How to cook the right barbecue: five important points. Meat for barbecue
Meat
Secrets of cooking meat for barbecue
Meat is usually the main dish cooked on the grill, and picnics are often arranged with the main purpose of eating kebabs. To make your kebab perfect, you need to choose the right meat for it, cut it, marinate and cook it correctly.
1:968 1:978If you are not a professional in cooking kebabs, our tips will help you not to be disappointed.
1:1171 1:1181How to choose meat for barbecue?
1:1250Traditional shish kebab is made from pork or lamb, but some barbecue lovers do not always know how to choose it correctly. After all, it’s so insulting if the barbecue turns out to be tough, fatty or sinewy, although it would seem that the meat looked quite decent!
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- Do not buy frozen meat in the store, because there is a big risk that you will not get what you need. Moreover, fresh meat is much tastier. If you have a good piece of frozen meat in your freezer, you can slowly thaw it, marinate it, and cook it, as long as it hasn't been frozen several times.
1:599 1:609- Before buying, inspect the meat well and make sure it has not been thawed: there are no traces of snow on it, no bloody smudges, and no puddle of water forms under it.
1:900 1:910- The color of the meat should be light and in no case dark red, this may be a sign that the meat is old and tough. Bright red meat may indicate the use of dye. Also, the meat should be glossy, not matte.
1:1334 1:1344- Smell the meat, its smell should be completely neutral and not sharp. If you experience discomfort, immediately refuse to buy, probably the meat is not very fresh.
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- For pork skewers, choose the neck area. Ask the seller to give you this particular part. Unfortunately, if your eyes are not trained, you cannot always distinguish the neck from some other parts of the carcass, so rely on the honesty of the seller or contact only a trusted butcher.
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- There are usually streaks and fat strips in the pork neck - this is the very thing! However, they must be thin. Do not take meat without layers of fat at all - there is a risk that the kebab will turn out dry. The secret is that a thin layer of fat melts during cooking.
3:503 3:513- The meat should be elastic and not stick to your hands, when pressed, a hole should not form.
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- With chicken meat, there are usually no problems with choice, however, make sure the chicken is fresh and not defrosted. By the way, it is very easy to determine the freshness of chicken meat by smell: fresh chicken should not smell of anything at all, and the one that has been in the refrigerator for several days or has just been thawed acquires a smell that intensifies over time.
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What meat is best for barbecue?
5:593Which meat to choose for barbecue depends on your preferences and wallet. Pork, lamb and veal are usually not the cheapest options, but chicken is cheaper and just as tasty when cooked right.
5:1014 5:1024The meat, of course, must be fresh, but not in pairs, as it is known that he should lie down for some time under the right conditions. Remember that fresh meat is usually much tougher than aged meat.
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The most traditional meat for barbecue is pork. If you are not on a diet, and your religious beliefs allow you to eat pork, then why not choose this meat? Young pork is very tender, and the right cut will be lean, but not dry.
6:512 6:522What's more, pork meat is delicious even when it's cold. The neck area or tenderloin should be chosen, these areas of the pig carcass do not move much during the life of the animal, so they are more tender and tasty. A good pork neck for barbecue looks like this:
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Lamb is an expensive and very specific meat, which is not always tasty, and sometimes may have an unpleasant specific smell that not everyone can tolerate.
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If you are convinced that you got the right piece of a young animal, then you can safely cook it. This meat is not particularly tasty when it is cold, so it should be eaten immediately after cooking. Usually they take the hind leg, ribs or loin of a young lamb.
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Beef. For kebabs, it is best to use calf meat, since the meat of an adult cow is quite tough and can ruin your entire table.
8:1282 8:1292Veal- dietary meat, so it is ideal for those who are afraid to get better and follow the figure. The best pieces for shish kebab are usually considered loin and tenderloin.
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Chicken. Usually, for cooking chicken barbecue, its fatty parts are used: chicken legs, drumsticks, thighs, wings. You can use the brisket, but it is not very fatty, so it can turn out dry. To prevent this from happening, pieces of meat are wrapped in thin bacon, strung on skewers and thus fried. The same applies to turkey meat.
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Delicious kebabs are made from quail meat. These little birds taste a bit like chicken, but they have their own special and unique taste. To prepare quail skewers, they can be put on skewers, fried whole on grills, stuffed with dried apricots, rice and raisins, or cut carcasses on one side and flatten them on grills. It should be remembered that tender poultry meat cooks very quickly, so it is important not to overcook it!
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Rabbit meat. Rabbit meat is highly valued and not always easy to get, but if you manage to do it, try to make a barbecue out of it, you won't regret it. First of all, rabbit meat is valued for its delicate taste and dietary properties of meat. Portion pieces are marinated like any other meat, with spices and onions, then grilled. You can put pieces on skewers, or you can fry the whole carcass.
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How much meat for a barbecue?
12:582Many who want to cook barbecue in nature, especially if they rarely do it, are wondering how much meat should be taken so that everyone has enough. Of course, it is better to take a little more meat and be calm that no one will go hungry.
12:1048 12:1058On average, they take 300 grams of raw meat per person, but this is only if you have many other different snacks and side dishes, including mushrooms and potatoes. If, in addition to meat, there are only light vegetables, then it is better to take more of it - 500 grams per person.
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These are average figures when there are women, children in the company, but if it is a purely male company, which also takes a lot of alcohol with it, the amount of meat is likely to increase, since alcohol usually requires more food.
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How to cut meat for barbecue?
13:1046Pork, lamb or veal meat should be cut into medium pieces, the size of which can be determined by placing a piece completely in the palm of your hand. On average, each piece should be 5 by 5 centimeters.
13:1398When you put the meat on the skewers, make sure it doesn't fall off. If a piece is too big, it won't fit in the palm of your hand. Moreover, large pieces will not bake well, and too small ones will be dry.
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Chicken is often bought already butchered- separately legs, wings, white meat. If you are making white meat skewers, they should be cut into square pieces about 4 by 4 centimeters in size.
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One of the options for cutting chicken. The red strings show the incision sites.
