Name of dish:

What meat to choose for barbecue

With the onset of warm days, we all strive to spend our weekends in nature: in the forest, at the dacha, lake or river. Well, what kind of outdoor recreation could there be without a picnic and barbecue? And for the kebab to be delicious, you need to choose the right meat for it.

Despite the fact that I grew up in Central Asia, it has always been a problem for me how to choose meat for barbecue. And only thanks to friends from Central Asia, I learned to understand meat. The choice of meat is a very important point in preparing barbecue. If the meat is tough, veiny or not fresh, then no marinade will help make it tasty: be it with vinegar, wine or kefir, with the best herbs and spices.

What kind of meat is suitable for barbecue?

There is an opinion that the right kebab must be made from lamb and preferably young. But personally, I completely disagree with this opinion. I quote the authority on oriental cuisine, Stalik Khankishiev:

What is kebab?

In the narrowest sense, this is meat, cut into relatively small pieces, strung on skewers and fried over coals.

But speaking more broadly, it can be not only meat, but also poultry, fish, seafood, vegetables and even fruits, but definitely these are products baked on coals. Products can be pickled, seasoned, ground, they can be processed in almost any possible way before cooking, but one condition remains unchanged: the products must be cooked over charcoal.

"Classic lamb shish kebab"

Lamb has a pronounced taste and smell, and has a sufficient supply of fat layers to ensure the production of juicy baked kebab. As a rule, lamb is not marinated. It is enough to sprinkle it with salt, spices and chopped onions. Then stir, crush with force and wait 5-10 minutes. This time is enough for the meat to salt and absorb the aroma of spices.

As a rule, for barbecue, they take the shoulder part (indicated in the figure by index I), the ham (index III), as the softest and juiciest meat. For lovers of meat on the bone, you should pay attention to the rack (index II). It is from this part that tender and juicy entrecotes are obtained.

Here's what we found on the Internet about cutting lamb and eating its parts.

Pork shish kebab

Pig meat is very soft, has both layers of fat and large reserves of lard. For shish kebab, you need to select pork that is not fatty, without large growths of fat, otherwise the kebab will not be meaty, but will have a “greasy” taste. The most suitable for grilling and grilling in small pieces is the neck. In the neck part the meat is tender, permeated with small layers of fat.

Also suitable choices for shish kebab would be the shoulder part (index II), sirloin part (thick part, number in Figure III) and ham (number in Figure IV).

Pork, like lamb, does not need to be marinated - just salt and pepper it, add onions and herbs, and let it rest for 15-30 minutes.

Beef kebab meat

Beef is not the best meat for barbecue. Beef turns out great over the fire. But when frying beef in small pieces, there is a high probability of drying out the meat. In addition, beef is quite tough meat. Therefore, if you want to cook beef kebab, then you need to marinate it. You can marinate for 4-5 hours and up to a day in the refrigerator.

To prepare a delicious beef kebab, you need to choose first-class cuts of a cow carcass: in front, these are the front shoulder and shoulder blades (index I); rear dorsal part: thick loin and rump (II), rump and rump (III).

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

What kind of meat is suitable for barbecue?, and which one is not? Expert advice

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

Freshness is a must. When using weathered pieces of dubious origin, there is a possibility of getting foreign “odors”. Try pressing your finger on the pulp when purchasing. Good meat will immediately return to shape, smoothing out the dimple.

Under no circumstances use frozen pieces for barbecue - they will turn out dry and tasteless.

The pulp should be without veins and with sufficient inclusion of fatty tissue to obtain a juicy dish.

: pork

This choice will certainly be ideal! Pork has, in addition to excellent taste, 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 in aromatic seasonings and sauce before frying. The best kebab comes from the flesh located on the parts of the body closer to the pig's neck.

What kind of meat is best for barbecue?: beef

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

What kind of meat is best for barbecue?: mutton

Despite its harshness, true gourmets prefer a smoky fried dish made from this particular product. In all cookbooks of the Caucasus, young lamb shish kebab is a classic dish with excellent taste and aroma. It usually uses ribs, leg or shoulder. But the main highlight is having time to enjoy the hot, juicy pieces. After all, any lamb tends to harden quickly.

