the films and cut into small (30-35 g) pieces. Cut the onion into not too thin half rings and mix it with the onion. Add the tomato cut into thin slices.
Grind the spices thoroughly; you can grind them in a coffee grinder or grind them in a mortar. Pour spices into the meat and onions, add tomato paste. Mix well and knead the meat with your hands. Leave in a warm place for 1.5 hours. After this you can fry. If it is not possible to fry the meat immediately, then after 1.5 hours you need to put it in the refrigerator.
Turkish kebab can be cooked on the grill, as usual, or in the oven. In the latter case, we string the meat onto wooden skewers and place it on a wire rack, under which we do not forget to place a baking sheet so that the meat juice does not stain the bottom of the oven. Cook for 10 minutes at 220 degrees, then turn over and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes.
Advice! To prevent wooden skewers from charring in the oven, they need to be soaked in cold water for half an hour before threading the meat.
Abkhazian lamb shish kebab in pomegranate juice
To prepare Abkhazian kebab, you will need to marinate the meat in pomegranate juice.
- 1 kg lamb pulp;
- 5 onions;
- 5 red fleshy tomatoes;
- 2 pods of bell pepper (preferably different colors);
- 1 glass of pomegranate juice;
- 0.25 cups wine vinegar;
- salt and spices to taste; it is recommended to use ground red and black pepper, cumin, coriander, dry basil and thyme.
To make the kebab delicious, you must use the recommended set of spices. They need to be prepared in advance. Combine all the dry spices and grind them in a mortar or grind them in a meat grinder until you get a powder.
Wash and peel the vegetables. Cut two onions into rings approximately 0.5 cm wide, and chop the remaining onions thinly. We wash the lamb, protect it from films and cut it into medium-sized pieces. Mix with thinly sliced onion, sprinkle with salt and mash well so that the onion releases its juice.
Place the onion rings in the marinating dish in layers, first, then the meat in a low layer and spices. Repeat layers until you run out of layers. The top layer should be made of onion rings. Pour pomegranate juice and wine vinegar over the meat. Leave to marinate for 8-10 hours. During the marinating process, you need to stir the meat well a couple of times. You need to not just mix, but sort of squeeze out the meat, squeezing the pieces in your fist. Thanks to this technique, the meat will be saturated with the marinade, and the kebab will be juicy.
Wash and chop the vegetables. Thread pieces of meat, onion rings, tomato slices and pepper slices onto a skewer. Fry the kebabs over hot coals.
Marinade for lamb shish kebab on mineral water with rye bread
To prepare shish kebab in mineral water, it is recommended to use the pulp from the hind leg of a young lamb.
- 2 kg lamb;
- 2 onions;
- 2 tomatoes;
- 1 liter of sparkling water;
- One third of a loaf of black rye bread;
- 1 kg lamb pulp;
- 250 gr. onions;
- 200 gr. kiwi;
- pepper and salt to taste.
- 2 kg lamb;
- 1.5 liters of kefir;
- 0.5 cups vegetable oil;
- 0.5 cups lemon juice;
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest;
- 2 teaspoons salt;
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper;
- 1 bunch of cilantro;
- 4 cloves of garlic.
Cut the meat into medium-sized pieces. Cut the onion into rings (not too thin), tomatoes into small cubes. Mix all the products, sprinkle with salt and mash the products a little so that the vegetables release their juice.
Cut the crusts off the bread and cut into small cubes. Pour the juice squeezed from half a lemon and sparkling water over the bread. Let the bread soak, and then knead it into a paste with your hand. Pour the prepared liquid into a container with meat and vegetables. Mix and keep in the cold for 10-12 hours. Fry by stringing pieces of meat mixed with onion rings onto skewers.
Delicious marinade for lamb with kiwi
Lamb marinated with kiwi turns out delicious. Tropical fruits contain a large amount of fruit acids, which soften the meat well and give the kebab a subtle aroma.
We wash the meat and cut it into pieces weighing approximately 30 grams. Peel the onion and chop it into half rings. We wash the kiwi well and cut it into small cubes without peeling it.
Mix meat with onions and chopped fruits, add salt and pepper. If desired, you can use other spices to suit your taste. For example, you can add sweet paprika, dry basil, thyme.
Mix the meat with the rest of the ingredients very well. You need to not just stir, but grind the products so that the onions and kiwis release as much juice as possible. Refrigerate the meat with the marinade for 18-24 hours. You can then thread them onto skewers and grill them over hot coals.
Juicy lamb shish kebab marinated in kefir
Those who do not like the specific smell emanating from lamb are recommended to marinate the kebab from this meat in kefir. This fermented milk product perfectly captures the aroma.
We wash and clean the lamb pulp, removing films and excess fat. There is no need to cut off all the fat; small veins must be left so that the kebab turns out soft and not dry.