We talk about culinary mistakes in preparing the main May dish - shish kebab.
Every barbecue lover has his own proven recipe. And there are millions of these recipes, no less than those who love and cook meat over coals. But often all these millions of barbecue cooks make mistakes that lead to burnt or dry meat, a spoiled picnic dish. Evgeniy Isaenko, the chef of the Voronezh diner, warns about the mistakes that we make at the barbecue and which will turn into inedible dry something from the shish kebab:
Mistake #0: Origin of the term
We are used to associating shish kebab only with Caucasian cuisine, but this is completely wrong. The word “kebab” itself was coined by Ukrainian Cossacks and brought to Russia by Russian soldiers in the mid-18th century. It is a distortion of the Crimean Tatar word “shish” - “spit”, “shishlyk” - “what is on the spit”. Shish kebab as such was known in Russia until the 18th century, but it was called “spinned” meat, that is, turned over on a spit.
Mistake #1: Unsuitable meat
Good meat is a big part of the success of a barbecue. So you need to choose a piece that is suitable for grilling over coals. The meat of those parts of the animal that are most involved in life is not suitable: brisket, flank, hind leg, shank, shoulder - these parts are intended for stewing, boiling or minced meat. They are not suitable for barbecue, even if pre-marinated.
For barbecue, you need to take young meat that has a sufficient amount of fat layers.
Pork. Here, ham, shoulder, loin (preferably on the bone) and, of course, neck are suitable - the best cut, as it has even layers of fat, which will make the dish as juicy as possible.
Mutton. The fillet should not have a strong odor, the meat should be pink, without yellowness (dark red color is a sign of an old animal, yellowness is not characteristic of young meat).
Chicken. It is best to take thighs, legs and wings. The fact is that the bone on which the meat is located adds additional flavor and maintains juiciness.
Pay attention to the feel of the meat; juice and mucus indicate improper storage and repeated freezing. Fresh meat remains dry, the texture of the fibers is clearly visible.
Mistake #2: Incorrect cutting
Be sure to cut the meat across the grain. The pieces should be about the thickness of two matchboxes, connected to each other with the wide flat side.
If you make the pieces smaller or larger, they will not be able to bake well. Dry or underbaked. If you do not cut the meat across the grain, it will lose juice when frying.
Mistake #3: Too much acid
Vinegar, as well as other popular tenderizers - pineapples, kiwi - have a bad effect on young meat. Besides, if you choose the right meat for the barbecue, they are not needed at all.
Mistake No. 4. Too many marinade ingredients
You should not “fertilize” the marinade with everything that is in the refrigerator, because, first of all, we marinate the meat to give it additional juiciness and it is important to emphasize the taste of the meat, and not to overpower it.
When marinating shish kebab, I like to use fresh herbs, onions, and garlic.
Mistake No. 5. Long marinating
On average, meat is marinated for 12, maximum 20 hours (depending on the type and quality of the selected meat) at a temperature of 2-4 degrees, no higher, in order to prevent the growth of bacteria, which can lead to undesirable consequences. In addition, long marinating deteriorates the taste of meat and its texture.
Mistake No. 6. Salting meat when soaking
Salt helps to intensively draw moisture (juice) from the product, which will lead to dehydration and make the kebab dry. If you are really limited in time, then you can salt the meat in the marinade, but it is better just before baking.
Mistake #7: Wrong skewers
The meat may turn on the skewer, the skewer may be too short for the grill and fall - all this will not lead to high-quality roasting. I prefer stainless steel skewers, preferably square, as the meat cooks best on them. Unfortunately, most often in stores there are flat skewers.
The skewer should be placed on the grill in such a way that there is a margin of at least 4-5 cm at both ends. Otherwise, it can easily slide into the coals.
Mistake No. 8. Poor placement on the skewer
You cannot throw pieces of meat from skewer to skewer; unnecessary punctures will result in lost juice and the taste of the kebab. Therefore, first place the skewer on the grill and visually mark the distance that the kebab should occupy, so as not to place too much or, conversely, not enough meat. The pieces should be planted close to each other, leaving no empty spaces.