What kind of meat is best for barbecue?: bird

Some categorically do not recognize such a dish. They believe that this is the same as “ear from a rooster.” But, if you use meat not from tough old domestic chickens, but from “precocious” broilers, the result will be quite tender and appetizing. Carcasses are usually cut into portions and fried on a grill, turning over to brown. Tasty and appetizing!

Without a doubt, everyone's favorite dish on vacation is shish kebab. Not a single trip out of town - to the country house, to the forest, to a picnic - is complete without a delicious, aromatic barbecue.

Shish kebab is an extraordinary dish! It would seem that it could be simpler: I cut the meat into pieces, strung it on skewers and cooked it over coals. However, not all so simple!

In order for the kebab to turn out juicy and tasty, the first thing you need to do is choose the right meat. The meat should be fresh and not very fatty.

Traditionally suitable for barbecue

• pork - neck, ham. She takes first place.
• lamb - ham, back (loin), loin (saddle).
• Beef is practically not used for barbecue; veal tenderloin is suitable.
• chicken - fillet, thigh, legs, wings.
• Recently, shish kebab made from red fish (salmon, trout) has become popular, but such kebab is often cooked on the grill rather than on coals.

The second component for barbecue is the marinade. There are a great many marinade recipes for barbecue, published on the pages of my website.

And, of course, the third main component for obtaining a tasty dish is the cooking process itself - frying. This is an entire art, because if something goes wrong at this stage, previous efforts will be in vain.

Rules for cooking shish kebab

1. It is necessary to cut the meat into even pieces - not too large so that they have time to fry inside and not burn on the outside, and not too small so that the meat does not turn out dry. If the cut pieces turn out to be different in size, then large pieces should be closer to the center of the skewer, and small ones should be at the edges. Thread the meat onto skewers along the grain, closer to each other.
2. During frying, you need to turn the kebabs over so that the meat cooks evenly. Make sure there is enough heat from the coals.
3. To prevent the kebabs from turning out dry, sprinkle them with water acidified with vinegar or dry wine from time to time. Care must be taken to ensure that the flames do not burn the meat.
4. The readiness of shish kebab is usually determined by eye. If the meat is evenly browned, no blood is released, and there is no red meat, then the kebab can be removed from the heat.

Shish kebab is best served with vegetables, herbs and dry red wine. Greens - lettuce, parsley, cilantro, celery, dill and green onions. Vegetables help fight carcinogens and promote better digestion of meat.

Long-awaited warm days are ahead, when it’s so good to gather with friends in nature, light a fire and cook everyone’s favorite “picnic” dish - shish kebab. Cooking meat over coals is, of course, an art, but with the right approach, even a novice cook can handle it. After all, success in this business requires little: suitable meat, proper marinating and a good mood!

The main factor is, after all, the choice of meat. The quality of meat is the key to success and a guarantee that the kebab will turn out juicy, aromatic and truly tasty even in the hands of an inexperienced cook.

What kind of meat is right for cooking over charcoal? Markets and supermarkets offer “kebab meat” and “ready-made kebabs” without specifying the cuts and their culinary characteristics, while buyers can only rely on their experience and the integrity of the seller. But it’s better not to rely on luck, but to trust the professionals of MYASNOV! Our specialists carefully cut the meat, removing films, bones, and excess fat from the parts of the carcass most suitable for barbecue. You need to decide whether you want to perform the “sacrament” of preparing meat for roasting on the fire yourself, or whether you prefer to use already chopped and marinated meat. For both options, MYASNOV offers optimal solutions.

Kebab meat: full version (option for pros)

If you are an experienced cook, you know and can apply the basic principles of preparing meat, and you like to be personally involved in the entire cooking process, you will probably prefer to cut and marinate the meat yourself. MYASNOV will help you decide on the choice of a specific piece from which “smoky” masterpieces will be created.

The meat should be quite soft and tender, because cooking small pieces over coals does not involve prolonged heat exposure, which means that the meat should be ready as quickly as possible.

