Shashlik – Barbecue Caucasian style

Barbecue and grilling are widely popular in Russia. Most of the time the Russians enjoy Caucasian style barbecue. The main difference to European or western style barbecue is the size of meat pieces. In the Caucasus they thread small pieces of meat and vegetables onto long metal skewers. So the main and side dish are cooked at the same time. Especially kids love to bite juicy meat pieces right off skewers.

A good grill marinade is very important for the perfect barbecue. Vinegar, lemon juice or other acidic liquids carry special flavor into meats and make them tender. Acids also break protein chains in meats, helping digesting proteins and preventing bacteria growth. Oil is also an essential ingredient in a marinade. Oils make meats tender by reducing moisture loss during cooking.

There are lots of marinade recipes. Here are some of them.