Mistake No. 9. Vegetables on the same skewer with meat
Onions, tomatoes, bell peppers and other vegetables should not be planted with meat, since the cooking time for vegetables and meat is different, the vegetables will simply burn. It is better to fry vegetables on a separate skewer and remove them earlier. Or put it later than the meat.
Mistake #10: Incorrect fuel
Under no circumstances should you use firewood from coniferous trees, as they emit resins and can ruin both the dish and the grill. Firewood and coals made from fruit trees are best suited: apple, cherry, grapevine. They create a unique aroma. Birch, oak and ash are also good.
Advice: when lighting a barbecue with wood, put in the maximum amount of wood at once, so as not to add more during the burning process, this can lead to uneven formation of coals and will not provide the necessary constant heat. As a result, the meat will cook unevenly.
Mistake #11: Too much empty space between skewers
This will provide too much oxygen to the coals, increasing the likelihood of them igniting. You will be tortured to stew, and the meat will burn. Therefore, the skewers must be placed tightly to each other.
Mistake #12: Baking unevenly
Turn the skewers over as soon as juice starts dripping from the meat and fry on all 4 sides. Do not leave the meat to fry until it is completely cooked on one side, then just turn it over to the other - it will burn and not cook through.
On average, you need to fry for a minute on each side until a crust forms over high heat. And 7-10 minutes on low. To obtain low heat, it is enough to remove some of the coals from under the kebab.
Important questions
Should you marinate meat when frying?
Whether or not to water the meat during frying is a personal choice; I dilute the remaining marinade with red wine and lightly sprinkle the meat 5 minutes before cooking, this helps give additional juiciness to the kebab, and the acid contained in the wine adds softness and a pleasant aroma. Also, at the end of cooking, you can throw a few sprigs of fresh herbs, thyme or rosemary into the grill. If you are cooking fish, it could be lime leaf or lemongrass.
How to determine readiness?
In the case of beef or lamb, which are not fully cooked, it is best to use a probe thermometer.
You need to make a puncture in the pork or chicken (note that it is not a cut!) and see what color the juice flows out; if it’s clear, it’s ready; if it’s pink, you need to wait a little longer.
Should I let my kebab rest?
Pork and chicken - no need to rest, because you fry the meat completely. As for beef and lamb, they should not be cooked all the way through to avoid getting dry, chewy meat. The recommended degree of roasting is medium-medium well (the inside of the pieces should be 60-65 degrees, you can check it with a thermometer probe), and such meat should “rest” a little. The juices will be evenly distributed and you will get a soft, juicy, aromatic dish.
What to do if you have over-salted the kebab is of interest to everyone who is faced with such a problem. Initially, you need to put aside panic and not think about spoiling the main product. This can happen to anyone, and there are many reasons for it. But it is encouraging to understand that there is a way out of any situation, and this is no exception.
Many barbecue spices contain salt, and if you forget about this, then nothing can be changed after frying the meat. Therefore, professional chefs advise taking a sample before cooking. If an incident occurs, then you can use one of the proposed methods.
Use of acid
When the question arises of how to fix over-salted kebab, the first thing that should come to mind is to use acid. Regular vinegar, as well as lemon or apple vinegar, will help here. Naturally, the salt will remain in the meat, but these components will give the dish a new flavor and can correct the situation.
The peculiarity of the method is that when using acid, the protein fibers become compacted. Therefore, later, when marinating, they will not allow a large amount of spices to pass through. After frying, the meat will be spicy on the surface, but slightly under-salted inside, which neutralizes the situation.
Adding water
During the period of spring-summer heat, the question often arises as to what to do if the kebab has been over-salted. Sometimes the solution to a problem lies on the surface, but few people notice it. So, the most obvious and accessible way to remove excess spices from meat is to rinse it under running water.
It is also worth noting that many housewives prefer to marinate chicken or pork in mineral water. In this case, the product after frying turns out to be really juicy and soft, since carbon dioxide softens the fibers. But if there was too much salt, and the kebab was soaked in mineral water, then some kind of acid can be added here.
Fat component
When too many spices have been added to a dish, it can end up being too spicy. Often, professionals, when asked what to do if the kebab has been over-salted, advise adding a dairy product to the marinade.