The meat should not be too dry - it should contain a small amount of fat, which will prevent it from drying out.

If you prefer beef kebab, MYASNOV recommends the meat of young bulls: it is juicier, cooks faster than adult beef, but has already managed to accumulate a maximum of nutrients, unlike veal. Best suited for barbecue:

The meatiest part of the carcass with a small amount of fat and delicate connective tissue, excellent meat for lean barbecue;

Contains a small amount of connective tissue and requires longer marinating and cooking.

– excellent meat from the kidney part of the loin;

Tender rib meat from the front part of the loin, considered the most valuable part of the carcass in culinary terms;

– the central part of the loin, chopped crosswise with the bone;

– the most popular part for preparing lamb kebab.

If you like to cook and treat your loved ones with homemade kebabs, choose a suitable piece of meat at MYASNOV, cut it, marinate it - and enjoy the amazing process and result of “witchcraft” on the grill, receiving well-deserved compliments!

Kebab meat: light version(for those who save their time and for beginners)

Cutting meat for barbecue requires a certain skill, and marinating requires time and knowledge of the proportions of a good marinade. For those who do not have the opportunity or desire to perform these operations on their own, MYASNOV offers ready-made solutions: various types of meat, optimally cut and marinated.

The shish kebab pieces must be the same in size, shape and weight - our specialists have already taken care of this, who carefully cut the meat, removed excess films and fat, and then carefully cut the meat into even pieces. Only such carefully prepared pieces of meat from one “correct” part of the carcass are ideal for barbecue and will be fried evenly and at the same time.

To satisfy the diverse tastes of our customers, we have prepared three lines of kebabs from different types of meat in marinades, which include only natural ingredients:

For the keepers of traditions - kebabs of pork, lamb, poultry with marinade according to the classic recipe: onions, spices, salt, vinegar;

For those who appreciate variety - meat in marinades based on olive oil, herbs and various sauces;

Choose MYASNOV finished products or MYASNOV culinary cut meat to prepare your own barbecue. Let every trip to nature with MYASNOV be accompanied by a unique taste and vivid memories!

So, in order to start cooking real and tasty kebab, you must first choose the right meat. What kind of meat should you buy? Some people only like lamb, others do not eat pork, and still others eat any meat. Pork is perfect for a good barbecue, not very fatty, only fresh and not frozen. What part of pork should I use for the best result? I wouldn't risk other parts of the pig's meat just to be disappointed. Take the neck and that's it. But, and right there, I will make one reservation. It has such a middle, without veins, slightly pink in color, which runs along the spine on both sides. So, it’s also not suitable for barbecue. And even if it ends up on the barbecue, and this can always happen, then you will immediately begin to chew it like chicken breast and without much taste pleasure, no matter what seasonings you use. Like all butchers, I will also assure you that frozen meat loses its main taste properties. Although, what can I say, our brother cannot take something for nothing. It happens that somewhere fresh meat is found, but over time it doesn’t always work out. Therefore, listen to at least one piece of advice: do not marinate meat frozen or otherwise. cold, let it first thaw to room temperature and drain all the blood water. Pay attention to the color of the meat: if the meat is faded and dried out, it means it is not fresh and it will not make a kebab. Conclusion: fresh meat, frozen, is better than not fresh! Draw the right conclusion yourself!

To begin, rinse the meat with running water and dry it with a napkin. Who knows how and who groped him before you, and there is absolutely no need for moisture in the marinating. If you buy meat at the market early in the morning and marinate it according to this recipe right away, then in the evening you can safely turn it on the grill!

We have dealt with meat, by the way, lamb will be even tastier, and I have been convinced of this more than once and will always affirm this. I once had the opportunity to cook barbecue for a purely Turkish society; they bought me the meat themselves. What was it like? It was surprising that they snatched pieces of meat almost from the mouths of even others! The lamb was marinated exactly according to this recipe! Therefore, I still try to treat my dear and respected guests with fresh lamb!

