Grill skewers can be ever so delicious. But they can also be the opposite. Fortunately, these grill skewers with pieces of beef, Turkish shish kebab (or “Çöp Şiş Kebap” as it is rightly called) are some of the really good ones. Really delicious, tasty and even super easy to make.
Maybe you’re someone like me, who doesn’t really like skewers that well? It is not because they aren’t delicious, aren’t smart and easy for a quick barbecue evening. But…. maybe it is the taste, that I have sometimes experienced, that was missing. Do you know that?
It’s rare that the skewers of minced meat are just the thing for me. So rather something with some decent cuts of meat. And whether it’s lamb, chicken, calf, pork or beef, it doesn’t really matter to me. The taste is just the better with real meat, I think.
Much of the flavor, of course, lies in the meat. How good the fat marbling is, you’ve just had to cut the tendons properly, etc. But you add a lot with a good marinade. And then resting time with the marinade. Much like a full day if you can. Or 6-8 hours. But you’ll need at least a couple of hours to help the marinade make the meat really tender and to give it flavor.
Sis Kebab in Turkish:
I used both good and less good meat, and we couldn’t really taste the difference. Of course, sirloin or especially a really good fat marbled steak cut into cubes is really good. And guarantee of some delicious and tender meat. We used a remnant of both cuts combined with 2 really cheap steaks. So everything was really good and no significant difference.
We also put the vegetables in a bag and marinated them in a little oil and spices. It does something good, when they are coated with a thin layer of oil. Then they do not burn and roast nicely along with the meat.
And this is where the Turks are somewhat close to world champions (yes, maybe a little exaggerated, but at least they are part of the elite). They have all the good tricks into making the best skewers. And they understand how to use the good tips.
Funny enough, I also like grill skewers much better, when we’re in Turkey. Such a really good juicy shish kebab with large, tender cuts of meat and delicious cooked vegetables. They just taste of a lot more. And then there is also the whole atmosphere, side-dishes etc.
Make the best grill skewers :
As I promised before, it is actually quite easy to make these delicious Turkish shish kebabs yourself. All it takes is just a little time, ok meat and relatively few ingredients for the marinade.
The other day, my husband surprised me with making some outrageously good skewers. Really. I would almost go so far as to say, that they are the best skewers, I’ve ever had. And if you also count the skewers, that I’ve eaten in in Turkey in, it’s actually quite a bit. And very, very well done I would say.
So, of course, this is the recipe that I would like to give you right here. Just so you can impress your guests, your husband, your wife, your children or just yourself. Because you can. Make these big delicious, sizzling, tasty spears just as you like them.
Do yourself a favour:
OK. So you have control over the meat. And the marinade. And side dishes. Then comes the next step.
Do yourself a favor to fire up the grill and grill the skewers, when it is sizzling hot. You won’t regret it – I promise you. The grill and smoke just add that extra (and yes, here at home we advocate for either real wood burning or regular charcoal grill, just to get an even better taste out of it. No gas grills here 😉). A barbecue pan can do it. But if you want the best of the best … then you start your grill.
You can also use the marinade for different types of meat – lamb, beef, pork or chicken. Maybe it will get a bit boring with the same taste for all skewers anyway. Or maybe not. It is taste and pleasure after all.
But I promise you. I’ll probably come up with another type of marinade for chicken skewers in the near future. Because I also have a good one with chicken right up my sleeve (yes not in the literal sense because it would be… .. disgusting).
Turkish shish kebab – then you are a star
You probably know it yourself, but these shish are super delicious to serve with, for example, a good deal of Turkish rice – pilav, some good green salad and this delicious eggplant salad for example.
Or if you want to get away from the rice, a little cooked bulgur is also good, such as this summer bulgur salad, or what about a delicious chickpea salad, just for the sake of change? Possibly with some good bread, flat bread, pita bread or similar.
Writing Shish kebab actually makes me a little heartbroken, because that is not the proper term for these Turkish skewers at all. In Turkish they are called Çöp Şiş Kebab, pieces of meat on wooden skewers, but few people know it. So that’s why I write the second term, which is the most well-known and the one everyone google for. Then it is easier to find. But now, fortunately, you know, that if you are in Turkey and need to find the right skewers, then look (or ask) for “Çöp Şiş Kebap” or just Sis / Şiş Kebab.
Well, but these grilled skewers, some delicious accessories, salads, bread and a good glass of wine… yes, it is hard to ask for more that night…. 🙂
Afiyet olsun 😉
Turkish Shish kebab – grill skewers with beef
Ingredienser
- 700 gram veal or beef tenderloin, trimmed for tendons and cut into approximately 3-4 cm large dices
- 0,6 cup milk
- 0,2 cup olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced, only the juice is needed
- 1½ tsp tomato paste
- 1½ tsp pepper paste, turkish "biber salca" – the strong version
- 1 tsp turkish chili flakes/ Pul biber
- 1 tsp thyme
- salt and pepper
Vegetables
- 2 long green sivri biber
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 10-15 cocktail tomatoes
- a litte olive oil
- salt and pepper
Sådan gør du
- 1: Cut the meat into appropriate pieces (not too small and not too big). Trim for tendons, but leave some of the fat in place2: Mix the marinade, put it in a bag with the meat, close, blend it all together and place the bag in the refrigerator for minimum 2 hours, but preferably for a day3: cut the vegetables into chunks as large as the meat. Leave the tomatoes whole4: Find the wooden skewers (about 10 pieces) and wrap them in a wet kitchen towel (so the skewers get soaked and not so easily burnt)5: Alternately put the meats and vegetables on the skewers as you like6: Grill the skewers at high heat on the grill for about 1-2 minutes on each side– Serve with rice or bulgur salad and delicious accessories such as aubergine salad, bean salad etc.
Noter
- You can use whatever type of meat you like, but meat with a bit of fat marbling is preferable. We used a leftover sirloin, a single entrecote steak and 2 cheap steaks
- Allow the meat to soak for as long as possible in the marinade – preferably for up to 24 hours. It helps to soften the meat and give it flavor
- Minced onions (juice) and milk are important ingredients in the marinade – they both help to make the meat really tender
- Turkish Sivri peppers may not be easy to find. But if you have the opportunity, get them (often at the local ethnic greengrocer). In my opinion, no other peppers have as good and significant taste
- If you remember to moisten the wooden spears, they will not burn. We just wrap a little wet kitchen towel around them
- If you want the best – and most original flavor, then grill the skewers – preferably over charcoal. Then you get exactly the same taste as in Turkey
- Serve them sizzling hot with a bulgur salad or some Turkish rice, a good salad and some bread.
Best shish kebab ever. Tusinde tak for lækker opskrift
Så dejligt at du kan li den… Og tusind tak 🙂 Afiyet Olsun