It could be milk or sour cream. The creamy taste definitely removes saltiness and at the same time makes the dish more interesting, highlighting it. For example, if you use kefir with a high percentage of fat content, it also contains acid, which also helps in solving the problem.
Of course, it’s best to play it safe and avoid over-salting the kebab. To do this, first of all, you should pay attention to the constituent components of spices and seasonings, and based on this you need to adjust the recipe. If specific products are used, such as capers, they also add salt to the meat.
Probably the most correct, practical and definitely successful advice in this situation would be to double the portion. If the meat is too salty, then you should go to the store, buy the same amount of product and marinate it along with the first portion, and then the question of what to do if the kebab is too salty will become irrelevant.
In conversations, people very often discuss who prepares barbecue and how. Moreover, for the most part, the recipes are simple, like “bought ready-made in the store” or “vinegar (kefir, mayonnaise) + onion + spices from a bag.” Many people, by the way, are completely happy with this, but...
There are actually two main ways to prepare shish kebab:
with marinade (vinegar, lemon, kefir, mayonnaise, etc.) and without it.
At first, I also marinated meat (let’s call it “shish kebab-basturma”), but now (due to years and experience) I completely abandoned “acid” methods.
Vinegar softens the meat, but interrupts the taste and aroma of the product. In addition, marinated meat takes longer to fry and therefore becomes drier.
On the topic of marinade, it’s easier to go to a site likewww. cooking. ru and type “kebab” in the search or, for example, read a specific article: http://www.cooking.ru/interceate_exchange/board41/message571846.html
In principle, kebab is prepared from anything: meat, fish (mostly on the grill), poultry, vegetables, with or without seasonings. The main thing is to understand the essence and do everything with pleasure.
So, let's begin…
Meat
The meat should be fresh, not frozen or thawed.
The norm is an average of 400-500 grams of raw pure product per person.
A normal skewer fits about 200 grams of meat - two skewers per person is enough.
Mutton.
Lamb is a classic.
Brisket is usually used.
Everything is fine, but:
It is difficult to find a good fat lamb in an ordinary (non-southern) city.
The taste is a little specific (not for everyone),
The fat cools quickly and becomes not very pleasant in the mouth.
Beef (veal).
Beef (veal) is the right meat.
Everything is good, but compared to lamb and pork, it is tougher and less fatty, so it is advisable to marinate it, you have to alternate it with pieces of lard, and before frying it is advisable to grease it with melted fat tail lard or vegetable oil.
Pork.
The best meat for regular (urban) shish kebab.
It is advisable to take neck, tenderloin, ham, but any pulp will do.
Spices and additives:
Onions are used in two forms:
1. Onions for kneading meat.
2. Onions for garnish.
Spices.
Try not to use ready-made store-bought spice kits if you can make your own.
Please note that all ground spices quickly lose their initial bright aroma. Buy everything at the market in grains (peas) and grind it yourself.
You can use any spices suitable for meat:
Basil(“raikhon” in Uzbek, “reagan”, “regan” in Azerbaijani) - fresh and dried leaves.
Coriander- cilantro (cilantro) seeds.
Red pepper mildly hot(paprika).
Black pepper.
Zira(azhgon).
Blend options:
1. Ready at the market
You go to the market, approach an Uzbek selling spices and tell him: “Daragoy, make me a mixture for shashlik-mashlik for so many kilograms.”
2. Homemade:
Option 1. Red pepper.
Red pepper (paprika) - mild or non-hot, ground.
Option 2. Red pepper, basil.
Red pepper (paprika) - a lot, basil - either finely chopped fresh leaves (a little) or dried (more).
Option 3. Red pepper, cumin, coriander.
Red pepper (paprika) - a lot, cumin - take a little (on your fingertips) and grind (it has a specific smell), grind coriander (grains) yourself - a third of the volume of pepper.
Everything is thoroughly mixed.
Note: Black pepper can be used, but is not recommended.
As one Armenian acquaintance told me - the chef of an Armenian restaurant (weighing about 160 kilograms) - “black perets nelzya - the color of the meat is spoiled.”
Salt
Salt, infection, harmful. It can ruin the taste of meat irrevocably. It is better not to add salt or add a little salt.
Options
1. No salt.
The meat is salted only immediately before threading.