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The rabbit can be cut into portions as follows:
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And you can bake on the grill as a whole:
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Quails do not need to be cut, but can be cut along the breast and flattened with the back up:
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If you have several pieces of meat, from which, in your opinion, not the best barbecue will come out - it does not matter. You can use them to make kebab skewers, also known as lula kebabs.
19:1096This oriental dish is cooked on the grill. The meat for it must be passed through a meat grinder, and then minced meat, as for cutlets (with the exception of eggs and bread).
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Thread the minced meat onto a skewer about 5 centimeters in diameter, and then fry over the coals, like a regular kebab.
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How to marinate meat for barbecue? barbecue marinade recipes
21:854There are a lot of barbecue recipes, it all depends on individual preferences. Often they use those seasonings that are at hand, but thyme, bay leaf, rosemary go best with barbecue. All recipes include onions.
21:1347 21:1357There are several classic methods for marinating pork for barbecue:
21:1489 21:1499- In kefir: this method is ideal for kebabs that need to be marinated quickly before cooking. For 1.5-2 kg of meat, about 0.5 liters of ordinary kefir is used. Kefir quickly softens the meat and penetrates into it, so if you leave the meat in this marinade for too long (for example, overnight), it will become sour. Marinate the meat in kefir for no more than 4 hours. By the way, for a quick marinade, it is better to grate the onion rather than cut it into rings.
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Recipe:
22:1320Cut 1.5 kg of pork neck into medium pieces, pour 500 ml of kefir, add 1 teaspoon of sugar, 5 medium onions cut into thick rings, salt, chili pepper (to taste), 2 tablespoons of curry seasoning. Mix everything, leave to marinate for 2-4 hours, preferably in a cool place, but not in the refrigerator.
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- In vinegar: some kebab lovers have long abandoned this method of marinade, believing that vinegar spoils the taste of the kebab. Vinegar, however, imparts a distinctive flavor to meat when added in moderation along with seasonings. In vinegar, you can marinate kebabs all night.
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Recipe:
24:20Pepper and salt the washed and dried pieces of meat, put in a bowl. Between the layers of meat place chopped onion rings, chopped parsley, cilantro. Pour the layers evenly during laying with vinegar diluted in water in a ratio of 1 to 1. The meat should not float in the water. Leave to marinate for 10-12 hours.
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- In mayonnaise: this is one of the most popular marinade methods. Marinated meat in mayonnaise can lie for about a day, while its taste will become even more saturated.
25:1429 25:1439Recipe:
25:1458For 1 kg of pork, take 200 grams of your favorite mayonnaise, preferably with a pronounced taste. Add a few tablespoons of spices for kebabs, 3 onions, chopped into rings, a couple of tablespoons of mustard, salt, pepper to taste. Mix everything thoroughly and leave to marinate overnight.
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- In beer: Beer will also help you marinate the kebab quickly - in 3-4 hours, giving it a peculiar beer flavor. For beer lovers, that's it.
26:790 26:800Recipe:
26:819Take 1.5 kg of meat, divided into pieces, pour a bottle of light beer (0.5 ml), mix with onion rings (3 heads), crushed garlic (7 cloves), 3 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of dry rosemary, 1 teaspoon peppercorns, 1/3 cup olive oil, salt. During frying, you need to water the meat with this liquid marinade.
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- In wine: Sometimes shashlik is marinated in dry red wine. The meat acquires from this a peculiar wine taste and a dark burgundy color. Not everyone likes this marinade, so if you are making it for the first time, it is better to first make a small batch to try. You can use white wine instead of red.
27:562 27:572Recipe:
27:591For 2 kg of barbecue, take 0.5 ml of dry red wine, 5 onions, a teaspoon of sage, thyme, parsley, 1 grated apple. Mix everything and leave to marinate overnight (10-12 hours).
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How to cook the right meat for barbecue?
28:1543After you have poured the marinade over the meat, cover the pan with a lid and put something heavy on top. This will allow the meat to be pressed down, it will better absorb the marinade. If the meat is marinated overnight, it is better to place it in the refrigerator. No need to refrigerate for a quick marinade. Before frying, it is better to stir the meat.
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- For grilling, it is recommended to take ready-made coals for the grill(but not coal) or firewood from trees such as birch, aspen, oak and other deciduous trees. Coniferous firewood contains a lot of fragrant essential oils and resins that can spoil the taste of the dish.
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- Place pieces of meat on skewers not too close to each other, but not too far, you can put onion rings or chopped vegetables between the pieces.
30:834To prevent the meat from burning too much, brush the pieces with vegetable oil before putting it on the grill.
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- When cooking barbecue, you can not move away from it! This is an important rule that is often overlooked. It is necessary to constantly monitor that the tongues of the escaping flame do not set the meat on fire, otherwise it will burn on top, and remain raw inside. To do this, there should be a container with water or some kind of drink (you can use wine or beer) or a liquid marinade that will allow you to extinguish the flame. Coals should smolder, not burn.
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- You can check the readiness of the barbecue with a knife. The finished meat will not have blood inside. However, barbecue with blood also has the right to exist, there are lovers of half-baked meat.
32:1633Before serving, you should not immediately cut the meat from the skewers and cut it, wait 5 minutes after removing it from the heat, covering the kebab with a bag. Then the meat will be more juicy.
32:298 32:308Shashlik. Marinade option for meat on skewers.
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When is barbecue season- discussion and testing of various barbecue marinades begins.
33:1137There are probably as many options for marinades for meat as there are people. I post mine, it doesn’t shine with novelty, but this option is the most “sufficient”, for my taste. Moreover, barbecue, I'm not afraid of this word - everywhere - we love and respect. And when the barbecue season opens *ht*tp://your*meal.ru in the spring, the forests are simply covered with smoke from barbecues.
33:1788 33:9For barbecue you will need:
33:60- A piece of pork neck weighing 2.71 kg (judging by the price tag).
- 3 medium onions
- Balsamic vinegar (~ 40g.) (what was. It is replaced with wine. I use the usual one only for canning).
- Garlic, several cloves
- Ground paprika (1 tablespoon)
- Abkhaz adjika Amtsa (slightly more than a third of a small teaspoon)
- Salt.
We make a marinade for barbecue and prepare the meat.