Using this method, we cut the meat into transverse washers 3-4 cm wide, then into equal pieces, removing the bar and tendons. Don’t get too carried away with removing the lard, this will add some juiciness. After a good workout, you may end up like me, where each shelf of meat comes out with a difference of two to five grams!!! For lean lamb, it is recommended to also put fat tail fat between the meat. Let's leave this topic for lamb lovers.

Now the ingredients for marinating and the whole secret of my dish. We take it at a rate of, let’s say, 3-4 kilograms. The main system for marinating meat is not what ingredients to put in it, it’s even very important in what sequence!

1. Salt (about 4-5 tsp). I’ll say right away that everyone’s tastes are different, I personally don’t add salt to anything on the table, I never even add salt to eggs or tomatoes. The two chemical compounds, sodium and chlorine, that make up salt, do nothing good for the body, and they will ruin the bones to the point of arthrosis. Let’s not talk about the fact that salt is simply necessary, you can’t live without it, etc. But under-salted kebab will be very inappropriate, so it needs to be well and properly salted.

2. Black pepper and, I especially emphasize, coarsely ground, as in the picture. No “dust” from the pepper shaker! Better yet, crush the peas with the flat of a knife and then cut them a little with the tip. When you chew the meat, these grains will give you a pleasant taste sensation. How many? 15 – 20 peas!!! If you want more, it's not for everybody! By the way, black pepper is very beneficial for the body!!! Are you familiar with vodka with pepper for colds? So, it is not vodka that gives the healing reaction, first of all, but the black pepper itself!

3. Coriander. She is also cilantro. I think you are familiar with this name. Again the question is - how much? I think that 15-20 peas will also be enough. They need to be crushed in a mortar, first lightly fried. It may already be sold ground. But, in no case, maybe I will repeat, it is IMPOSSIBLE to overdo it with seasonings! Otherwise you won’t get the real taste of meat. If the coriander is already ground: a little more than half a tsp. Or rather, it will be like in the photo. I have seen how they marinate kebab with green cilantro, but in order to recommend this to you, you need to check it yourself. I haven’t tried it - I don’t know, although I’ll definitely try to marinate it like this as soon as the opportunity arises.

4. Basil. I have it in a jar, dry. Sold in almost all stores. Take the same amount as ground coriander. In a teaspoon size it is 1/2, maybe a little more! This herb does not have such a sharp and pungent taste.

5. Thyme. He's Thyme. One of the Asian seasonings, from which dried thyme is used. In small quantities, it complements vegetable and meat dishes well, as well as various salads. The use of thyme dates back to ancient Greece, where it symbolized courage. Roman soldiers bathed in water infused with thyme to gain strength, energy and courage. In the Middle Ages, girls embroidered a sprig of thyme on knights' scarves for courage. How many? Per kilogram – one or two pinches, rubbing lightly with your fingers.

6. Zira, aka Zra, aka Kumin. Not to be confused with caraway seeds or dill. Such things do not go into barbecue at all. Look in stores, with friends and it will pay off for you! I haven’t seen it in German stores, but they definitely have it in Russian stores! Quantity? A very specific seasoning, a little less than half a tsp will be enough. Zira has a very specific taste, so be careful in its quantity. Zira is very similar to dill, don’t confuse it!

7. Bay leaf, a couple of pieces. Let it even break into small pieces while stirring. When you put the meat on skewers, if you notice it, simply move it to the side. They don't eat it!!!

8. Red pepper, paprika. Ground, sweet. You can have a teaspoon without a “slide”. It will give a slightly desired aroma and a beautiful color when frying. Want to add some spice? One clove of crushed garlic, add hot capsicum, but I warn you that the taste of the meat can be greatly interrupted, I think you don’t need this, because you wanted a real kebab, right?

9. Onions. We prepare it in two ways: smaller onions are used for meat, larger onions are used as a snack. First, cut large onions and only into rings. The rings need to be separated from each other. We sort it out carefully and add the rings separately into a dose, and mix everything else with the meat. Snack on the kebab rings! And not some kind of waste or tails, cut at random. Aesthetic culture and accuracy must be present first of all! About 5-6 bulbs will be enough. As some people write that onions are 1:1, it seems to me that there will be a lot, just cut them correctly so that they release the juice. For convenience, the second method is to pass the onion through a meat grinder, and then squeeze the resulting mass through cheesecloth. This is what I use, it’s very convenient and you don’t have to deal with onion waste. It’s even easier to put it through a juicer, it will be more practical, but it will be more hassle with washing the machine. The next day, you can sprinkle onion rings with vinegar diluted with water and sprinkle with red or black pepper, as you like!