2. Weak ambassador.
When kneading, add just a little salt. This is enough and many people like it. You can always compensate with sauce or simply add some salt while eating.
I usually eat shish kebab with my hands and before taking a piece, I simply “dip” my fingers lightly in the salt. Unhygienic, but tasty.
Garnish
All sorts of vegetables, herbs, and vegetable salads are usually used as a side dish.
Many people like it with fluffy rice - but this is a separate topic.
1. Eggplant baked with meat.
As the main side dish, I use medium-sized, long, unpeeled eggplants, cut into circles, strung and baked along with the meat. The taste is excellent.
2. Salad “achik-chuchuk” (ach-chuchuk) - a processed version.
The salad is not dressed with oil and/or mayonnaise, but the taste is such that you won’t even notice it.
You will need a thin sharp knife and a person with a steady hand who knows how to “cut bread evenly” (a joke with some truth), a bowl-dish (preferably with vertical walls), sweet peppers (preferably elongated), not very large fleshy tomatoes (preferably southern ones) - a few pieces of both.
We clean the core and lintels of the sweet pepper.
We take one pepper.
We cut it into very thin rings (thinner than a millimeter, i.e. “through the gap”) and carefully place ring after ring in an even layer on the bottom of the bowl.
We also cut one or two tomatoes into thin circles and carefully place them in an even layer on top of the peppers.
After there is almost a whole bowl, add a little salt on top, sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper to taste, then add a not very thick layer of thinly sliced onion into rings and sprinkle with finely chopped garlic (the latter is not for everyone).
Cover with a lid or plate, but under no circumstances press down!
Place in the refrigerator or cool place for an hour.
Before serving, such a salad is supposed to be mixed, but I usually take a fork and deliciously “stick” it into the salad on top, as far as it will pierce, and “pull” this bunch of vegetables onto my plate. You understand - the longer the fork, the more you get.J
P.S. The point is that the tomato juice begins to flow down through the layers, thereby quickly imbuing the thinly sliced sweet pepper with its taste, and the dressing oil (mayonnaise) becomes an extra ingredient.
3. Vegetables and herbs
Sweet peppers (cut lengthwise into strips the size of one mouth), medium-sized tomatoes (you don’t need to cut them), fresh cucumbers (lengthwise into 2-4 pieces).
Fresh herbs in their pure form are required (dill, parsley, basil, cilantro, etc.).
Olives and olives from jars go very well.
You can use Korean salads such as carrots, asparagus and other vegetable snacks.
Barbecue sauce
It's better to make the sauce yourself.
Option 1. We buy pure tomato paste (preferably Italian, Turkish or Iranian; ours is worse in color and often with additives like “modified starch”), chop finely onion, garlic, green dill (you can also have parsley), grind black pepper (and coriander, if desired). Pour everything into a saucepan, pour in tomato paste (if it’s too thick, dilute it a little with cold boiled water), add some salt, mix well, put on low heat (preferably through a divider if on a gas stove) and stirring constantly (so as not to burn), bring to boiling (“puffing”).
Turn off and cool naturally. All. The sauce is ready. Store in the refrigerator
Option 2. We buy normal pure tomato ketchup. We slash finely onion, garlic, dill, parsley, a little basil (optional), throw it all into ketchup, add freshly ground black pepper, mix and leave overnight in a cool place in a sealed container (or in the refrigerator).
Option 3 (optional). We buy homemade tkemali sauce at the market. Both red and green. We use it as is.
I recommend this sauce in any case - delicious.
Alcohol
Any dry wine goes well with barbecue, preferably red wine.
I love vodka.
Other products
Pita.
This means Armenian, sheet. They eat it instead of bread.
You can use it to make a simple (a la “shawarma-shawarma”) appetizer while the barbecue is being made:
We take whatever vegetables we have, cheese (preferably salted), cut into pieces and place everything on a third of a sheet of pita bread. Pour mayonnaise or sauce, or all together, roll into a tube and eat.
I tried just wrapping a piece of lard - it’s still delicious, it’s delicious!
Technical support.
Brazier
1. Hiking
Option 1. Bricks.
It is advisable to dig a hole for coals and line it with bricks on all sides.