33:728 33:738Press the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife and finely chop
Cut the onion (I cut it in thick half rings)
We put all this stuff in a container (glass or enameled) and, sprinkled a little with salt, press with our hands so that the onion gives juice.
33:1152 33:1162We take a little adjika, I would like to say a special word about it. For me, the most delicious adjika you can buy. Very spicy, moderately salty and very fragrant, moreover, it is the “right” aroma. Produced in Abkhazia. It is good to use not only for spiciness, but also as a mixture of spices - really very fragrant. Over time, the aroma is practically not lost, if only the jar was covered with a lid. It is stored in the refrigerator and for a very long time (until one jar in the open state (just with a twisted lid) lives for more than 2 years).
33:2153We take 40 grams of your favorite vinegar and stir adjika in it. I take so little adjika, because I don’t want the meat to be spicy from the beginning. You only need the smell of spices, not sharpness.
33:321 33:331Then pour the whole mixture into a container with onions and garlic and sprinkle with paprika (about one tablespoon). Why paprika is still not clear to me, because it doesn’t give much color or taste, but once I made such a marinade, I liked it, so I don’t deviate from that recipe.
33:839You can also add a little odorless vegetable oil, for this amount about 2-3 tablespoons. Mix again and crush with your hands, but without fanaticism.
33:1132 33:1142 33:1306Next, mix all this stuff together with onions and garlic, cover with a lid and put in the refrigerator. I marinate from 3 hours to a day and a half. Since there is almost no salt (not counting the one that was added to the onion for juice), there are almost no liquids either, the meat does not give juice and is not soaked in the marinade. From time to time I just take out the pan, vigorously mix the whole thing and put it back in the refrigerator.
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At the onset of "Time H" we take out the skewers, string the meat, salt a little and immediately on the grill.
33:191We fry the kebab on "gray" coals until cooked. We follow the process, do not forget to turn the skewers, but not very often. When an open fire appears, it is best to pour diluted wine over the coals. The main thing in cooking barbecue is not to overcook, not to overcook, so that the meat is juicy, and even more so, not to burn the barbecue.
33:798 33:808For other types of meat, the marinade may also be different. For example, lamb skewers require one marinade method, and chicken skewers require a different marinade.
33:1108For asado - beef skewers - marinade is not required at all.
33:1233Meat is usually grilled main course, and picnics are often arranged with the main goal - to eat barbecue. To make your kebab perfect, you need to choose the right meat for it, cut it, marinate and cook it correctly.
If you not a professional barbecue, our advice will help you not to be disappointed.
How to choose meat for barbecue?
The traditional barbecue is made from pork or lamb, but some barbecue lovers do not always know how to choose it correctly. After all, it’s so insulting if the barbecue turns out to be tough, greasy or sinewy, although, it would seem, the meat looked pretty good.!
Do not buy frozen meat in the store, as there is a big risk that you will not get what you need. Moreover, fresh meat is much tastier. If you have a good piece of frozen meat in your freezer, you can slowly thaw it, marinate it, and cook it, as long as it hasn't been frozen several times.
Before buying, inspect the meat well and make sure that it has not been thawed: it no traces of snow, bloody smudges, and there is no puddle of water underneath.
The color of the meat should be light and in no case dark red, this may be a sign that the meat is old and tough. Bright red meat may indicate the use of dye. Also, the meat should be glossy, not matte.
Smell the meat, its smell should be completely neutral and not harsh. If you experience discomfort, stop buying immediately probably the meat is not very fresh.
For pork skewers choose neck area. Ask the seller to give you this particular part. Unfortunately, if your eyes are not trained, you cannot always distinguish the neck from some other parts of the carcass, so rely on the honesty of the seller or contact only to a trusted butcher.
In the pig neck are usually present veins and fat streaks- this is the most it! However, they must be thin. Do not take meat without layers of fat at all - there is a risk that the kebab will turn out dry. The secret is that a thin layer of fat melts during cooking.
The meat must be elastic and not sticky to hands, when pressed, a hole should not form.
WITH chicken meat there are usually no problems with the choice, however, you should make sure that the chicken is fresh and not thawed. By the way, it is very easy to determine the freshness of chicken meat by smell: fresh chicken should not smell like anything at all, and one that has been in the refrigerator for several days or has just been thawed, acquires a smell, which increases over time.
What meat is best for barbecue?
What kind of meat to choose for barbecue, depends on your preferences and wallet. Pork, lamb and veal are usually not the cheapest options, but chicken is cheaper and just as tasty when cooked right.
Meat, of course, should be fresh but not steamy, because it is known that he should lie down for some time under the right conditions. Remember that fresh meat is usually much tougher than aged meat.
The most traditional meat for barbecue is pork. If you are not on a diet, and your religious beliefs allow you to eat pork, then why not choose this meat? Young pork is very tender, and the right piece will non greasy but not dry.
What's more, pork meat is delicious even when it's cold. You should choose neck area or tenderloin, these areas of the pig carcass do not move much during the life of the animal, so they are more tender and tasty. A good pork neck for barbecue looks like this:
Mutton- expensive and very specific meat, which is not always tasty, and sometimes can have unpleasant specific odor which not everyone can bear.
If you are convinced that you have the right piece of a young animal, then you can safely cook it. This meat is not particularly tasty when it is cold, so it should be eaten immediately after cooking. Usually take back leg, ribs or loin young lamb.
Beef. Best for barbecues calf meat, since the meat of an adult cow is quite tough and can ruin your entire table. Veal- dietary meat, so it is ideal for those who are afraid to get better and follow their figure. The best pieces for barbecue are usually considered loin and tenderloin.
Chicken. Usually, for cooking chicken barbecue, its fatty parts are used: legs, drumsticks, thighs, wings. Can also be used brisket, however, it is not very oily, so it can turn out dry. To prevent this from happening, pieces of meat are wrapped in thin bacon, strung on skewers and thus fried. The same applies to turkey meat.
