St. Petersburg shashlik with an Armenian twist
10 servings
90 minutes
Petersburg-style shashlik with an Armenian twist is a culinary embodiment of gastronomic traditions where the northern spirit of Petersburg meets the Armenian love for juicy meat. It is made from tender pork neck, cut into strips and generously soaked in onions that release juice and add softness to each piece. A light saltiness and spiciness of black pepper enhance the meat's flavor, while slow grilling over coals preserves juiciness and creates a crispy crust. A unique serving feature is shaking the shashlik with onions in a pot, making it especially aromatic and tender. This shashlik pairs perfectly with a glass of tart Kindzmarauli and becomes the soulful center of friendly gatherings, bringing warmth and pleasure to everyone who tries it.
1
We take a pork neck and trim off the excess fat. Usually, the neck weighs 2.6–3.0 kg.
- Pork neck: 3 kg
2
We start cutting the meat into strips along the fibers. The strips are 1–1.5 cm thick, 2.5–3 cm wide, and as long as you can. The meat will guide you on how to best direct the knife. As I cut, I sometimes turn the neck 3–4 times to determine the best path.
3
We put the chopped meat into a large pot.
4
We chop the onion. We chop the onion finely but without stress. We won't eat it. The onion's task is to release its juice. We squeeze the chopped onion until juice appears and transfer it to the pot with meat.
- Onion: 6 pieces
5
We season the meat and onion with salt and pepper. Be careful with the salt; it's better to under-season.
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
6
Thoroughly mix the meat and onion, place the pot in a cool spot, and start lighting the fire (or coals). It usually takes about 20-25 minutes to get the fire going.
7
When the coals are ready, we take the skewers and start putting meat on them. I thread the strips of meat as many times as possible: up, down, up, down, etc.
8
While cooking, I try to turn the skewers as often as possible. This helps seal the meat, preventing the juice from evaporating, and keeps the shashlik juicy.
9
While the meat is cooking, I slice 3 large onions into half rings and put them in a large pot.
- Onion: 6 pieces
10
I place the cooked meat there, cover it with a lid, and shake it like in a shaker.
11
We are pouring a glass of Kindzmarauli.