Which part of pork is best for barbecue: choosing the right meat

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

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

Preparing any dish begins, first of all, with a choice - and you can make it correctly and thoughtfully not only in the market in a wide assortment, but also in the nearest store. For example, the most precious part of pork, the tenderloin, is not suitable for preparing a rich meat broth for aromatic soup. And 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 perfect for baking in the oven, it would be foolish to use it for cooking chops or beef stroganoff. But the pulp of the shoulder blade, on the contrary, loves long stewing in 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 subjected to repeated freezing. But the freshness itself must be correct - the meat needs to ripen for 3 - 4 days before it turns into appetizing pieces in the skillful hands of the butcher. And then you can choose exactly what you need to prepare a specific dish.

Which cut is suitable

The most tender meat is tenderloin. There is very little fat, which makes kebab almost a dietary dish. The only thing unnecessary is a small film (almost invisible in a young animal).
The neck is a little rougher than the tenderloin, but the evenly distributed fat will make the kebab juicy. It is better to cut off excess fat from the outside. The neck is the favorite meat for barbecue; in our opinion, it is the neck that produces the most delicious barbecue.
The loin also has tender meat. There is no fat inside, but there is an excess on the surface. Excess fat needs to be removed, otherwise the kebab will come out tough.
A dry piece of carbonate is suitable for barbecue if you take it with lard. Try to have fat on each piece or string the kebab with lard and meat.
Ham (hind leg) - large pieces of meat. It's comfortable. This makes it easier to find an even piece without extra wires. But the meat itself is tougher and will require a good softening marinade.
The shoulder (front leg) is slightly more tender than the ham, but smaller. If you have a large piece, you can make a good kebab.
Brisket. Meat on ribs. You won’t get a classic kebab from it, but there is a kebab from this piece.
Ribs are suitable for grilling or barbecuing, but as a shish kebab - hardly.

The pig carcass should weigh 40-50 kg. This is a young animal. A higher carcass weight indicates age.

Lean meat is not suitable for barbecue.

We have decided on the meat, all that remains is to prepare it, cut it and move on to the recipes.

Try different cuts and experiment with recipes. We would be interested to read your opinion and results of experiments in the comments.

Spatula

Like ham, it contains quite a lot of veins. So if you didn’t manage to get any of the above, then when cutting you should pay attention to the veins which, if possible, should be removed. You can cook it on a barbecue grill or on skewers. It all depends on the cut.

Now you have a little idea of which part of the pork carcass has softer tissue. But the choice will of course depend on personal preferences and financial capabilities.

How not to make a mistake or which meat is better to choose for pork or beef barbecue

Before choosing a product for our future dish, I would like to mention a little about other types of meat.

Nowadays it is used to prepare:

Chicken.
Mutton.
And even beef.

But why did most people choose pork? The answer is simple. It is a little fatty, which gives juiciness to the meat. While chicken is more dry, lamb and beef cannot be chewed at all.

When we go to the store, we take the first piece we come across and go home in the hope that we will cook a delicious kebab. When we try a prepared piece, we are disappointed with it and cross this delicious food off the list of dishes.

To prevent this from happening, you must choose the right meat preparation. The best meat for pork barbecue and which part is best suited for the dish is determined by the following criteria:

Freshness.
Smell.
Color (the pinker the pork, the younger and softer it is).
Cooling degree.

How much to weigh in grams

We have chosen the ideal meat for barbecue, but the question is: how much to take? How much meat should you take per person? A lot depends on what other food there will be. Are there also cold appetizers, salads, and pita bread? After eating a lot of cold dishes and bread, most likely there won’t be much shish kebab.

And yet, on average, the calculation is as follows (depending on body size): 350-500 g for children and women, 600-800 g for men. Too much? Well, firstly, the appetite is always excellent in nature, and secondly, you probably went out for the whole day.

Life hack: on the Internet there are special calculators for calculating meat for large companies - try to use it and compare the results, making the appropriate conclusions.

Beef meat for barbecue

You can also make a good and tasty kebab from beef. It tastes very different from pork, but is less fatty. Choose veal or bull, but under no circumstances cow - the meat will be old, the kebab will be tough and all your efforts will be in vain.