Delicious kebabs are made from quail meat. These little birds taste a bit like chicken, but they have their own special and unique taste. To prepare quail skewers, they can be put on skewers, fried whole on grills, stuffed with dried apricots, rice and raisins, or cut carcasses on one side and flatten them on grills. It should be remembered that tender poultry meat is cooked very quickly, so it is important not to overdo it!
rabbit meat. Rabbit meat is highly valued and not always easy to get, but if you manage to do it, try to make a barbecue out of it, you won't regret it. First of all, rabbit meat is valued for delicate taste and dietary properties of meat. Portion pieces are marinated like any other meat, with spices and onions, then grilled. You can put pieces on skewers, or you can fry the whole carcass.
How much meat for a barbecue?
Many who want to cook barbecue in nature, especially if they rarely do it, are wondering, how much meat should be taken so that everyone has enough. Of course, it is better to take a little more meat and be calm that no one will go hungry.
Take on average 300 grams of raw meat per person, but this is only if you have many other different snacks and side dishes, including mushrooms and potatoes. If, in addition to meat, there are only light vegetables, then it is better to take more of it - 500 grams per person.
These are average indicators when there are women and children in the company, but if it is a purely male company, which also takes a lot of alcohol with it, the amount of meat is likely to increase, since alcohol usually requires more food.
How to cut meat for barbecue?
Pork, lamb or veal meat should be cut into medium pieces, the size of which can be determined by placing a piece completely in the palm of your hand. On average, each piece should be 5 by 5 centimeters.
When you put the meat on the skewers, make sure that it won't fall off. If a piece is too big, it won't fit in the palm of your hand. Moreover, large pieces will not bake well, and too small ones will be dry.
Chicken is often bought already cut - separately legs, wings, white meat. If you are making white meat skewers, cut them into square pieces about 4 by 4 centimeters.
One of the options for cutting chicken. The red strings show cut places.
The rabbit can be cut as follows portion pieces:
And you can bake on the grill whole:
Quails do not need to be cut, but can be cut along the breast and spread back up:
If you have several pieces of meat, from which, in your opinion, not the best barbecue will come out, it does not matter. You can use them for cooking kebab skewers, which is also called lula kebab.
This oriental dish is cooked on the grill. He needs meat pass through a meat grinder, and then make minced meat, as for cutlets (with the exception of eggs and bread).
Thread the minced meat onto a skewer with a diameter of about 5 centimeters, and then roast over the coals like a regular barbecue.
How to marinate meat for barbecue? barbecue marinade recipes
There are a lot of barbecue recipes, it all depends on individual preferences. Often they use those seasonings that are at hand, but go best with barbecue thyme, bay leaf, rosemary. All recipes include onion. There are several classic methods for marinating pork for barbecue:
- In kefir: This method is ideal for kebabs that need to be marinated quickly before cooking. For 1.5-2 kg of meat, about 0.5 liters of ordinary kefir is used. Kefir quickly softens the meat and penetrates into it, so if you leave the meat in this marinade for too long (for example, overnight), it will become sour. Marinate the meat in kefir for no more than 4 hours. By the way, for a quick marinade onion is better to grate, rather than cut into rings.
Recipe:
Cut 1.5 kg of pork neck into medium pieces, pour 500 ml of kefir, add 1 teaspoon of sugar, 5 medium onions cut into thick rings, salt, chili pepper (to taste), 2 tablespoons of curry seasoning. Mix everything, leave to marinate for 2-4 hours, preferably in a cool place, but not in the refrigerator.
- in vinegar: Some kebab lovers have long abandoned this method of marinade, believing that vinegar spoils the taste of the kebab. Vinegar, however, imparts a distinctive flavor to meat when added in moderation along with seasonings. In vinegar, you can marinate kebabs all night.
Recipe:
Pepper and salt the washed and dried pieces of meat, put in a bowl. Between the layers of meat place chopped onion rings, chopped parsley, cilantro. Pour the layers evenly during laying with vinegar diluted in water in a ratio of 1 to 1. The meat should not float in the water. Leave to marinate for 10-12 hours.
- in mayonnaise A: This is one of the most popular marinade methods. Marinated meat in mayonnaise can lie for about a day, while its taste will become even more saturated.
Recipe:
For 1 kg of pork, take 200 grams of your favorite mayonnaise, preferably with a pronounced taste. Add a few tablespoons of spices for kebabs, 3 onions, chopped into rings, a couple of tablespoons of mustard, salt, pepper to taste. Mix everything thoroughly and leave to marinate overnight.
- in beer: Beer will also help you marinate the kebab quickly - in 3-4 hours, giving it a peculiar beer flavor. For beer lovers, that's it.
Recipe:
Take 1.5 kg of meat, divided into pieces, pour a bottle of light beer (0.5 ml), mix with onion rings (3 heads), crushed garlic (7 cloves), 3 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of dry rosemary, 1 teaspoon peppercorns, 1/3 cup olive oil, salt. During frying, you need to water the meat with this liquid marinade.
- in wine: Sometimes barbecue is marinated in dry red wine. The meat acquires from this a peculiar wine taste and a dark burgundy color. Not everyone likes this marinade, so if you are making it for the first time, it is better to first make a small batch to try. You can use white wine instead of red.
Recipe:
For 2 kg of barbecue, take 0.5 ml of dry red wine, 5 onions, a teaspoon of sage, thyme, parsley, 1 grated apple. Mix everything and leave to marinate overnight (10-12 hours).
How to cook the right meat for barbecue?
After you have poured the marinade over the meat, cover the pan with a lid and put something heavy on top. This will allow the meat to be pressed down, it will better absorb the marinade. If the meat is marinated overnight, it is better to place it in the refrigerator. No need to refrigerate for a quick marinade. Before frying, it is better to stir the meat.
For grilling it is recommended to take grilled coals(but not hard coal) or firewood trees like birch, aspen, oak and other deciduous trees. Coniferous firewood contains a lot of fragrant essential oils and resins that can spoil the taste of the dish.
Putting pieces of meat on skewers should not be too close to each other, but not too far, between the pieces you can place onion rings or chopped vegetables.
To prevent the meat from burning too much, brush the pieces before putting it on the grill. vegetable oil.
When preparing barbecue can't get away from it! This is an important rule that is often overlooked. It is necessary to constantly monitor that the tongues of the escaping flame do not set the meat on fire, otherwise it will burn on top, and remain raw inside. To do this, you must be ready a container of water or some kind of drink(can be wine or beer) or liquid marinade, which will extinguish the flame. Coals should smolder, not burn.