Option 2. Two pieces of thick wire, bent into a wide “P”.
Not the best option, because... the coals are open and the heat is “blown away” by the wind. It is advisable to cover everything with bricks, stones or turf.
Option 3. Thick bent tree branch.
Even worse.
2. Factory
Usually prefabricated, made of thin sheet steel and easily falling apart. After the first use they begin to rust a lot. I do not advise.
3. Homemade
Strong, welded, made of thick sheet steel. They last a long time. The only drawback is that they are quite heavy and take up more space. I recommend it.
4. Barbecues
They are equipped with a grill - you can fry “meat on the bone” (in a piece). Mostly factory made. Disadvantages - thin steel and frail design. They also rust quickly.
Barbecues come with a blower. They have better heat and are more comfortable - all the ashes fall down.
Skewers
1. Simple hiking ones.
You will need two straight wooden rods (branches) per “bottom”. Make two holes in each piece with something sharp and string them onto two twigs at once (to avoid turning). Use a crossbar made from a thick, damp branch in the middle of the fire to prevent the twigs from bending.
2. Factory
Mostly not of the best quality. The steel is soft and thin (save money, bastards). Wooden handles fall off quickly. They bend under the weight of meat. Should be selected carefully.
2. Homemade (bazaar)
The most correct ones. The steel is thick. Any size can be found.
The ideal option is made of thick one and a half to two millimeter steel (a flat strip of 1 cm wide or in cross-section - a corner) 60-70 cm long and without a wooden handle (instead of a handle - a curl).
The only problem is that the edges are often poorly processed and can hurt when stringing, so after purchasing, be sure to go through it with a fine file or emery cloth.
Coals
Everyone knows the rule: “you should fry over coals, not over fire.”
The ideal material for coals is logs of dry fruit trees. For example, grapevine, black locust, dogwood, sloe, beech, oak, cherry or apple.
Firewood made from pine or spruce is undesirable - it will tar the entire kebab and nothing can destroy the taste.
A relatively good and most common option is birch logs.
I use the option “birch coals + alder chocks” - after the coals are ready, I scatter several small alder chocks the size of a man’s index finger (preferably damp ones) on top of them. They begin to smoke and smoke the meat nicely.
In addition, ready-made coal is sold in stores. It is inexpensive and easy to light. Although this option will deprive you of a fair share of the romance associated with lighting a fire, it is simple and indispensable in wet weather.
Finished charcoal requires lighter fluid. One bottle is often not enough - take two. It’s better to smell it before buying, because... They come across very smelly ones and the smell is transferred to the meat forever.
After lighting, it is better to wash your hands immediately or at least rub them with sunflower oil.
Rest
1. Plastic one or two one and a half liter bottles with clean water (mineral water can be used), a small hole is pierced in the lid of one of them for pouring over the meat and extinguishing the fire that flared up in the coals.
2. A clean rag (towel) for drying your hands.
3. Rectangular tray (preferably two and metal).
Preparation.
Basic principles:
1. Never think, let alone say, that the meat won’t turn out - that’s a bad omen.
2. Don't overdo it with spices and salt.
What you should not do:
1. Marinate (vinegar, citric acid, wine)
The meat loses its flavor.
2. Salt completely
You can simply over-salt it (especially when you decide to leave it overnight) and nothing can fix it. You can only add a little salt.
But, even if it’s hot and there’s nowhere to store the meat, it’s easier to put more onions there.
3. Leave the kneaded meat for a long time.
An hour or two is quite enough.
If you like marinated meat, then a little salt, a little spices and a little marinade, leave it in the refrigerator overnight, remembering to stir.
P.S. Actually, you can just fry clean meat over coals. This is how our ancestors ate in ancient times. And this is the best meat.
Bag (bag)
1. Onion.
Some of the onions will go into the bag, and some will go into the side dish.
Bow for bags
Onion (but not red). Can be cut any way you like.
Onion for garnish
The onion you need is not very large (no larger than a large chicken egg), with thin layers. It is better to take varieties with oblong bulbs.
Finely chop green dill or parsley.
We cut the onion, usually into thin half-rings, put it in a saucepan, alternate with dill (parsley), sprinkle with vinegar and mix everything carefully. Leave to marinate overnight.
