How not to do it: 5 gross mistakes in cooking shashlik (6 photos)

You're probably a good barbecue maker, but as we all know, there's always room for improvement! We've decided to reiterate the common mistakes in grilling meat that renowned professional chefs and butchers often point out.





Complex and Sour Marinades

The best way to prepare meat for barbecue is to marinate the pieces with plenty of coarsely chopped onion, salt, and ground black pepper. That's it! Any other complex and aggressive marinade will only ruin everything.



Excessive acid negatively affects the texture and flavor of the meat. For shashlik, choose initially soft, non-stringy cuts of meat; then no "tenderizing" will be necessary, especially since acid doesn't tenderize the meat as much as is commonly believed. If you really want to add something sour, use a little mild vinegar, such as rice or apple cider vinegar, but no more than a teaspoon per kilogram of meat.

Overcooked Meat

Good, fresh meat shouldn't be marinated aggressively, nor should it be overcooked to the point of drying out. Pork shashlik is best cooked until it's no longer pink, but still juicy inside.





The main rule for frying any meat is that the outside should be crisp and crispy, while the inside remains juicy.

For all types of red meat (including pork), a temperature of 145°F (63°C) at the thickest part is sufficient. Chicken should be cooked a little more thoroughly, but no more than 165°F (74°C) inside. Professional chefs use a thermometer for this.

Baste the meat with water and other liquids during frying

Water prevents the meat from browning on the outside because it evaporates and cools the surface of the kebab.



If the meat is burning, reduce the heat or move the skewer to a cooler side of the grill, rather than trying to extinguish it with water. Pouring beer, wine, and especially oil on the meat during grilling is also not recommended.

Neglecting Chicken

Many modern chefs believe that chicken thigh is the ideal meat for shashlik. It's juicier, has a little fat, and the meat is stringy and tasty. Chicken breast, however, is also good.



By the way, experts advise against buying pre-peeled chicken thighs—all the juices and flavors have already been released. Buy thighs with the bone and skin on, then remove everything yourself, leaving some bone and cartilage.

Chicken shashlik is best marinated in dairy products (it creates that golden crust!), adding a little mayonnaise, sour cream, vegetable oil, paprika, chili pepper, and salt. The meat should be marinated for about four hours.

By the way, it's also recommended to cook chicken on a skewer, not on a grill, so you can sear it on all sides at once, not just on both sides.

Marinating Lamb

Here's something to remember once and for all: lamb doesn't need a marinade. Sprinkle the meat with coarse salt only at the very end of cooking. And that's the end!



The thing is, unsalted meat "weeps" slowly, and the juices remain inside during frying. If you salt the meat right away, all the juices will escape, and the pieces will be overly tough.