You can check the readiness of the barbecue with a knife. The finished meat will not have blood inside. However, barbecue with blood also has the right to exist, there are lovers of undercooked meat.
Before serving, do not immediately cut the meat from the skewers and cut it, wait 5 minutes after removing it from the heat, covering the barbecue. Then the meat will be more juicy.
You need to start preparing for a barbecue at least a day in advance. You have to distribute the purchases - after all, you are probably not the only one who will buy meat and alcohol, cut the purchased meat and marinate it. Lean pork, beef tenderloin (however, kebab can turn out harsh from it), as well as fish, turkey, vegetables and such a “banal” product as sausages are ideal for barbecue. Many people buy meat for barbecue in supermarkets on their way to the country, but in this case it does not hurt to check what exactly they put in the package for you - sometimes the meat in the window and in your package can differ in quality by a factor of two. Nevertheless, if you strictly control the quality of the purchased meat, it may turn out that you will become one of the regular customers of the meat department of this supermarket, since you will be completely satisfied with the barbecue purchased there. Coal for the fire and disposable tableware can also be bought along the way. It is necessary to choose low-fat pieces of tenderloin for barbecue, without veins and bones. Some people get a pork neck, but there are usually a lot of complaints about it: it is both tough and fibrous, etc. Therefore, it is better to stop at the tenderloin.
How to cut meat?
You need to cut meat for barbecue into small cubes, cutting off fat and veins. The diameter of each piece is 5-6 cm.
How to marinate?
They marinate the shish kebab so that the meat becomes tender, fragrant and acquires that special taste of primordial human food roasted on an open fire, which is why, in fact, people eat shish kebab - to feel this taste. There are a lot of marinade recipes for him. Some "barbecue" with experience use vinegar, some use red wine. Mandatory components for both types of marinade are spices. A very interesting marinade option is marinade with tea. For lamb marinade with pomegranate juice is very good. Under the marinade, the meat is left for several hours, more often for a day. It depends on the stiffness of the meat: the tougher it is, the longer it should marinate. Press the meat on top. Any sufficiently heavy object placed on top of the meat can act as a press. When you put the kebab in the pan, place another smaller pot filled with water on top of it. Such a pan, which is freely removed from the pan with meat and is quite heavy, is the simplest version of the press.
Barbecue Marinade RecipesMarinade for lambYou will need: for 1 kg of meat - 2 kg of onions, ground black pepper, salt, bay leaf, sour wine or pomegranate juice. Chop onion, mix onion and meat, pepper, salt, add bay leaf. Pour in a little sour wine or juice - so that the meat is mostly in it. Leave for 5-6 hours at room temperature.Marinade with dry wineYou will need: For 1 kg of meat - 3/4 l of dry red or white wine, grape vinegar - 1/2 cup, carrots - 2-3 pieces, onions - 2-3 onions, cloves - 2 buds, bay leaf - 2 pcs., garlic - 3 cloves, cumin, ground black allspice - 1/2 tsp each, salt - to taste. Combine wine with vinegar, add chopped roots, spices, season with salt, add finely chopped onion and crushed garlic. Put the marinade on low heat and keep until the liquid has evaporated by 1/3 of the volume, then cool and pour over the meat.Marinade with teaYou will need: For 1 kg of meat - 1 kg of onions, tea - 20-25 g, water (boiling water) - 2 cups, ground black pepper. Coarsely chop the onion, mix with abundantly peppered meat, and pressing it into pieces with effort - the onion should release the juice. Brew tea with 2 cups of boiling water and leave for 10-15 minutes. When the tea has cooled, strain it through a strainer and pour over the meat.garlic marinadeYou will need: For 1 kg of meat - 1 liter of red wine, water - 1 liter, vinegar - 1/2 cup, salt, carrots - 1 pc., celery - 1/2 small root, garlic - 2-3 heads, bay leaf - 2 pcs., black pepper 10-15 peas. Pour the peeled and finely chopped celery root with wine, water and vinegar, add salt and seasonings (except garlic) and boil over low heat for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat, add finely chopped garlic and cool well. Pour cold marinade over meat.marinade for chickenYou will need: For 1 kg of meat - 1 kg of onions, adjika - 350-400 g, salt, pepper. Scroll the onion through a meat grinder, mix with chicken chopped into small pieces, add salt and pepper to taste. Then mix the meat with adjika and leave for a day under pressure. Keep in mind: chicken usually marinates longer than pork. |
We take care of gear in advance
With the start of the summer season, barbecue skewers can be purchased at most stores. Also in the household departments of large stores it is possible to purchase various barbecue equipment, and you can also buy those in which you do not need to burn coal - they will be powered by electricity. Do you need it - decide for yourself. In the author's opinion, barbecue is inseparable from the smell of a fire, burning coals, maybe even a few charred pieces. But, as they say, there are no comrades for the taste and color - if you are too lazy to mess around with a fire, an electric "barbecue" will be your salvation. Even on its long evolutionary path, mankind invented special grills for frying meat, on which pieces of meat, fish or poultry can be fried on both sides. At the same time, each guest can order the degree of roasting of the beef steak according to his desire - it can be with blood, or it can be with a completely fried core. These grills are also good because they can be used to cook anything - even crispy chicken wings, even a salmon steak. Since the technology for cooking coals here is the same as for a real barbecue, dishes are obtained with "smoke" and appetizing roasting.
Light lunch before a hearty dinner
While waiting for the barbecue, try to treat your guests with small sandwiches - canapes. They can be prepared from pieces of bread toasted in a toaster, various types of cheese, small pieces of sausage, ham, fish. Decorate them with vegetables, fresh herbs, stick a special skewer for canapes into each one - such skewers are sold in large stores, and serve. This serving option is usually used at buffet tables. In the same store where you bought your barbecue meat, you can choose from a variety of salads to serve. Salads in baskets look very good at a picnic. This is not a cheap product, but your guests will be pleased. And then there will be less dirty dishes left - these baskets can be taken by hand. And remember that the task of this event is not to feed the guests to their fill, but to let them "starve the worm" before the big program.
How to fire up the grill?