2. Meat.
The basic principle is: “the meat is always skewered along the grain, so cut accordingly.”
Size of the pieces: 3-4 cm thick and 3-6 cm long.
Place in a container such as a large saucepan or straight bucket.
The first layer is onion, spices and a little salt (optional).
Then a layer of meat about one piece long, then sprinkle with onions, then spices, then a little salt (optional), then again with meat, etc.
The last (top) layer must be onions, spices and salt (optional).
Then we carefully compact everything with our palms until it is firm, cover it with a lid and leave it to rest. an hour or two.
If there is a lack of time, the entire mass is intensively mixed by hand.
Another way (African)
It was taught by a friend from Odessa, who in Soviet times spent three years in captivity among the Somalis and, of course, learned a lot.
The meat is cut into bars 15-20 centimeters long and an inch thick (2.54 cm), the onion is cut and crushed tightly with your hands, then intensively mixed with meat and spices such as red medium-hot pepper. The meat is threaded lengthwise onto a skewer and then slightly “twisted” into a spiral, as if you were squeezing out laundry. And in this form it cooks quickly over hotter coals than usual.
Roasting meat
Ideally, you should turn the kebab only once.
And remember: no fire, only heat! Otherwise, it will burn right away.
That’s why kebab needs constant supervision.
Water the meat during cooking with dry wine or clean water. I don't like pouring wine.
Basic principles:
1. Never get distracted and try not to drink alcohol while you are cooking barbecue.
2. The second “bookmark” turns out to be the most delicious.
The distance from the meat to the coals should be around 7-10 cm.
The coals should “breathe heat.”
It is easy to check - you raise your hand to the expected level of meat. If your hand doesn’t tolerate it for more than half a second, that means it’s normal.
It is better to break large coals.
Cooking
1. Take an empty skewer and estimate on the grill how much meat to string.
The main thing is that the meat should not touch the walls of the grill.
2. Thread the meat along the grain (alternately with eggplants, if available). There is meat on the edges.
IMPORTANT!!!
- meat (and eggplants) are strung quite tightly, without gaps!
- from the edges of the skewer, the pieces of meat should be smaller - either meat with fat, or just lard.
We take medium-sized eggplants (preferably long ones), cut them into circles up to 1 cm thick (do not cut off the skin), add a little salt and string them alternately with meat. When they are baked, no side dish is needed. The taste is awesome!
Place the prepared skewers on a tray.
3. After that we lay all the skewers are close to each other on the grill
When laid this way, the meat does not dry out.
4. Light a cigarette.
5. We carefully ensure that nothing burns anywhere (the coals do not ignite). We carefully extinguish fires with water from a bottle.
6. After five to ten minutes, check the meat for “friedness”.
Carefully but quickly lift each skewer by the handle (it rests on the other end and stands at an angle).
If the meat on some skewers browns unevenly, it means the heat in that area is uneven or low. Carefully level or transfer some of the good coals to the problem area. To make leveling easier, you can carefully remove adjacent skewers and temporarily place them on adjacent ones.
If the meat “squeaks” and is well browned, it’s time to turn it over.
7. Quickly and carefully turn all the skewers over to the other side.
You need to turn it like this: We take the skewer by the handle and lift it (the skewer rests on the other end and stands at an angle, the meat does not touch its neighbors), quickly turn it 180 degrees along the axis and place it carefully in the same place.
8. To control the fried side of the meat, you need to select a larger piece, use a sharp knife to make a deeper cut, and if the meat has turned white, then this side is ready.
In general, it is correct when the meat in the cut (at the skewer) remains slightly pinkish. It is then juicy and doubly aromatic. But problems may arise here for people with weak intestines, so at first it is better not to risk it.
Skewers with unevenly fried meat can be left to finish frying. This is not scary, but keep in mind that it is advisable to move the coals under them.
9. Lightly water all the inverted skewers lengthwise with water.
10. We don’t drink alcohol, we only smoke and carefully monitor possible fires.
11. Again, check the color of the meat, if it’s ready, turn it back, check the largest piece on the skewer for doneness and, if everything is fine, pour a little water on it and that’s it, the kebab is ready. If the meat is not cooked through, return the skewer to its original state and finish frying.