The characteristics of these parts are almost the same as those of similar pork parts. Beef requires a little more attention to preparation than pork.

Beef kebab is preferred by two types of people - those with strong stomachs and those with weak stomachs (those for whom fatty foods are contraindicated).

In the latter case, the meat should be marinated very carefully with a large amount of dry wine and other “tenderizers”. It is even advisable to beat it off before marinating. Beef is cut across the grain rather than along it - this, among other things, will make it easier to chew. A “lighter” version of beef kebab is veal.

In kefir with kiwi

Rinse the meat, cut into equal pieces. Place in a bowl, pepper, lightly salt, leave for 10 minutes. Chop the onion thinly and mash it slightly with your hands to release its juice. Mix with beef, pour kefir over everything so that the meat is completely covered. Cover with a lid and refrigerate for 10 hours.

Video on how to cook shish kebab with wine

Watch this video recipe for cooking with dry white wine. This method gives the meat a special aroma and taste. It is very tender. The longer it marinates, the more aromatic and tasty the kebab will be.

There are incredibly many ways to marinate kebab so that it is tasty, the meat is soft and aromatic. Choose any one for yourself. Better yet, try everything. After all, the warm season is just beginning and there is still a whole summer ahead.

That's all I have for today. But this is not the end. I will tell you many more interesting recipes for marinating shish kebab from different meats. For example, you can see a few more delicious ways here.

All the best to you and good luck!

How to choose good meat

Choosing the right part of pork is another half of successful barbecue preparation. You also need to evaluate the freshness and quality of the tenderloin. Many people order organic products at home without bothering with shopping. But experts in the business always search for products on their own. It is better to buy meat in specialized stores or markets that cooperate with farms.

So, the meat for pork kebab should be:

young;
cut from the neck, chest or kidney parts of the carcass;
fresh.

The meat of a young animal is always lighter than that of an old one. This is the most characteristic feature of pork. But it is not suitable for cooking barbecue or any other dish, since the fibers of even suckling pig will be hard. The best pork is the one that has lain in a cool place for a day, rested, the fibers have lost their tone, and excess blood has gone away.

The ideal storage temperature for fresh carcasses is from 0 to +4°C. The best meat is the one that has not been frozen or has been frozen only once for a short period of time. The size of the piece of carcass purchased for barbecue also matters. The larger and smoother it is, the better. This makes it easier and more convenient to cut good portioned pieces for threading on a skewer.

To choose a quality piece, pay attention to the following characteristics:

color – light, uneven, without gloss;
smell – pleasant;
The fiber structure is dense; if you press on the meat with your finger, the dent will quickly disappear.

A piece of carcass should not have a suspicious shine or dullness. The meat should not be covered with mucus or film. The structure should also not be too watery. If, when pressed, liquid and blood ooze from a piece, most likely the carcass was pumped with water or even chemicals to increase its weight and shelf life.

Kebab meat from an older animal always has a more intense red color and is likely to be tough and dry after cooking. Experts say that the meat of a pig is most tender, then a young boar, but an old boar that was used for breeding is absolutely not suitable. When meat undergoes heat treatment it emits a very unpleasant odor, and no one will eat it. It is difficult to determine from raw meat whether the seller is deceiving his buyer, but it is possible. It is enough to bring a lighter to a piece of carcass; when heated, the characteristic smell will spread instantly.

Good kebab shops always offer shish kebab from different types of meat, although initially this dish was traditionally prepared from young lamb. In the Caucasus, they still do not change traditions, marinating lamb with a lot of aromatic spices, onion rings, tomatoes and peppers. Vegetables and spices make the meat fibers more tender and the smell even more pleasant.

When is the kebab ready?

When the kebab is covered with a golden crust on both sides, you should pierce it with a knife: if blood comes out, 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 (if in doubt, it is recommended to remove one large piece of meat from the skewer and cut it in the middle - this way you will certainly be sure of its readiness). Typically frying lasts about 20-25 minutes.

The most piquant question for many - when exactly should you 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 towards the fire, and the coals begin to hiss loudly, you should turn the skewer. And this should be done until the hissing disappears completely. After this, the skewers should be rotated often enough to ensure that your kebab browns as evenly as possible.