10. Sunflower oil, do not confuse it with olive oil, 5-6 tablespoons. Yes, yes, you heard absolutely right, it’s sunflower oil! Imagine yourself that you threw meat into a frying pan, without oil. And, no matter how non-stick frying pan you have, any meat will simply start to burn. This is what you see in the pictures of other barbecue makers, where the charred edges stick out, and you need to chew them, because spitting them out is ugly and just inconvenient. Add the oil after all the added, mixed ingredients, in exactly the same order as written.

This is what someone fried meat looks like in the picture: a. marinated without oil;
b. the onion was cut too finely and not all of it was removed;
V. this is the meat that comes from the neck trim,
slightly pink in color, does not change its shape after marinating and does not have a real, juicy taste. How did it burn? Can this be called shish kebab?

11. And now, having put everything that is written above into the meat, passing it between your fingers, we begin to mix everything thoroughly, adding an equally important and, I would even say, effective product, this is LEMON. Half a good-sized lemon will do. Just be careful to squeeze out only when everything is already mixed with seasonings and oil. If lemon gets on clean meat, it will immediately become a “stake”, like vinegar does, so vinegar simply does not go into barbecue.

You can pour vinegar over already fried kebab.

12. A quarter, or maybe half, of natural pomegranate juice will add even more compliments to you and hide the key to your recipe even more reliably! Pomegranate, in the summer, is unlikely to be found anywhere, and it is better to neglect juices in the store. Many tests show that the grenade was not even close to there. So, let's leave your experiment until late autumn.

Mix all this thoroughly and leave it tightly covered in the pan, pressing down on top with a plate of approximately the same diameter. Place something heavy on top and leave it like that until tomorrow. Although, as I mentioned above, if the meat is fresh, then it will also marinate throughout the day. In the morning, mix everything, now enjoying the smell that will already come from the meat. You can even lick it or bite it, now there is nothing scary in this meat.

And this is what fresh, soft, vigorous, marinated meat should look like. It can be immediately distinguished from bad meat. Conclusion: be friends with the butcher, at least find out what days he slaughters. An exceptional case is if you do this yourself. Now I’ll also pay attention to the grill. It must also meet some parameters. It is best to have an iron one, or even better, a stainless steel one; the thicker its walls, the better. It will retain heat better and fry the outermost pieces.

And you don’t have to torture yourself with hunger by making barbecue on bricks or hanging chains somewhere.

My barbecue looks like this: length - 60 cm, height 15 (from the grate) and width 22 cm. The main mistake of those who make barbecues: the grate should not have a large number of holes. It would be better if a quarter of the bottom of the grill was made entirely of grate, the rest was solid iron. You will see how the meat will simply brown and fry to its full depth. And most importantly, it will not flare up under the flame of fire, where the meat will immediately take on a smoky color and lose the taste we all need. Do you want to eat soot??? Me not!!! Smoking is a completely different topic and in this case it will simply not be appropriate.

This barbecue is for a small company or an outing. At the moment in the photo, my newest barbecue is being tested. Now that everything is over. behind and the meat has been eaten, I can say with confidence that it did not pass the test 100% and now has its drawbacks: along the edge of the holeless bottom, along, I made holes through five centimeters and now everything is fine! Yes, there was no damper for the blower yet, so I had to remove the meat from the place where the grate was, my welder said that he would fix this matter.

Also, I will not focus on the fact that the meat should be fried at good heat all the time, turning and, in no case, should not be doused with flames. Let the coals burn thoroughly, fan the ashes, and only then do the most beautiful thing in this art - fry the kebab! Every self-respecting kebab cook should know this!

