What meat to choose for pork barbecue. How to cook the right meat for barbecue? It is best to take chilled meat

Not everyone knows how to choose good meat for barbecue before going to the country. We have collected for you simple tips according to the choice of meat, barbecue from which you can chew. 1. Fresh or rancid? On fresh meat there should not be any liquid, blood, the surface of the meat should not be sticky. The smell should be pleasant. If he's even a little embarrassed...

Not everyone knows how to choose good meat for barbecue before going to the country. We have collected for you simple tips on choosing meat, barbecue from which you can chew.

1. Fresh or rancid?

On fresh meat there should be no liquid, blood, the surface of the meat should not be sticky. The smell should be pleasant. If he is even a little embarrassing, you should not take meat.

2. How to quickly determine the freshness of meat?

Each piece should be elastic and even. If you press on it with your finger, then the resulting hole will quickly level out.

3. What color should good meat be?

If possible, buy young meat, then the kebab will be softer. You can determine this by color - the darker the color of the meat, the older the animal, and the kebab is tougher. Beef should be red, pork should be pink, lamb should be red with layers of white fat.

4. What is the best meat to buy?

Fresh meat (that's all after 3 hours) is not worth taking - there are tense muscles, the barbecue will be tough. With frozen meat, you need to be careful: delicious barbecue it will come out only if the meat is not re-frozen. It is better to take chilled meat, it will make a good barbecue.

5. What kind of meat is needed for lamb skewers?

It is better to take the pulp from the back leg, loin or tenderloin. If you like bones, then you can buy ribs. You need to eat lamb skewers right away, otherwise it will quickly harden.

6. And from pork?

Pork is good because many of its parts can be used to cook a delicious barbecue. It is best to take the neck - part of the carcass along the ridge on the neck. The fat in this part is evenly distributed, so the kebab will be soft and juicy. You can also use tenderloin, loin, ribs. If you decide to make a barbecue from pork ham then good it.

7. What if I like beef?

Beef skewers can come out harsh, so the meat needs to be marinated longer, best of all - in mineral water. From the parts you can take beef fillet or brisket.

8. How to cut meat correctly?

You need to cut the meat for the barbecue into medium pieces. If you cut the meat finely, the kebab will be dry, and if you cut it too coarsely, it will be raw.

The classic barbecue meat is pork. How to choose it correctly so that the dish is a success - that's what we'll talk about in today's article.

Most chefs adhere to the stereotype - we use meat pulp for cooking second courses, and meat on the bone is perfect for cooking first courses. To some extent, this is correct, why go into the anatomical features of the animal and choose which dish this or that piece of pulp is suitable for. But in vain, because if you know what part of the carcass is at your fingertips for cooking, then we can say that the issue of success is resolved by itself.

The preparation of any dish begins, first of all, with the choice - and you can make it correctly and thoughtfully not only in the market in a wide range, but also in the nearest store. For example, the most precious part of pork - tenderloin, is not suitable for making rich meat broth fragrant soup. And it’s not at all because this part of the carcass is bad - the whole point is that this cut has a completely different purpose.

Also, if you know that pork ham is great for baking in the oven, it’s stupid to use it for cooking chops or beef stroganoff. But the pulp of the shoulder blade, on the contrary, loves a long stew in the sauce, and you can make an excellent gravy from it.

Of course, all these tips only work if the meat is fresh and has not been repeatedly frozen. But the freshness itself must be correct - the meat must be ripe for 3 - 4 days before it turns into a butcher in the skillful hands of appetizing pieces. And then you can choose exactly what you need for cooking a particular dish.

So, the basic rules for choosing meat

There are several basic principles, and if you follow them, you can be guaranteed not to spoil the piece. good meat. How to choose pork for charcoal barbecue?

About the freshness of meat

Wherever a purchase is made - in the market or in the supermarket, the most important thing is to pay attention to the freshness of the product.