Wherever the kebab is prepared and no matter what it is called, the main secret is that it is prepared according to all the rules and with love, then you will be able to enjoy an unusual, juicy and most delicious dish on earth!

How to beautifully fry a kebab with cognac?

We hope you have already decided for yourself what kind of barbecue meat you will take?

Branches, firewood, coals - everything will do, if after burning there is a good pile of hot coals, which are covered with white ash on top. The height of the kebab above the coals should not exceed 30 cm, but it should not be lowered any closer. At this height, the temperature should be such that the hand cannot be held for more than 2 seconds.

You can check the readiness of an already cooked product by making an incision with a knife. The juice coming out of the kebab should be clear. Don't be afraid to take a piece off the skewer and just taste it.

Mutton

It is believed that the best meat for barbecue is lamb. The animal must be under 1 year old. In the spring, on special occasions in the Caucasus, it is customary to prepare shish kebab from a milk carcass. This meat is ideal for barbecue, as its fibers are the most delicate and, when fried, give a pleasant creamy taste and aroma.

Lamb ham, loin and even the back are suitable for grilling on the grill. The color of lamb is red, but if its color is too intense, turning into ruby, most likely the animal was too old, and therefore suitable only for making soup. The best meat should have thin streaks of light fat evenly distributed throughout the piece. When fried, such a piece will turn out very juicy.

It is better to make barbecue immediately upon the arrival of guests. Lamb has a special property: as soon as it cools down, eating it is no longer entirely pleasant, since the fibers of the meat quickly harden. What to marinate lamb in?

Simple marinade recipe:

lemon juice;
olive oil;
salt pepper;
onion garlic;
greenery.

All ingredients are mixed and allowed to stand for a few minutes. The marinade is poured into a container with chopped lamb and thoroughly kneaded by hand for 10-15 minutes. After this, leave to marinate for 2-3 hours. You can pour mineral water over the meat and rub it with salt and spices, then after 1 hour you can fry the kebab.

What part can still be used? You can chop lamb ribs or shanks and bake them on a wire rack, it will also turn out very tasty. The main thing is to take a young carcass, since in an old animal these parts will be too fatty.

Recipe:

This recipe makes the meat soft even if it was very tough. You can even take the meat frozen. Let the meat thaw. Then cut the beef into matchbox-sized pieces.

Sprinkle a layer of allspice on the bottom of the pan. Cover it with a layer of bay leaf on top. Place a layer of onion cut into rings, a layer of meat on top, salt and pepper with red ground pepper, again add a layer of onion and so on alternate. The last layer should be onions. Place a layer of bay leaf on top of it.

On top of the bay leaf layer, place a finger-thick layer of tomato paste and vinegar (put 1 spoon of vinegar per 1 kg of meat). Cover all this with an inverted plate and place about 10 kg of pressure on top. Leave for a day. After a day, drain the yushka, discard the top layer of bay leaves and transfer the meat to another bowl, leaving the bottom layer of bay leaves and peppercorns in the old one.

Then squeeze lemon into the meat and add dry white wine. After 2 hours, you can fry using skewers in a grill with hot coals.

Juicy pork meat for barbecue and which part of the carcass is best for frying

What part of pork should I use? The neck is best because the fat is distributed evenly on it. If you have a lot of time, you can take a ham. Be prepared for the fact that you will have to marinate it for a long time. If size and quantity are not important, then loin and ribs will do just fine, especially since offal can be used for jellied meat or broth. After this choice comes preparation and cooking itself.

It doesn’t matter what kind of meat is best for pork kebab - it must be thoroughly rinsed under running water. Because it is unknown where it was. Place the carcass on the work surface and begin cutting it up.

If you don't want it to be greasy, you can trim off the excess a little. But then the juiciness will disappear and you will feel dry. Using a sharp knife, divide into pieces across the grain. The smaller they are, the faster and better they will bake.

To make our dish spicy and tasty, you need to prepare a marinade. It can not only add flavor, but also spoil the food.

Marinade

You can find a wide variety of marinades on the Internet. But the classic recipe remains integral, which will preserve all the taste and aroma.

To prepare it you will need:

Vinegar – 250 ml.
Onions – 2 – 3 pcs.
Black pepper – 1 tsp.