For a fire, you can collect branches lying under your feet in abundance and spread them between bricks, then set fire to several pieces of paper and throw them on the branches. When they flare up, you can put a small log on top - so that there are more coals. An easier option is to buy special coal or liquid to light a fire. Bags of coal are sold along most suburban highways, but it's best not to take it to the last minute and stock up on them in advance. Various types of firewood are also sold along the roads.
How to fry?
When you have a sufficient amount of coals in the brazier, string the kebab on skewers, interspersing the pieces with onions from the marinade. It is also very good to fry several vegetables along with meat on the same skewers - tomatoes, onions, red peppers. Thick red wine is ideal for barbecue - for example, Georgian, some varieties of Spanish wines, and, of course, the traditional Russian drink - vodka. There should also be a lot of vegetables and herbs on the table. In order to determine the degree of readiness of the kebab, pierce it with a match - if the juice does not stand out, then the kebab is ready.
Tea and dessert
A burning fire always looks extremely romantic, and even men, who are usually far from any romance, try to speak a little more quietly. Children, mesmerized by the soft reflections of the flames, can get too close to the fire or even stick their finger into it, so one of the adults should keep an eye on them all the time. Usually the shish kebab lasts until night - some lovers of summer evenings even boil water for tea in a samovar on coals. Such tea has a special taste - it smells slightly of smoke, like from exquisite Japanese and Vietnamese "smoked" varieties. Keep in mind: "heavy" cream cakes and pastries do not go well with this tea, especially since guests will already be full. And besides, if it was hot during the day, a hearty cake simply "won't work": perhaps the children will eat a couple of pieces, but that's all. For tea in the country, it is better to buy dry cookies, mini-cakes, bagels - they will look especially good with a samovar, etc.
How to entertain guests?
Usually, emotional conversations and the first toasts are followed by a desire to dance, "frolic", arrange some kind of noisy fuss. You can also play various games that adults also enjoy playing - "forfeits", "ringlet", "american". You can also play trickle.
Games for adults
"Changing Movements"
The player's task is to guess the person who changes the movements. All participants stand in a circle, and one of them moves away so that he cannot see other players. When this person leaves, the rest choose a leader who will change the movements. The guesser approaches, everyone starts stomping or clapping, and the leader imperceptibly changes movements. Looking at him, others do the same. The newcomer tries to guess the leader.
"Fantas"
A classic game that our grandmothers still remember. There are two central players in the game - the leader and the leader. Players collect forfeits - any small items - one from each, then put them in an opaque bag. A phantom can be a ring, a housekeeper, lipstick, a tiny calculator - in a word, anything. The driver makes a funny wish - for example, he offers to sing a song, dance, portray some animal. Then the presenter, who, according to the rules of the game, should not see who exactly is giving and what forfeit, takes out a forfeit from the bag. The player whose phantom was taken by the leader performs the task of the leader. Bon appetit and delicious barbecue!
barbecue recipesGeorgian beef shish kebabYou will need: for 1 kg of meat - 1 kg of onions, wine vinegar - 1/2 cup, salt, pepper. From the pulp of beef, which must be cleaned of films, cut into small identical pieces, put in an enamel bowl. Then pour the meat with a mixture of ground pepper, finely chopped onion, add a few tablespoons of wine vinegar. Mix everything well, cover the dishes with a lid and put in a cool place for 12 hours. Then squeeze the meat from spices, string on a skewer and grease with vegetable oil.Caucasian shish kebabYou will need: for 1 kg of young lamb (loin) - 3-5 onions, garlic - 2 cloves, salt, ground pepper, lemon juice. Cut the loin into pieces of about 30-35 kg, salt, pepper, put in earthenware, mix with grated onion, garlic. Sprinkle with lemon juice, put in a cold place for 8 hours. Then string the pieces of meat on skewers and fry on coals until tender. Be sure to serve a lot of greens to the barbecue - parsley, basil, dill, tarragon, green onions.Pork skewers with onionsYou will need: for 600 g of lean pork - 5-6 onions, salt, black and red pepper. Cut the pork into pieces of about 15-20 g, sprinkle with pepper, sprinkle generously with chopped onion rings, place in an enamel pan or clay pot, put a weight on top and refrigerate for 5-6 hours. Then string pieces of pork on a skewer, alternating with onions, and fry on coals or on a grill. Serve barbecue with fresh vegetables, herbs, lemon, barbecue sauce or ketchup sauce.Pork skewers with garlicYou will need: for 1 kg of meat - 1 package of spices or 3 bunches of herbs, vinegar - 1/2 cup, garlic - 2 cloves, dry white wine - 1/2 bottle, salt. Take lean pork and sprinkle with any herbs on top, sets of spices are very well suited for this. Salt, add a little chili to taste, crushed garlic. Pour in the vinegar and mix the shish kebab with your hands. Sprinkle the kebab on top with white wine - better from a spray bottle. Put a load on top and leave for 12 hours.We fry everythingShish kebab for vegetarians Put vegetables on skewers - tomato, red pepper, eggplant - and fry on coals. Then remove the skin from the tomato and eggplant and chop finely. This makes for a surprisingly delicious caviar. In general, anything can be grilled on coals: fish, turkey, sausages, chicken breasts. Everything usually comes out very tasty. |
There is an opinion that only men are capable of making a good barbecue. But it is not so. Gender is completely irrelevant here. In order for such a dish to turn out to be truly tasty, it is necessary to correctly perform each stage of the process of its preparation. Particular attention should be paid to how to cut meat on a barbecue. In this matter, there are many points that you should know about before you get to work.
The process of cooking barbecue includes several mandatory steps:
- choice of main components;
- grinding products (cutting);
- preparing them for work (pickling);
- putting blanks on skewers;
- direct frying.
Each of them is important in its own way and requires appropriate attention. However, some believe, for example, that it is absolutely not important how to cut meat for barbecue. However, this process has its own subtleties.
Not every cut off piece is suitable for barbecue. True professionals pay special attention to the shape of the workpiece. Ideally, if the pieces are cut into cones. This will make it easier to put them on the skewer and will contribute to a good frying in the future. But before deciding how to cut meat for barbecue, you need to prepare all the necessary tools for this. Usually in such cases it is required:
- Sharp knife. It is desirable if it has a wide, even blade without any notches. Tools with a corrugated blade will not work for this.