We remove the finished skewers, and move the rest towards each other.
The main thing is that there should be no gaps between the skewers and it is advisable to turn them over once.
12. Take a knife or fork and carefully, one or at most two pieces at a time, “pull” the meat onto a plate (together with the eggplants).
13. Sprinkle our pickled onion on top, take alcohol in one hand, say a toast, drink, and with the other make complex grasping-forward movements “meat - sauce - eggplant - onion”.
14. We ask the people: “Does it taste good to you, my children?”
The people cheerfully shake their heads, hum with their mouths full and are thrilled with “happiness.”
Stormy applause - Encore - Continuation of the banquet.
Additions.
Sometimes it happens that the meat turns out dry. This usually happens when the coals are not hot enough and the meat had to be fried for a long time and tediously, turning over several times. In short, it's dry.
One very good Odessa resident (see above) taught me how, firstly, to fix dry kebab and secondly, to give the meat additional flavor.
We only need a clean saucepan. Dishes from Zepter are best suited, but this is already aesthetic (a joke with some truth).
We put a layer of our pickled onions on the bottom of the pan, then our dry hot meat, then again sprinkle with a layer of onions and cover with a lid. We wait five to ten minutes. The meat “comes off”, plus it gets an awesome aroma from the onions.
In this way, you can pass all the meat through the pan.
A friend of mine prepares any shashlik this way, and fills a whole pan in layers. Then THIS is put on the table, the lid is opened and...
Bon appetit, my friends.
Nikolay aka granic
Irina: Urgently! I over-salted it. What can you add to chicken kebab so that it absorbs salt.
Answers
Daniel:
Rinse the kebabs under cold boiled water
Ilya:
You can add chicken, you can rinse a few pieces with water.
Galina:
Rinse with water of course))
Faith:
Chicken and add.
Basil:
Soak in milk
Emma:
Add more pepper. It will be completely unclear whether he salted it or not.
Victoria:
In general, it’s good to salt shish kebab when frying, when the meat gets a little crusty, then it doesn’t lose juice as much. Have you tried marinating in dark beer and then in mayonnaise?
Lyudmila:
Pour in citric acid, then kefir.
Gella:
Rice absorbs salt
Konstantin:
The first thing is to rinse it, the second thing is to rinse the rice thoroughly, put it in a damp cloth (preferably gauze) and put it in the kebab. But rice only absorbs salt when it's wet!!! and it has moisture to swell. Otherwise it won't help. Therefore, after washing, do not strain the water, and do not dry the meat!!!, but so that the rice absorbs this salty water. There is no need to skimp on rice, just like cold boiled water. Filling with kefir is also a good idea. The only thing you need is to have fresh kefir at home at 10 pm...
Timur:
Just as you soaked it in the marinade, soak it in water. You can add more meat, the salt will be distributed evenly. If you urgently need to cook, add minced meat to the marinade, then fry it, there is no minced meat, add rice, raw potatoes. Over-salting is eliminated in various, but always not particularly effective ways: in meat dishes and in soups - by adding sour cream, rice, potatoes and other salt-absorbing starches products (flour, cereals), in porridges and purees - by adding fresh, similar, but completely unsalted food material, in fish - sour cream and adding water, in mushrooms - sour cream and flour sauce. In some cases, oversalting can be irreversible. 10. [link will appear after checking by moderator]
It is not uncommon for a housewife to add a lot of salt to a dish due to inexperience or “out of care.” Every woman has encountered this at least once in her life, involuntarily asking the question: “How to correct the situation?” There is a way out, so you should not immediately throw the prepared dish into the trash container.
Over-salted soup
- The easiest way to correct over-salted soup is to add rice to it. To do this, wrap the grains in gauze and place them in the first dish; the grains will absorb excess salt.
- In a similar way, you can correct the mistake by putting several peeled raw potato tubers into the pan with the contents. Then boil the soup for about 7 minutes, remove the potatoes.
- If you don’t have the above components on hand, arm yourself with flour. Wrap the bulk mixture well in several layers of gauze and place in a saucepan with soup. The liquid will become cloudy, then you can add minced meatballs to the soup or strain the broth.