We prepare a large vessel, preferably glass or clay, and place our product in it. Top with chopped onion rings. Pour in vinegar, add ground pepper, salt and pepper to taste. Place in the refrigerator to marinate for 6 hours.

Regardless of what meat we choose for pork kebab, we need to prepare a place and items for frying. We put on the grill and light the fire. While it burns, we prepare skewers or a barbecue and chop vegetables (as a side dish).

After enough time has passed, we string it and take it to fry. Frying time depends on the size of the pieces. Periodically you need to turn and pour marinade or water over the pieces. To check readiness, make an incision. If the meat is white and the juice is colorless, then the dish is ready. Shish kebab can be served on a plate with vegetables.

Lamb shish kebab with vinegar: a classic way to cook meat in Tajik style

Products:

1200 g lamb
200 g onions
50 g vinegar 3%
30 g cumin
50 g greens
ground black pepper, salt

Recipe:

Cut the lamb pulp into pieces measuring 25 grams. Salt, pepper, mix with finely chopped onions, cumin, pour vinegar and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Then string the pieces of meat onto skewers and fry over hot coals.

When serving, place the meat on a plate and sprinkle with chopped onions and herbs.

Steamed, chilled or frozen pork

Steamed pork is the meat of an animal that was killed no more than 3 hours ago. Many call this an advantage, because the pieces are definitely fresh. However, steamed pork is not suitable for frying barbecue, as it becomes extremely tough in the process. Even the most tender tenderloin in the form of a piece of shish kebab is practically unchewable.

Only chilled raw materials can be tasty and soft in the finished dish. When the meat rests for 6-8 hours, the muscles and tendons will completely relax. This product marinates quickly, is easy to fry, and turns out incredibly juicy. The ideal meat for barbecue is fresh, a little in the refrigerator at a temperature of +1 +3 degrees.

It is not always possible to stock up on chilled pork, since its shelf life at such temperatures is limited, so most often kebab is prepared from frozen raw materials. It can only be tasty if the pork has been frozen once. When defrosted and re-frozen, the finished kebab will become tasteless, dry and tough. It is easy to understand that meat has been frozen several times. You need to press the flesh with your finger. If the pork was frozen only once, a dark-colored spot will remain on it, but if the procedure is repeated, then no traces will remain on the surface.

Pork for barbecue

Pork is surprisingly good for barbecue. Tender pulp, without a pronounced odor, does not require long marinating and is quickly fried. Pork is easily digestible, contains phosphorus and magnesium, vitamins A and B. And lard contains selenium and arachidonic acid - natural antidepressants.

Let’s not forget about availability: it’s easier to buy a piece of good quality in a regular store than beef or, especially, lamb.

When going to the store to buy pork for barbecue, be prepared to touch and smell it. Of course, then the experience of assessing by eye will come, but it will not completely eliminate such checks.

Of course, you can take a risk and buy ready-made kebab in the store, but the marinade composition will be half of preservatives, the meat will be of incomprehensible freshness and “youth,” and as experience shows, it will also be cut haphazardly. We do not recommend: choose the right pork, marinate it correctly and fry the kebab correctly - only by independently controlling all stages can you not embarrass yourself in front of your guests.

For barbecue you should not take any meat from the counter. Choose the same thing.

Meat for pork shish kebab should be:

young;
purchased the correct cut suitable for barbecue (more on this below);
fresh.

The meat of a young pig is always lighter than the old one. This is typical not only for pork, but in pork it is most noticeable.

Please note that fresh meat is not suitable for barbecue: immediately after slaughter, the fibers of even a young pig are tough. The carcass must mature for 24 hours after slaughter. This will make the fibers soft.

Frozen meat for barbecue should be avoided. As an exception, you can take pork that has undergone industrial shock freezing. But the piece should be frozen no more than once.

The size of the piece is also important. Remember that you will need to strip the meat of veins and films and cut it into even, neat pieces for skewering. So look at the meat on the counter: how many pieces you will get, what will be trimmed, and what won’t fit due to the wrong shape.

How to choose the right meat for barbecue?

And so you finally made it to the meat counter and are in a hurry to make a purchase. But how to buy fresh meat? Below is a small list of signs by which you can determine the freshness of meat.