• A piece of meat must be clean and dry, without blood and mucus on the surface;
• The juice flowing from the meat should be transparent, and its cut should be evenly pink;
• It is worth refusing to buy if it comes from meat bad smell. A slightly sweetish, unsharp smell should come from the meat. If something still confuses - make a purchase elsewhere;
• The elasticity of meat and its consistency are important indicators. If, when you click on a piece, it does not return to its previous shape for a long time, the meat is clearly not the first freshness, and if it does not take its shape at all even after a while, then this product is old, spoiled and of poor quality;
• An important indicator is the fat on the piece - if it is sticky and opaque, then the freshness indicator is clearly at the lowest point. And if the fat layer is gray and slimy, this indicates damage to the product.

A few words about age

In order for the dish chosen for cooking, including the pork kebab, to be very successful, it is necessary to give preference to the young meat of the animal. But how to correctly determine the age and make optimal choice product, and what meat to choose for pork barbecue?

First of all, you need to pay attention to the color - light pink, bright red, but in no case gray or maroon. The color color is uniform and slightly glossy, the darker the meat, the older the animal is, which means it is drier, fibrous and tougher.

How can you simplify the task of choosing? It is enough to ask the seller to cut off a thin piece, almost transparent, and if it is easily torn by hand, then this is the fresh meat of a young individual.

About storage methods

Fresh meat

This category includes meat within 3-4 hours after the slaughter of the animal. It is this meat that is best suited for cooking kebabs and other tasty treats on open fire. However, the pulp must be pickled, fried without pre-marination and adding spices is not recommended.

chilled meat

The product is considered chilled only if the meat has been stored in a refrigerator up to +4C and has never been frozen. It is from such meat that a good barbecue will turn out, or fried on a grill or an open fire.

When choosing, you should be careful - an unscrupulous seller will try to sell the defrosted part of the carcass under the guise of a chilled product. An excess of excess moisture inside the meat may indicate this, and the chilled meat will look almost dry.

What kind of meat to choose for dumplings cooked at home with the family? It is from the chilled that you get a juicy and tender filling.

frozen meat

Far from the best perfect choice, but most supermarkets and shops offer the buyer just such products. However, upon repeated defrosting, the structure of the meat fibers is destroyed, and the original piece of meat loses not only its shape, but also its taste.

In conclusion about the freshness of the product

Do not be shy when choosing and carefully inspect and choose the product, you should ask the seller to show you all the pieces you like. For the seller, this is not difficult, because this is his job and he is interested in buying, and for you there is a guarantee that you will make the right choice.

What part of the carcass is best for cooking pork skewers

After we figured out the degrees of freshness of meat for cooking pork kebabs and other dishes, it remains only to figure out how to choose meat for barbecue so that it turns out tender, juicy and fragrant.

According to professionals and amateurs on an open fire, from pork carcass the neck is best for cooking kebabs. Meat with thin veins will turn out in any case, it will be juicy and tender, and there is no need to marinate the pulp for a long time and use strong mixtures for this.

The loin (back muscle) will also be good, this meat is dense in composition and will appeal to those who do not like fatty meals. A piece can be divided into 2 parts - cutlet and entrecote, both parts are ideal for baking them on charcoal or grill.

If it was not possible to buy a tenderloin or neck, then you can use a ham for cooking. Of course, it is not so tender, but if you cut it correctly into portioned pieces and pick up a marinade, then this part of the carcass can surprise and delicate taste and structure of meat fibers.

The ribs are perfect for charcoal cooking as well as for other dishes. For example, using them, you can cook the first and second courses in a cauldron or in a saucepan on the stove, the ribs perfectly give their taste to the broth. Additionally, it is worth noting that there is enough meat on them to make it tasty and fragrant.

Suitable for roasting on coals and brisket, but the whole excess fat it is necessary to cut off, and notch the skin of the fat without cutting through to the end. The piece must be well marinated with the addition of grain mustard.