- Wooden cutting board with a special groove for collecting liquid. After all, when cutting meat, juice will definitely stand out from it. It is undesirable that it accumulates on the surface. If this is not available, then you can take an ordinary wooden board. In any case, it must first be doused with cold running water. So it will absorb less meat juice.
Having everything you need in stock, you can safely get to work.
main ingredient
Before deciding how to cut meat for barbecue, it is necessary to take into account which product will be used for this. For example, it is best to choose tenderloin from beef, or the situation is different with pork. Here it is better to use the neck for barbecue. This is the meat located along the ridge. It is necessary to take exactly the part that is located in the neck area. What goes lower along the back, of course, is also suitable. But in this case, you will have to spend extra time to cut off a large amount of fat, which is located nearby. It is better not to take the back part at all. From which there is, the barbecue will turn out dry and not juicy. This must be understood and not made mistakes. Lamb is a completely different story. Here, of all the carcasses, only tenderloin, loin or hind leg are suitable for cooking barbecue. But the popular spatula is better to save for another dish. When the issue with meat is finally resolved, it will be possible to proceed to the next stage.
Pickling Secret
It is known that the use of fresh meat does not guarantee that the barbecue will turn out soft and juicy. Even inexperienced housewives know that the main product must first be subjected to additional processing. This refers to the marinating process. First you need to understand why it is needed. Here it is worth remembering the lessons of chemistry. After all, it is known that meat mainly consists of proteins (elastin, collagen and reticulin). During heat treatment, it partially softens. But best of all, this process goes under the action of acid. In such an environment, the protein gradually becomes loose, which means it will be able to hold the juice and after frying it will turn out soft. In practice, marinades prepared on the basis of:
- kefir;
- guilt;
- mayonnaise;
- vinegar;
- mineral water.
Everyone chooses an option to their taste. But most often they use a method for which it is necessary: for 1.2 kilograms of meat (for example, pork) 8 grams of sugar, 3 onions, salt, 60 grams of vinegar and any spices.
Everything is done very simply:
- First, rinse the pork and lightly dry it with a napkin to remove excess moisture.
- Then we cut the meat into barbecue, taking into account the advice of professionals regarding the shape and size of individual pieces.
- Sprinkle the blanks with spices and leave for 10 minutes so that the meat can be thoroughly soaked with them.
- Add chopped onion rings, sugar and vinegar, diluted with water in a ratio of 1:2.
In such a marinade, the meat should lie for at least 9 hours. Only after that it will be possible to start frying.
Important details
Experienced housewives know how to properly cut meat for barbecue. Novice cooks who want to master the art of cooking this dish need to pay attention to a few important points:
- Only sharp instruments should be used. You can correctly divide the meat into pieces with a well-sharpened knife in your hands. With its help, it will be possible to cut off excess fat, films and hard tendons without much difficulty.
- The blanks must have the optimal size. Any deviations in one direction or another negatively affect the quality of the finished product.
- Use the same cutting method for all types of meat. The exception is beef. Because of the hard long fibers, it requires an individual approach.
- Remember that a six-piece kebab is considered ideal. Practice shows that such an amount for this dish is considered optimal.
If all these points are taken into account, then you can not worry about the quality of the finished dish. It remains only to follow all the rules of frying meat on an open fire.
Slicing rules
Each dish has its own subtleties. For kebabs, they mainly relate to the way the main product is cut. The same question always arises here. Very often, novice cooks are interested in how to cut meat for barbecue: along or across. The answer to this question is ambiguous. It would seem that everything is clear here. Separation into pieces must be done taking into account the bite line. Therefore, almost all types of meat intended for barbecue are cut across. Then it is put on a skewer along the fibers. Only in this way can the finished product turn out to be quite juicy and truly soft.
If you do the opposite, then it will be difficult to bite off a whole piece later, since the meat itself will gradually shrink during the frying process. The skewers will be tough and tasteless. Although, using pre-marinating, the meat can be minced in any direction. The exception to this rule is beef. It only needs to be cut across.
Piece size
In order to achieve the desired result in the end, you also need to know what pieces to cut the meat on the barbecue. As practice shows, the size in this matter plays an important role.
Experienced chefs are sure that a piece of 3 to 5 centimeters in size is considered optimal. It will weigh approximately 30 grams. If you make the workpiece smaller, then when cooked on an open fire, it will quickly fry and become dry. Large pieces are also undesirable. In the allotted time, they will not have time to properly fry from the inside and remain raw. If you hold them on fire a little longer, then the surface layers can be very charred. Such a barbecue will not bring pleasure to anyone. In addition, we must try to keep the pieces as even as possible. Thin hanging edges will immediately burn and spoil not only the appearance, but also the taste of the finished product. Also, when grinding a whole piece, it is imperative to cut off the fat. Under the influence of high temperature, it will gradually shrink, releasing fat to the outside. As a result, an additional dense tissue will appear on a piece of meat, which will be difficult to chew.
The basic principles of cooking pork skewers are very simple. Having chosen a piece of pork pulp of excellent quality (usually pork neck), the meat is marinated, then strung on skewers and sent to the grill. If you really want a barbecue, but you can’t go out into nature, then you can successfully cook barbecue in the grill.
Pork kebab - food preparation
For the preparation of pork shish kebab, as a rule, tender pork tenderloin (fresh, not frozen) is used. The meat is washed, cut into portions, and then be sure to pickle, so that it becomes soft, juicy and fragrant. Young and fresh pork does not need to be soaked for a long time, as it is already very tender.
Also, when cooking barbecue, as a rule, onions are used (both for marinating meat and for stringing it on skewers). We cut the onion into half rings. Cut the lemons into slices, not too thin. When cooking barbecue, we definitely need seasonings. They are used to taste, but ground black pepper is among the must-haves.
Preparing marinade for pork skewers
The question of marinade for those who want to cook a truly delicious barbecue is paramount after the quality of the meat. In addition to spices and onions, wine (necessarily dry, white or red), beer, kvass, fresh juices from vegetables and fruits - pomegranates, tomatoes, apples, etc. are used for marinating pork. for example, kefir, or mayonnaise. In the old days, vinegar was the most popular product for marinating meat, apparently because of its availability and speed of action. However, meat marinated in vinegar tends to be less juicy, so it might make sense to try other marinades, such as lemon juice.