Fresh meat does not have any strong odors. The smell of meat should be barely perceptible. If there is a taste of acid or rottenness, this means that you should absolutely not buy it. If you press on a piece of meat with your finger or something else, the mark should even out

If this happens, then this piece is fresh. Now pay attention to the color. It should be pale pink, this color indicates that the pig was young

The ham and shoulder are darker in color. The color of the fat should be pure white. Do not take dark or yellowed ones. It is also worth refusing to buy meat in vacuum packaging, as too often meat that is not fresh is placed in such packaging. But of course, not all manufacturers are guilty of this. There are also those who work honestly, and if you know them, then do not forget to check the packaging date of this piece. Also, some dishonest sellers sometimes light up their display cases in red to give the meat the desired texture and color. Therefore, be careful when buying meat in supermarkets.

As for buying already marinated meat. If you are confident in the manufacturer and have already bought marinated kebab from him more than once, and he has completely satisfied you, then of course buy it. But don’t think that all manufacturers are so respectable. There are too many cases when spoiled meat is sent to marinate for barbecue in order to get at least some benefit. So it’s best to buy fresh meat and marinate it yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QD71JsBjpRk

After reading these recommendations and tips, you may come to a final decision and decide on the choice of meat for kebabs. And you won't be disappointed.

Be sure to smell lamb without being shy. A young lamb, castrated and properly dressed, should not have a strong smell. This smell cannot be masked with spices or removed in any way. This is not suitable for barbecue. There should be no mucus or suspicious moisture on the pieces. Don’t even think about taking dry, weathered meat.

At the very least, it is extremely difficult to find what you need at the last minute, and most importantly, the meat still has time to ripen. 4 hours after slaughter, rigor mortis processes begin to occur in the animal’s tissues. This lasts approximately two days, and then the tissues begin to gradually soften. The meat is ripening. If there is even the slightest opportunity to purchase meat 2, or preferably 3 days before the planned picnic, then you need to take advantage of it.

Be sure to store dry in the refrigerator. It is best to use a vacuum bag. Many supermarkets can vacuum seal almost any product. As a last resort, wrap the meat in a dry, clean towel, periodically turning it over, airing it and wiping it.

Marinade is a very important component. It helps change the structure of meat, making its fibers soft

All marinades whose purpose is to sweeten, acidify or otherwise change the taste or color are not suitable for barbecue.

It is permissible to marinate chicken for an hour, pork for up to 4 hours, beef and lamb for up to 12 hours. If the meat is kept in such a marinade, it can soften so much that it loses all its juiciness when fried.

Quality issue

Before purchasing, make sure the pork is of decent quality.

If you can smell it simply by holding it in your hands, don’t take the rotten meat.

To choose a quality piece, pay attention to the following:

Light color, no gloss;
Pleasant, mild smell;
Dense meat structure that quickly restores its shape when pressed.

Pork should not be covered with mucus or film. Liquid or blood should not ooze from the piece: this is a sign of fraud when either the blood was not drained or was pumped with a solution. This is done to gain weight. Impregnation solutions contain chemicals that are definitely not good for your health.

And don’t forget about the color: light means young. Dark meat from an old pig will not please you in a barbecue

Choosing pork is not difficult; for barbecue it should be:

The light pink color of pork cannot be confused with any other.
Old meat is dark and covered with a thick film.
Young pork has small and white streaks of fat,
Boar meat should be avoided. Firstly, the boar carcass is larger, and the meat is dark and dense (this is due to age). Secondly, the smell from meat when frying is characteristic and very unpleasant. Of course, you can set a piece on fire with a lighter at the market, but not all sellers agree to such tests. Then smell the meat, if the smell is similar to urine, don’t take it.
Fat is also an indicator. Sticky, dull or yellow fat is a sign of low-quality meat. In rotten meat, the fat turns yellow-gray.

You need to choose high-quality pork for barbecue, you need to look closely and check it. After all, not only a well-spent picnic, but also health is at stake.

How to submit? Do you need barbecue sauce?

Kebab should be served hot. You should not distribute hot skewers with meat to everyone, and especially to children. It is better to place the meat in a large dish and sprinkle with pickled onions or fresh green onions.