The shoulder blade and shank are suitable for baking as a whole, but they will not work as a barbecue. These parts of the carcass require thoughtful and long pickling, but with proper experience, they can be amazingly cooked on coals.

What meat to choose for cutlets so that they are not tough, but remain lush and airy? Everything is simple here - a cut of carcass with fat is suitable for cooking, but the films must be cut off, a spatula for this is an ideal choice.

Almost any part of the pork carcass is perfect for grilling, provided that the meat is properly marinated and fried. If a piece of meat looks dry, you can add juiciness to it by adding onion and vegetable oil. And quite the opposite - if it is fatty, then it is worth removing the excess fat, and the addition of mustard compensates for the remnants and will help improve the taste of the product.

Where is the best place to buy good meat?

Having dealt with the issue of the freshness of meat, let's try to figure out where it is best to buy it. There are many disputes on this topic, between supporters of farms and markets, and stores with constant product quality checks.

On the one hand, buying desired part carcass in the market, you can carefully look at it, even turn it in your hands, smell the selected product, and even ask the butcher for advice. Taking into account the plan for cooking the dish, you can consult and choose the right cut. But on the other hand, the market is not the most hygienic place to buy, because besides you there are other buyers who want to make a purchase and check the quality of the piece of meat they like. So if you decide to make a purchase in the market, make it in the morning, when all the products are fresh and do not have time to stale and weathered.

There are also large supermarkets and small shops selling both fresh and frozen meat products. There constant control quality, compliance with expiration dates and optimal conditions storage. This is certainly a good sign, but to inspect the product as it is possible on the market is unlikely to succeed.

That's really all that I would like to tell you about right choice pork for cooking different dishes, both on a conventional stove and on an open fire.

A successful picnic will only be with deliciously delicious. Therefore, the organizer of the event has a considerable responsibility in terms of choosing meat, marinating and cooking it.

Everyone knows that the meat for cooking barbecue must certainly be fresh, and in no case ice cream. But what part of the pork carcass to choose to make the barbecue soft, juicy and tasty? We will talk about this and how to properly marinate meat for barbecue below.

What part of the pork is best for barbecue?

Any barbecue specialist will unequivocally answer that the best pork meat for cooking barbecue is pork neck. It is from it that you can get the most tender, juicy and soft barbecue, cooked on a fire. The meat from this part of the pork carcass has a lot of fatty layers, which contributes to obtaining the perfect result. In addition, the meat fibers of the neck are always softer and softer than, say, in the shoulder or back.

Sometimes it happens that it is not possible to purchase a pork neck for barbecue due to its absence at the right time on sale. What to do in this case? Is it really possible to refuse a planned field trip? Or is it still possible to buy another part of the pork carcass and cook a barbecue from it? In fact, in addition to the pork neck for barbecue, you can also buy meat from the shoulder part. It also usually contains enough fatty layers. But unlike the neck, the scapula is always more rigid and requires more long cooking. This can be corrected with a more aggressive marinade, which softens the meat fibers well. These are spice mixes based on kefir, mineral carbonated water, in which it is recommended to marinate meat for a day. For a quick effect, you can use the pulp of which is added to the meat a couple of hours before frying the kebab. Juice given tropical fruit will work wonders and make the meat incredibly soft. But in this case it is not recommended to keep the barbecue in such a marinade for more than two hours, otherwise the meat can simply be spoiled.

Some also use for barbecue pork chop or clipping. Such meat, like the neck, is soft and tender, but its structure after cooking is much drier and even the most first-class marinade will not succeed in achieving its greater juiciness than that of the neck. However, carbonade barbecue also has its admirers. Among them are those who respect the more lean, low-fat meals, after all fatty layers in such meat is very rare.

We decided on the meat and now you know which part of the pork is better to take for barbecue. It remains only to marinate it before frying for a few hours. Next, we offer a variant of standard set spices and spices for marinating barbecue. Note that such a marinade is more suitable for the neck, as it is aimed more at giving the meat a taste, and not at softening it.