Next to the grill is all my marinated and skewered deliciousness! Everything is very convenient and practical! Regarding lamb: be especially careful! If you overcook it, the meat will turn into dry and stale balls. Good, fresh meat cooks quickly, just a couple of minutes is enough. Women especially need to learn one truth, because... they often confuse the juices from the fried meat with blood, so they ask for more fried meat. Although the meat is already quite ready.

I will also reveal my tradition to everyone. Once the coals are lit, I always grill just one stick first. For the success of the event, I will pour a glass of good red wine and evaluate the quality of the future kebab. I’ll let my guests try it, even if not all of them, irritating them to the limit. And then it went - let's go!

I personally have had cases where close friends, one even a butcher by training, were speechless while eating. And after 5-6 sticks, exhaling, he said that he had never eaten such kebab! Now, by the way, this is the only way to marinate!

There is no need to make meter-long skewers. By the time you eat, you get to the last piece, it will already be cold. Secondly, waving a “sword” at the table, saying how delicious the kebab is, you can gouge out a good friend’s eye. And how wonderful it is to eat shish kebab from a skewer when it is still hot. In this case, I use my own short skewers (total length 37 cm). If you only have 20 of them, it means you have no friends and you cannot invite anyone to visit. The meat should be put on the skewers until the last piece. Or do you do this: “Hey, Vovan, come on, finish your food, give me the skewer, I need to fry Kolka!”

I have about 90-100 of them, they don’t rust, they don’t ask to be eaten, unless they put meat on them, and there’s enough for everyone. And when I go into nature, I take all the meat already put on and only on skewers. In a special container and hidden from all insects. I only put marinated meat on skewers myself and only at home. I don’t bother my ladies with this work; once I’ve taken up the task, I’ll see it through to the end. I don’t want to offend our dear and fair sex, but the meat should not roll on skewers or hang down to the very coals.

As for the size of the sticks, when eating, it’s better to take another, fresh, hot stick, so I stick 5-6 pieces. For lovely ladies, one skewer is enough; she would like to try a second one, but with huge skewers, she is afraid that she might not be able to cope. With my size, I can easily regulate the amount of kebab I eat. We are not in the Stone Age with a spinning mammoth or in a competition: “Who can eat the most!” Although, with a good barbecue, any thought about diet simply disappears! And your lady can always eat two or three skewers with pleasure!

Again, a real-life incident. The day dragged on with all sorts of things, it was late evening, a sauna and, accordingly, a barbecue. One lady from a family circle was very indignant, like, at night, looking at such a dish!? From her youth she knew the rules of nutrition, looked after her figure, and, by the way, she swallowed three sticks, and even a glass of beer!!!…

The last condition and important: always seat guests at the table, let them skip one glass with salads. No walking around the grill, everyone must sit at the table! Let them sniff with their nostrils what you are cooking there. Your place is only by the fire!!! This is where you start serving them your kebab!

Shish kebab should only be eaten hot! And yet, if you treat them to barbecue, let it be only barbecue. Some kind of appetizer, like: pickles, tomatoes, squash. Sweet peppers, black olives, onions, dark bread and, of course, good vodka! There shouldn’t be any manti or pies, because you are only serving SHAB!

I don’t know where they will kiss you later for this, but you will definitely be the first kebab maker in the village! This is what the first skewer looks like, squealing, frying and not burning over the hot fire. And the juice, what juice is flowing, just look! If it drops on the fire, then this drop will immediately burst into flames, but at the bottom of the grill with the least ventilation, this will not happen.

Below you will see that all the batches of barbecue I fried look about the same, so you can do it too, I’m sure of it!

But here is the first batch, people are waiting, everything is poured, just serve it!

And this is what lamb looks like: surprisingly golden brown and just melting in your mouth. This is exactly the meat that you saw in the second picture above. What exactly served as the pickle? This cannot be said; most likely, each ingredient contributed to this work. And the fact that the first pancake can always be lumpy, you know this, but the lesson you will learn from this is the most correct one! In this case, if everything was clear to you, there simply cannot be an error.

Try my recipe, maybe you will like this dish too! You're actually drooling???

PS: as one wise man said, “We do not live in this world to eat, but we eat to live!!!”