Chef's Tips: Choosing the Right Marinade for Different Meats in Shashlik
Chef Normunds Baranovskis shares recommendations for marinades that enhance the flavor of various meats for shashlik, from beef to poultry.
When preparing shashlik, marinating time can vary depending on the desired outcome, according to chef Normunds Baranovskis. He notes that meat can be marinated for a long time, just a few minutes, or even after cooking, and any of these methods can be correct. The key is to use fatty meat, but if it is leaner, juiciness can be improved with oils, barbecue sauce, or fermented dairy products.
Baranovskis offers specific spice combinations for different types of meat. For beef and game, recommended ingredients include English and French mustard, horseradish, pepper, soy and oyster sauce, ginger, onions, chili, garlic, oregano, red wine, strongly flavored beer, juniper berries, celery, cinnamon, rosemary, and thyme. Pork is complemented by onions, pepper, vegetable vinegar, kefir, plums, apples, Russian and whole-grain mustard, cider, beer, white wine, sage, garlic, parsley, ginger, soy sauce, salami and chorizo sausage, smoked paprika, brandy, and barbecue sauce.
Lamb can be paired with yogurt, mint, rosemary, olive oil, garlic, sage, tomatoes, celery, bell peppers, white wine, red wine, curry and harissa paste, oregano, parsley, and lemon. For rabbit, suitable ingredients include olive oil, butter, garlic, honey, mint, white wine, dark beer, oregano, parsley, carrots, cinnamon stick, berries, bay leaves, brandy, capers, pickled cucumbers, and leeks. Meanwhile, chicken, hen, and turkey go well with sage, rosemary, tarragon, citrus fruits, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, smoked paprika, tomatoes, ginger, lemongrass, bacon, chorizo sausage, cayenne pepper, white wine, dry cider, beer, and barbecue sauce.