What is the best way to marinate pork skewers?

Ingredients:

Calculation for 3.5 kg pork neck:

• medium-sized onions - 5 pcs.;
• sunflower oil without aroma - 85 ml;
• black peppercorns - 17 pcs.;
• coriander peas - 17 pcs.;
• dried basil - 0.5 tsp;
• dried thyme - 1 pinch;
• ground red paprika - 1 teaspoon;
• bay leaves - 2 pcs.;
• coarse salt- 40 g or to taste.

Cooking

Starting to marinate the barbecue, rinse the pork neck cold water, dry and cut into slices of medium size (approximately the size of a matchbox). Put the meat in a bowl, add salt and mix thoroughly. Now we grind the peppercorns and coriander in a mortar and season the meat with the resulting crushed mass. Add dried basil and thyme to the same place, throw ground paprika And bay leaves, add sunflower oil and mix.

Finally preparatory phase we clean the onions, cut them into circles, disassemble them into rings, knead a little with our hands and mix with meat.

Pork should be marinated in the refrigerator, but about an hour before frying it must be taken out and kept at room conditions.

On the last warm autumn days, you really want to relax in nature with friends or family, warming up by the smoking brazier in anticipation of meat delicacy. Therefore, before the weekend, you need to take care of everything you need in advance: buy all the provisions, choose a place for a picnic, prepare the car for the trip. And, of course, to find out what kind of meat the barbecue is made from, so that it turns out to be truly tasty. This article describes possible options products used. The pros and cons of each type are detailed. This will allow you to decide exactly before purchasing everything you need to prepare the main picnic dish - barbecue. Then there will be enough impressions for the whole long winter.

Regardless of the variety, the meat must be young. Otherwise, the dish will turn out tough and not fried. The darker the meat, the older the carcass.

Freshness is a must. When using winded pieces of dubious origin, there is a chance of getting extraneous "smells". Try pressing your finger on the pulp when buying. Good meat will immediately return to shape, smoothing the hole.

In no case do not take frozen pieces for barbecue - they will turn out dry and tasteless.

The flesh must be free of veins and with sufficient inclusion of adipose tissue to obtain juicy dish.

: pork

This choice is sure to be perfect! Pork has other than excellent palatability, another amazing feature: you do not need to worry about marinating in advance. Just two to three hours will be enough to soak the pieces before frying. fragrant seasonings and sauce. Most the best kebab obtained from the pulp located on the parts of the body closer to the neck of the pig.

What kind of meat is better to take on barbecue: beef

To avoid toughness, place the pieces in the marinade for a longer time, such as overnight. Most good sauce for soaking will mineral water. Beef is not as fatty and juicy as pork, so cooks use some tricks when preparing shish kebab from it - they stuff meat with pieces of lard or bread to preserve juiciness in eggs and breadcrumbs. Most tender dish obtained from tenderloin and carcass.

What kind of meat is better to take on barbecue: mutton

Despite the rigidity true gourmets prefer fried dish“with smoke”, made from this product. In all cookbooks Caucasian kebab them young lamb is classic dish With excellent taste and aroma. For it, ribs, a leg or a shoulder blade are usually used. But the main highlight is to have time to enjoy hot juicy pieces. After all, any lamb tends to freeze quickly.

What kind of meat is better to take on barbecue: bird

Some categorically do not recognize such a dish. They think it's like "rooster's ear". But, if you use meat not from hard old domestic chickens, but from “early” broilers, it will turn out quite tender and appetizing. Carcasses are usually cut into portioned pieces and fry on the grill, turning over to brown. Delicious and appetizing!

Barbecue is not only tasty and fragrant dish. Each meat eater appreciates not so much the dish itself as the process of its preparation, which is accompanied by pleasant communication with friends or relatives, inhalation of a wonderful aroma mixed with the smell of a forest, meadow or pond. Let's find out which meat is best for pork skewers.