As for sauces, now it is possible to purchase ready-made sauces of completely unimaginable taste and wonderful taste. Everyone can choose something special for themselves. Don’t forget the main thing - serve a little alcohol with such a wonderful appetizer and it will be a royal picnic. But don't overdo it...

Where is the best place to buy good meat?

Having understood the issue of meat freshness, 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, when buying the desired part of a meat carcass at the market, you can carefully examine it, even turn it in your hands, smell the chosen product, and even ask the butcher for advice. Taking into account the dish planned for preparation, 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 there who want to make a purchase and tactilely check the quality of the piece of meat they like.

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

That's all I would like to tell you about the correct choice of pork for cooking various dishes, both on a regular stove and over an open fire.

In sour cream

Rinse the chicken meat, cut into pieces, place in a deep bowl or pan, sprinkle with dried basil, pepper (red and black), lightly salt, stir. Pour sour cream over the meat, add finely chopped parsley, stir again, cover with a lid and leave to marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

In tomato sauce

Peel the garlic and crush it in a press. Wash the parsley, dry it, finely chop it. Rinse the chicken meat, dry it with a paper towel, cut into pieces. In a small saucepan, combine tomato paste (or ketchup), sour cream, vegetable oil, garlic and parsley. Add chicken meat there, mix thoroughly. Place in the refrigerator to marinate overnight.

FUN FACT

The first kebab shop in Paris was opened by the famous writer Alexandre Dumas after he tried this dish during a trip to the Caucasus in 1858. True, the Parisians practically did not appreciate his zeal - the kebab shop “burned out” (like many other projects of Dumas) due to the lack of clients. By the way, the writer assured that at that time in the Caucasus, lamb loin for barbecue was simply placed in a marinade of vinegar, onion, salt and pepper for 15 minutes. And only to get a particularly spicy dish, they left it overnight.

The most accessible and cheapest is chicken. When choosing it, all that remains is to decide on the specific part of the bird. It is better to take pieces of the same type: wings, carbonates, drumsticks. In this case, the cooking time will be the same for the entire kebab.

The wings cook just as quickly, form a wonderful crust, but contain little meat in relation to the amount of bones.

When choosing chicken legs, take the time to remove the bones from each one. Often chicken legs are not cooked enough precisely because of the presence of bones in them. If you cook the chicken for too long, the skin will most likely burn, and the top fibers of the meat will shrink, release all the juice and become dry, losing their flavor.

What you will need during the cooking process

Grill shashlik over an open fire or in the oven. If you have to fry pork in the forest, then instead of coals you can use pine cones, which will give the pulp a delicate aroma and exquisite taste. For firewood, it is best to use a species such as birch. It is birch that holds temperature well and will burn slowly. Any fruit trees can also be used as firewood.

Firewood should be laid out in the shape of a square or well. It is this shape that allows the logs to be blown from all sides. Do not use gasoline or other chemicals for ignition. The fact is that the smells will not have time to dissipate and will permeate the kebab. It is best to use paper, tree bark or wood chips. It is best to choose a flat skewer. It is this shape that allows you to rotate the meat efficiently so that it does not spin and cooks evenly.

CHICKEN SHASHLIK

Chicken kebab impresses with its speed of preparation, the dietary properties of the meat, as well as its affordability. In addition, it is almost impossible to spoil it (at least, you need to try very hard to do this). Absolutely any part of the chicken is suitable for barbecue - from fillet and breast to legs and wings.

In sour cream

In tomato sauce

FUN FACT

Which cut of pork is best for barbecue?

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

Everyone knows that meat for barbecue must be fresh, and in no case frozen. But which part of the pork carcass should you choose to make the kebab soft, juicy and tasty? We will talk about this and how to properly marinate meat for barbecue below.

Which part of pork is best to make shish kebab from?

Any kebab specialist will definitely answer that the best pork meat for making kebab is pork neck. It is from this that you can get the most tender, juicy and soft kebab cooked over a fire. The meat from this part of the pork carcass has many layers of fat, which contributes to obtaining an ideal result. In addition, the meat fibers of the neck are always more tender and softer than, say, in the shoulder or back.