- In cases where clear soup should be served at the table, but you have over-salted it, place a handful of small noodles inside. It will absorb all the salt and the dish will taste acceptable.
- There is another method by which you can correct your mistake. Add a cube of refined sugar to the prepared salty soup. Assess the taste and add another piece if necessary.
- If you have time, you can remove all the ingredients from the soup and then make a new broth using meat or poultry. Alternatively, dilute existing over-salted soup with water.
Over-salted potatoes
- If you prepared mashed potatoes and overdid it with salt, a portion of unleavened porridge and potatoes will help correct the situation. Stir the dish thoroughly, problem solved.
- If you have fried a root vegetable and you need to restore the original taste, you can mix the potatoes with sour cream sauce and herbs. Or prepare an extra portion of the vegetable without salt.
- Boiled potatoes can be removed from excess salt by rinsing the root vegetable with cold water. After this, add a small amount of liquid to the pan and wait until it boils. The potatoes will be steamed and some of the salt will be washed away.
Poultry dish
- If you have prepared a poultry dish and overdid it with salt, do not despair ahead of time. To correct the situation, you need to remove the meat from the bone.
- Next, prepare any sauce to your taste. No need to add salt. Simmer the bird in the prepared mixture for 10 minutes.
- If you have cooked chicken, it is enough to stew it with assorted vegetables. Excess salt will be absorbed into food without any problems. When marinating meat, water or milk will help restore the original taste. Leave the bird in the mixture for 20 minutes.
Over-salted cereals
- To correct the situation with over-salted cereals, you need to discard the prepared raw materials in a colander. Rinse the product with running water. Wait until the liquid has completely drained. After this, transfer the cereal to a saucepan and pour in a little water.
- Mix a little butter into the ingredients. Simmer over low heat until the liquid has completely evaporated. As for over-salted pilaf, the situation is also fixable.
- To do this, you need to boil a small amount of unleavened rice. Stir the cereal with salted pilaf. You can add aromatic spices. Pilaf will also help rid soaked raisins of saltiness.
- There are often cases when it is urgently necessary to remove excess salt from a piece of meat or a future kebab. There is an exit! In this case, it is necessary to marinate the meat in a small amount of butter/vegetable oil or flour sauce.
- The sauce is added before stewing or frying on the grill or in the oven. Let the meat sit in the marinade for about half an hour, then rinse each piece.
- You can only slightly improve the situation. Prepare any side dish for an over-salted meat dish that does not require salt at all. This can be unleavened pasta, rice, buckwheat and other options to choose from.
- If you do not have the task of frying, stewing, or baking meat in this form, grind it through a meat grinder. Add soaked bread crumb, onion, and a little boiled rice to the resulting minced meat. Make meatballs or cutlets.
- You can try to revive meat, poultry, or rabbit by soaking a piece in fresh filtered water. Periodically it is necessary to drain the fluid and replace it with a new one.
Other over-salted dishes
Pasta
If you have prepared a naval dish, solve the problem of excess salt in several ways. Mix pasta with tomato sauce.
You can also deal with excess salt as follows. To do this you will need an additional fresh portion of pasta. Stir the ingredients, problem solved.
The last method is not for everybody. You can add beaten chicken eggs to navy pasta with extra salt. Send the dish to fry in a frying pan. The eggs will absorb excess salt.
Vegetable salad
In the case of over-salted vegetable salad, the problem can be eliminated by simply washing the food with running water. You can also simply add a small amount of fresh ingredients to the dish.
Vegetable stew or goulash
If you oversalted one of the above dishes, solve it with tomatoes. Chop the tomato into slices and add the contents into a heat-resistant container. Simmer the dish for a few minutes. Leave to infuse for a quarter of an hour. Give it a try.
Fish
To restore the original taste of a fish dish, you can add unleavened flour-based sauce or sour cream. If you marinated fish in brine, you should replace it with a fresh mixture. Next, place the products in a new marinade. Boil the fish and cool. After manipulation, it is recommended to simmer such a product in fresh water for several minutes.
If you are faced with the problem of an over-salted dish, do not despair. Just follow some simple tips and you can easily fix the situation. Try not to let this happen. Some dishes irrevocably lose their original taste.
Video: what to do if you oversalt a dish