When thinking about which pork to choose for barbecue, get used to the idea that you will need to boldly touch and smell the meat - this is the only way to determine its freshness. It will not be difficult for many to choose pork, and moreover good, for many, but nevertheless, for barbecue, it must meet the following criteria:

• the light pink color of pork cannot be confused with any other. It is the color of young gilts, gilts and piglets.
• in an old pig, the meat is dark and covered with a film.
• young pork is distinguished by thin white fatty streaks that resemble stains on marble. Juicy kebab from pork it will turn out from young meat.
• in the arsenal of your knowledge on the choice of meat for shish kebab must be - how to choose meat for shish kebab is not knura. A little difficult, but still possible to identify a boar by smell. The presence of the sex hormone androsterone in knur meat gives a specific unpleasant odor during heat treatment. So, do not be shy, ask the seller to cut off small piece, hold it over the flame of a match or under a lighter and sniff it. If the smell is associated with the pungent smell of urine, then you have boar meat in front of you. Well, if the seller refuses to conduct this experiment, then either focus on the density of the meat (it is high at the knur) or buy elsewhere.
• pork is easier to digest than cow meat and combines both fat and soft tenderness.
• proteins, phosphorus, magnesium and B vitamins are all found in pork meat. And in fat there is also a natural antidepressant, such as selenium and arachidonic acid.

What part of the pork is best for barbecue?

The choice of meat for the preparation of the most delicious and juicy barbecue- this is important, because the most important picnic dish depends on the chosen piece. Below is a list of which part of the pork is better to take on a barbecue, and which one not to take:

• clipping - the most the best part barbecue pork, tender, juicy and soft
• neck - tender and very juicy meat with thin fatty streaks, similar to "marble"
• shoulder blade - contains a small amount of fat and connective tissue, and requires long pickling
• ham - the meatiest part of pork, best suited for lean low-fat barbecue
• rear end- tougher meat, this part of pork is not suitable for barbecue, as it has a lot of veins.

Any barbecue specialist will unequivocally answer that the best pork meat for barbecue is the pork neck. It is from it that you can get the most tender, juicy and soft shish kebab cooked on a fire. The meat from this part of the pork carcass has a lot of fatty layers, which contributes to obtaining the perfect result. In addition, the meat fibers of the neck are always softer and softer than, say, in the shoulder or back.

You should not take pork without fat, because absolutely lean meat is not suitable for barbecue.

We decided on the meat and now you know which part of the pork is better to take for barbecue. It remains only to marinate it before frying for a few hours.

What is the best way to marinate pork skewers?

Marinades for kebabs are made in a variety of ways. Previously, meat was simply kept in fermented grape juice to keep it longer. Now, as soon as they are refined! Marinated in wine, pomegranate and lemon juice, in kefir, kvass, mineral water, mayonnaise and sour cream. The main thing in any marinade is to combine meat with onions, pepper and salt, adding an acidic component.

Pork skewers on kefir

For 1-1.5 kilograms of pork, you will need kefir, mineral water with gas (in a one-to-one ratio), salt, black pepper, spices, and onions cut into large rings. To marinate pork skewers in such a marinade, several hours are enough (ideally, at least 3). After that, you need to shake off the remnants of the marinade from the meat and you can fry the kebab on the fire!

How to marinate pork skewers in vinegar

You will need:

• table vinegar 9% - 4 tbsp. spoons (for 1.2-1.5 kg of meat);
• sugar - a teaspoon;
• onion - 2-3 large heads;
• water - 8 tbsp. spoons;
• pepper and salt.

Cooking

Clean the pork from the films, divide into portioned pieces of medium size (about the size of a child's fist). Rub the pieces with pepper, salt, mix well. Peel the onion, chop into thick rings, pour over the meat. Dilute vinegar with chilled water, add sugar, stir, pour into a bowl with barbecue. Stir the contents, cover with a lid and oppression, put in the refrigerator.