Sometimes it happens that it is not possible to purchase pork neck for barbecue due to its unavailability on sale at the right time. What to do in this case? Is it really possible to refuse a planned trip to nature? Or can you still buy another part of the pork carcass and make a kebab from it? In fact, in addition to pork neck for barbecue, you can also buy meat from the shoulder part. It also usually contains enough fatty layers. But unlike the collar, the shoulder blade is always tougher and requires longer cooking. This can be corrected with a more aggressive marinade that softens the meat fibers well. These are spicy mixtures based on kefir and mineral carbonated water, in which it is recommended to marinate meat for 24 hours. For a quick effect, you can use a kiwi-based marinade, the pulp of which is added to the meat a couple of hours before frying the kebab. The juice of this tropical fruit will work wonders and make the meat incredibly soft. But in this case, it is not recommended to keep the shish kebab in such a marinade for more than two hours, otherwise the meat can simply be ruined.

Some also use pork tenderloin or tenderloin for barbecue. 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 be able to achieve its greater juiciness than the neck. However, carbonated kebab also has its admirers. Among them are those who respect leaner, low-fat dishes, because fat layers in such meat are very rare.

We have decided on the meat and now you know which part of the pork is best to use for the barbecue. All that remains is to marinate it a few hours before frying. Next, we offer a version of the most standard set of spices and herbs for marinating shish kebab. Note that this marinade is more suitable for the neck, since it is aimed more at imparting flavor to the meat, and not at softening it.

What is the best way to marinate pork kebab?

Calculation for 3.5 kg of 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 teaspoon;
dried thyme – 1 pinch;
ground red paprika – 1 teaspoon;
bay leaves – 2 pcs.;
coarse salt - 40 g or to taste.

When starting to marinate the kebab, rinse the pork neck with cold water, dry it and cut it into medium-sized slices (approximately the size of a matchbox). Place the meat in a bowl, add some salt and

At the end of the preparatory stage, we clean the onions, cut them into circles, disassemble them into rings, knead them a little with our hands and mix with the meat.

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

The right marinade

Traditionally, rings of onion, coriander, pepper, basil, bay leaf (optional), salt and oil are used to marinade the neck. You need to marinate the meat in this set for several hours.

But sometimes it turns out that a group of people have gathered for a vacation, are preparing to eat delicious shish kebab, but there is no shashlik on sale.

Should everyone really be left without the perfect kebab? Definitely not, because there is also a spatula, which is also quite good for this dish. The meat from the shoulder also contains layers of fat, but it is tougher than the neck.

Marinade for a day

The problem of tough meat can be solved with another marinade that will soften the meat fibers. These marinades include kefir, vinegar, lemon or mineral water. But you will have to marinate the shoulder meat in such mixtures for about a day.

Marinade for 2 hours

If you don’t have that much time, you can use kiwi pulp for the marinade, which is added to the meat a couple of hours before frying. Thanks to kiwi juice, the meat fibers will soften a little.

Important! In order not to spoil the meat, you should not keep it in the kiwi marinade for more than two hours! Two hours is enough.

If you can’t even find a shoulder blade on the market, you can try tenderloin or carbonade. But you need to take into account that the kebab will turn out a little dry, since there are no fatty layers in the tenderloin and carbonate.

Even using a fatty marinade will not add juiciness to such meat. But this kebab will appeal to those who love low-fat dishes and who prefer proper nutrition. So there will be some fans here too.

Pork tenderloin

The most delicate part of the mascara without layers. It is believed that it produces the most tender kebab.

You should also pay attention to the fact that there is no film on the cutting. Since when frying it will quickly dry out and become rough

Tenderloin is, of course, just the perfect meat for grilling over charcoal. Suitable for both skewers and grill grilling.

Also very soft meat with the least amount of fat. Fat is of course present and at high temperatures it begins to melt and drain, which does not allow cooking dry meat.

The neck marinates well and remains juicy and soft.
It sells out very quickly, so in order to grab it at the market you should wake up earlier. Great for both skewers and grills. Date: January 28, 2014

Loin or entrecote

Although entrecote will be already chopped loin. Brisket is essentially meat on the bone. Also quite soft and juicy with a small percentage of fat. Sometimes pieces are found along with the skin and a small layer of fat. It pickles well in various marinades.

Simply perfect for grilling. But if you cut the meat off the bone, you can cook it on a skewer. But I prefer it on the bone.