As for salt, it is not recommended to add it to the marinade, as it makes the meat tough. Salt shish kebab, if necessary, already on the table.
Pork kebab - the best recipes
Recipe 1: Spicy pork skewers
This recipe uses lemon as a marinade. Thanks to him, the meat turns out to be very soft, and the abundance of seasonings makes it very tasty and fragrant.
Ingredients:
1 kg of pork;
3 lemons;
2 tsp coriander (ground);
1 tsp red pepper;
0.5 tsp ginger (ground);
1 chopped bay leaf;
5 st. l. olive oil;
at the tip of tsp. ground cinnamon and ground cumin;
2 tbsp. l. chopped basil;
ground black pepper and salt.
Cooking method:
1. Wash and cut the meat into pieces, cut the lemon into not too thin slices.
2. Mixing seasonings (coriander, cumin, basil, ginger, cinnamon, ground pepper, bay leaf) with olive oil in a bowl, put pork with lemons in it, mix everything well and, having covered with a lid, place the bowl in a cool place for about 10 hours, but from time to time we mix its contents.
3. To prepare the barbecue, string the marinated pork pieces on skewers and cook for 7 to 10 minutes on the coals, rotating the skewers around its axis every minute to evenly bake the meat. Can also be used for barbecue grill. Garnish the finished kebab with lemon slices.
Recipe 2: Quick Pork Kebab
This barbecue is a godsend for people who do not have time to marinate meat for a long time. While you cook the coals, it will perfectly have time to marinate in onion juice. One condition - the meat must be very fresh.
Ingredients:
2 kg pork neck;
1 kg of onion;
5 bay leaves;
1 tsp black pepper (ground);
a pinch of saffron
salt.
Cooking method:
1. Cut the meat into portions and put it in a marinating container.
2. After cleaning the onion, pass it through a meat grinder and mix the resulting mass with meat, then add pepper, bay leaf, saffron and salt, mix everything again.
3. We string pieces of pork on skewers and cook for about 15 minutes on coals or in a grill. This kebab is good with herbs and fresh vegetables.
Recipe 3: Mayonnaise Pork Skewers
Although many believe that mayonnaise should not be used as a marinade when cooking barbecue, after trying this recipe, you will very much doubt that they are right. Mustard and spices give the meat a piquancy, and lemon makes it especially tender.
Ingredients:
2 kg. pork (neck);
3 art. l. mustard;
4 tbsp. l. mayonnaise;
5 bulbs;
lemon;
3 bay leaves;
ground pepper, suneli hops and salt to taste.
Cooking method:
1. We cut the meat into portions and put it in a container in which our barbecue will be marinated. We put a layer of meat, sprinkle it with ground black pepper, suneli hops, grease with mayonnaise, mustard, lay a layer of onion sliced into rings, also put a bay leaf and pour lemon juice on top. We leave for an hour.
2. Mix and put in a cool place, stand for about 7 hours so that the meat marinates well.
3. Before directly preparing the kebab, salt it, then string the pieces of meat on skewers and cook for about 15 minutes on coals or on the grill.
Recipe 4: Pork Skewers Marinated in Vinegar
This recipe uses vinegar and onions to marinate pork. The recipe is simple, and even novice "barbecue" can successfully implement it.
Ingredients:
2 kg of pork;
300 gr. Luke;
a glass of vinegar 6%;
3 art. l. any seasoning for barbecue;
salt to taste.
Cooking method:
1. Cut the meat into portions, onions - into half rings.
2. In a marinating container, mix meat and onions with vinegar and spices, put in a cool place and marinate for about 5 hours.
3. Salt before cooking, then, stringing the marinated meat on skewers, fry it for about 10 minutes on coals or on the grill.
Recipe 4: Pork skewers in sour cream
Sour cream, which is used in this case for marinating meat, makes it very soft and delicate in taste. Even the most demanding barbecue lovers will appreciate this meat, and it is not at all difficult to cook it.
Ingredients:
2 kg of pork;
1 liter of sour cream;
1 kg of onion;
black pepper (ground);
salt.
Cooking method:
1. Having cut the pork into portions, put the meat in a marinating container, alternating layers of meat with onion cut into half rings and sprinkling with pepper and salt.
2. Pour everything with sour cream and marinate in a cool place for about 4 hours.
3. Salt before cooking, then, after the coals are ready, string the marinated meat on skewers and fry for about 10 minutes.
Recipe 5: Georgian pork skewers
Georgian barbecue - a classic of the genre! If you want to try the "proper kebab" - this is the recipe for you. The meat is marinated with onions and spices. Such a barbecue will allow you to appreciate the beauty and richness of the taste of this dish.
Ingredients:
600 gr. lean pork;
6 bulbs;
3 tomatoes;
ground pepper (black and red);
greenery;
salt.
Cooking method:
1. Cut the pork into portions and, mixed with pepper and chopped onion rings, put everything in a marinating container and, putting a load on top, leave to marinate in a cool place for about 6 hours.
2. We string pieces of pork on a skewer and, alternating them with chopped onion rings, fry on charcoal or grill. Garnish the finished kebab with onions, tomatoes and herbs.
Pork skewers - useful tips from experienced chefs
It is not necessary to cut the meat into too small pieces, otherwise it will lose its juices during cooking and will be dry.
When cooking barbecue, we do not fry the meat, but bake it, so it is important to ensure uniform heat and the complete absence of flame. So that the meat does not dry out, you do not need to rotate the skewers very often. And so that it does not burn, you should place the skewers higher.
In many recipes, it is advised to string onions and tomatoes on skewers along with meat. However, while the meat is cooking, the vegetables may burn. Therefore, many experienced chefs do not recommend doing this.
If droplets of fat from the meat fall on the fire, then you should sprinkle it with marinade so that it does not dry out.
To determine the readiness of the barbecue, you need to cut a piece and see what juice will stand out from it. If transparent, then the meat is ready; if with an admixture of blood, it means that it is still too early to remove it from the coals.
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