Quick pork skewers recipe

Ingredients:

• 600 g pork (neck)
• 4 bulbs
• 3 art. l. vinegar
• 2 tbsp. l. Sahara
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp pepper
• Chili pepper (optional)

Cooking:

The meat is cut into portions. The onion is peeled and cut into rings. Meat, onions, salt, sugar, pepper and vinegar are mixed in a container and sent to the refrigerator for a while to marinate. The meat will marinate in 2 hours, but it is better to leave it for more long time.
Shish kebab is fried on hot coals on the grill. Meat can be sprinkled with chili pepper for spiciness.

Pork skewers with pineapple

Ingredients:

• 450 g pork tenderloin
• 2 bell peppers different colors
• 1 can canned pineapple
• 2 tbsp. l. honey
• 1 lime
• 1 st. l. vegetable oil
• green onion feathers
• grated ginger
• parsley
• ground black pepper
• salt to taste

Cooking:

Mix honey and 2 tbsp. l. pineapple juice, season with salt and pepper. Plant pork and slices bell pepper on skewers, salt and pepper. Grill, greasing honey mixture. Add pineapple chunks, lime slices, green onion, ginger and drizzle with oil. Garnish with chopped parsley.

How to barbecue properly?

In the question of how to properly fry a barbecue, there are a number of unshakable rules, as well as a dozen moments in which an amateur cook can show his creativity. Here are the secrets and mysteries:

• Coals should be heated evenly. To do this, it is necessary to maintain air circulation in the barbecue. If the coals have become weak or, conversely, too strong, they must be blown up accordingly or poured with water, wine or beer. Before this, it is imperative to remove the skewers from the grill, because when blowing and pouring, burnt ash rises, which settles on the meat and can spoil the taste of the dish.
• Before stringing pickled pieces on a skewer, skewers should be preheated. And keep over the fire for at least five minutes. On hot skewers, the strung meat immediately seems to “seal” the punctures, and the juice from them will not flow out when frying. This will make the meat both juicier and tastier.

• The meat should always be cut across the fibers, and put on skewers along the fibers.
• Large pieces should be located at some distance from each other, since in places of their possible contact they will remain raw.
• Consider also the following: the heat from the coals is stronger in the center of the barbecue. Therefore, larger pieces should be arranged in the center of the skewer, and smaller ones closer to the edge.
• Between the skewers on the grill, a distance of at least one, and preferably three centimeters, should be maintained. We consider it an excellent tradition to alternate pieces of meat with onion rings strung on skewers, halves of tomatoes, large pieces of sweet peppers or zucchini. If you decide to try eggplant as a companion vegetable, remember to pre-soak them so that the taste changes from bitter to the familiar and familiar eggplant.
• It is absolutely not necessary to sprinkle the meat with water, marinade or wine during frying, as the moisture that gets on the pieces begins to evaporate intensively, which leads to burning of the pieces and uneven frying. Water will be useful to you only when the coals suddenly flare up with fire to extinguish it.

When is the barbecue ready?

When the skewers are covered golden crust on both sides, you should pierce it with a knife: if blood is released, then you need to fry further. If the juice is white and there is not too much of it, then it's time to serve the food to the table (if in doubt, it is recommended to remove one large piece meat, cut it in the middle - so you will surely be sure of readiness). Usually frying lasts about 20-25 minutes.

The most piquant question for many - when exactly it is necessary to turn the skewer over the fire, has a very simple answer: at the moment when meat juice begins to stand out on the side of the meat turned to the fire, and the coals begin to hiss loudly, you must turn the skewer. And this should be done until the moment when the hissing disappears completely. After that, the skewers should be rotated often enough so that your kebab browns as evenly as possible.

Wherever barbecue is cooked and no matter how it is called, main secret is that it be prepared according to all the rules and with love, then you can enjoy the unusual, juicy and most delicious dish on the ground!