Lamb Kebabs?

[Gogs]

Hello All

I have be asked to put Lamb kebabs on my menu.

The problem is the season for lamb is not right just yet and because of price I can not use too dear a cut of meat. Any advice I thought using leg but obviously marinating for at least a couple of days.

Any help welcomed greatly!

Gogs

[blueschef]

If you want to get a little sneakey on food cost try a ground lamb on skyewer for now. Morocan, Persan, Indian, etc. Like a meatball mix.

[Mezzaluna]

Good idea, blueschef. These are called kofte, kefte, etc.

I've made lamb skewers. I used shoulder, then marinated it in garlic, olive oil, herbs, lemon and sometimes a shot of red wine vinegar. Acid is necessary to tenderize the meat, but if you do it too long it gets mushy. 8 hours would be good for 1.5" chunks, but I'd be reluctant to go longer.

Depending on where you live, you may get lamb imported from the opposite hemisphere (we get New Zealand lamb where I live), so I'm not sure the season matters. Others konw more than I do, but if you're marinating it, you should be fine.

Just don't overcook it! Medium rare is delicious. Good luck!
Mezzaluna

[phatch]

Yes, medium rare lamb is excellent, but I'd shy away from that temp in a ground product. Of course, yours is a different suggestion than ground.

I've seen broad skewers for ground lamb in Turkish and other Middle Eastern styles that look pretty good. That big piece of metal helps them cook quickly and evenly besides helping hold them together.

A different take is the gyro.

I've made a gyro mix this way before. Ground mix as described above, then spread thinly and evenly in a rimmed baking sheet. Bake gently until barely done. Then cool, and slice in strips. When ready to serve, brush the strips with olive oil, grill to heat through and lay in the pita with onion, tomato and tzatziki.

[Mezzaluna]

What a great idea, Phil! I've made fake gyros using ground lamb and beef and all the seasonings, but it was more of a loose meat kind of thing. I served it in a pita with the onion, tomato, lettuce and tzatziki. But I like the idea of having strips like the real thing.

By the way, I visited Greece in 1980 and didn't see any gyros at all- just souvlaki. I think this is an American invention. Is that true?

[phatch]

Probably it's present incarnation is a US thing. I don't know for sure. In Jeff Smith's book of "Three Ancient Cuisines" in one of the Greek bits, he did a gyro-like mixture on the broad turkish skewers over the grill. Then loaded it into a pita and so on. I suspect it might be more Turkish or Lebanese, but their cuisines share many commonalities.

Phil

[blueschef]

I think if you add some Bulgher and Parsley it is Kibbee as well.
I hate the Gyro loaf Crap that you buy from the proveyors it always makes me ill and I berp it for days.
I think the best Gyro / Slouvike thing I ever had was in Melbourne Australia these guys had an enormious vertical grill with a two prong skyewer assembly and they stacked it with Lamb Cutlets that were marinated in some amazing nectar of the gods stuff and it would rotate and get Grilled / charred on the outside and they woud slice that off into an enormous homemade pita / flatbread (I ask for the cooked Jus off the bottom instead of the "special" sauce they had) with Lettuce, Tomato and Onions. Freaking amazing meal!

[Mezzaluna]

Is that what they call doner kebab?

[lamington]

It sure is! I walk past these places every day (here in Melbourne, Australia ) Mind you, down here we don't often use the term kebab or döner... more likely to say souvlaki unless the place is clearly Turkish/Lebanese.

[blueschef]

Man did I have some good food in Melbourne! I loved the vic market (unique produce, meats, live birds, fresh eggs, all kinds of seafood, wine, etc.) the seafood wholesaler, restaraunts. What an amazing city for food!

[shahar]

For skewers try and marinate in yogurt and garlic. Homemade if possible. Great flavor, adds color and excellent tenderizer.

For ground kebabs(back home kebabs were always ground. Skewers are called shish-liqh or shish-kebab). In israel they put lean beef, lamb fat, onion and parsley straight into the meat grinder. I know it's cheating, but the flavor's actually better than straight up lamb and the cost is down to 1.80-2.20$.

My meat guy would ground the meat mix for me(don't tell anybody it sort of illegal). Than I put in the food processor onions, garlic, parsley, baharat(in this case with allspice, cumin, coriander, black pepper and cinnamon), evo and plenty of lemon juice and lemon zest. The onion keeps them juicy and everything else makes them marvel at their own goodness.

I don't use skewers, but you would need the wide ones for this. Make sure you shape and chill them before skewering. Otherwise they'll break up on you.

[AprilB]

Look at FoodTV for Alton Brown's Giro thing. I was surprised because I always thought Giros were whole lamb cuts but they're actually a processed meat thing.

I'd even had it in Guatemala City!

It's still great, processed or not. Get the spices right and you're good to go.

I'd certainly eat it in a heartbeat.

April

[lamington]

Originally Posted by AprilB

Look at FoodTV for Alton Brown's Giro thing. I was surprised because I always thought Giros were whole lamb cuts but they're actually a processed meat thing.

I must say I've never come across a real Greek place that uses the processed stuff. Always chunks of lamb on a spit, roasting.