Do I need to marinate lamb? Recipes for delicious marinades for juicy and soft lamb kebab

According to the recipe, kebab is pieces of any meat, poultry or fish fried over coals, in a frying pan or on the grill on skewers or skewers, pre-marinated for several hours. Each housewife may have her own secrets of the marinade, which allows you to preserve and enhance the taste of meat, giving it an additional aroma of spices and herbs. We have collected some of the most successful ones.

How to choose lamb for barbecue

No matter how wonderful and tasty the marinade is, the kebab will not turn out tasty if you choose the wrong meat for it. For quick grilling over charcoal, only lamb meat that is less than one year old is suitable. In appearance, this meat has a light red color. As a rule, young lamb does not have a specific smell, which is why many people do not like this meat. For barbecue, you can use a lamb leg or front shoulder; you can also fry entrecotes on the bone.

A quick and easy marinade

If you bought fresh young lamb meat, there is no point in being particularly tricky with the marinade; long soaking can also be eliminated. To prepare a great kebab, just cut the meat into pieces, pepper, add a little salt and mix it with onions.

To do this, several onions need to be cut into half rings, sprinkled with salt and rolled several times with a regular rolling pin to release the juice. The meat should stand in this onion for a couple of hours at room temperature, after which it can be fried over coals.

Marinade with tomatoes and barberries

When you need to marinate lamb for a holiday table, you can use a more complex recipe that will require the following ingredients:

• lamb cut into pieces - 1 kg;
• onions – 5−6 pcs.;
• hot tkemali sauce – ½ tbsp.;
• tomatoes – 4 pcs. medium size;
• dried barberry - 1 tbsp. l.;
• rendered fat tail fat – 50 g;
• ground cumin – 1 tsp;
• salt;
• ground black pepper;
• chopped fresh herbs – cilantro, dill.

Peel the onion, cut into half rings, remember it well with your hands. Place the tomatoes in boiling water for a few seconds, remove the skins and finely chop them. Meat - in pieces of about 4 centimeters, sprinkle with onions and tomatoes, pour over tkemali sauce, melted fat tail fat, add salt, pepper, spices and chopped herbs. Stir everything together so that each piece of meat is coated with the marinade and infused with its flavors. You need to soak it for 2-3 hours, leaving it to stand at room temperature.

Important: if you cut the barbecue meat too finely, the dish will turn out dry and tasteless.

Marinade with lemon and garlic

We will need:

• onions – 3 pcs.;
• garlic – 4-5 cloves;
• juice of half a lemon;
• olive oil – 100 g;
• dry herbs: basil, thyme, rosemary – 1 tsp each;
• ground black pepper;
• salt.

Cut the onion into half rings and remember with your hands or a rolling pin, pass the garlic through a press. Sprinkle the meat with onions, garlic and herbs, salt, pepper and olive oil. Mix well and leave to stand at room temperature for 2-3 hours, then the kebab can be put in the refrigerator for another 2-3 hours or overnight.

There are many known recipes that allow you to marinate lamb in an amazingly tasty, simple and quick way. When choosing any of them, you should take a responsible approach to preparing meat, take into account all the principles of cooking and take all accompanying ingredients in strict proportions. Only in this case the dish will be juicy, nutritious and will not leave any gourmet indifferent.

Many cooks wonder how to properly marinate lamb so that the prepared dish does not turn out tough, too stringy or greasy. Experienced chefs recommend choosing meat responsibly.

Normally it should be:

1. Only fresh or chilled. Pieces that have been frozen are not suitable.
2. No pit.
3. Without a specific or rotten smell.
4. Delicate pink color.
5. With white fatty layers.
6. When pressing with your fingertips, immediately return to its original shape.

For such dishes, the best cuts are made from lamb that is less than one year old, since the older the animal becomes, the more sinewy and firmer its meat becomes.

Preparing lamb for marinating

After competent selection of the best pieces, you should move on to the preparation stage. If you marinate lamb right away, there is a huge risk that the dish will turn out less juicy and not as tasty as expected.

In order to prevent such situations from arising, a person is required to rinse pieces of meat under cold water.

Advice: it is optimal if this procedure takes 2 – 3 minutes.

1. Remove all films.
2. Trim off excess fat with a clean knife.
3. Place the tenderloin on a wooden board and cut it into equal pieces, approximately 3 - 4 centimeters each.

If we marinate fresh lamb for barbecue, then the pieces should be larger, for example, 6 - 7 centimeters each.

Principles of marinating so that the meat is juicy and soft

Marinating properly prepared lamb requires adherence to three main principles, which make it possible to obtain meat that is not only juicy, but also surprisingly tasty. These include:

1. Add natural acids, for example:

• lemon, kiwi, tomato or apple juices;
• kefir, fermented baked milk and other fermented milk products;
• natural wines;
• mustard;

Only natural acid allows lamb to avoid a bitter taste, and also helps the meat become juicier and softer.

1. Use spices in moderation. Adding too many different seasonings can dull the flavor of the lamb itself, make it overly spicy, or simply ruin the dish. The purpose of any spice is to add a little flavor and make the meat more refined.
2. Don't forget about the oil. Olive, sesame or vegetable are suitable for this dish. It is the oils that allow all the spices and seasonings to open up, and also soften the chopped pieces.

Its further taste depends on what the meat is marinated in. Now we will present several interesting recipes for preparing the best marinades for lamb.

Marinade for lamb in the oven

Ingredients:

• onions – 3 pcs.;
• vinegar – 50 ml;
• granulated sugar – 2 teaspoons;
• refined oil – 50 ml;
• salt;
• pepper.

Preparation

Add chopped onion, salt and pepper to the chopped pieces of lamb. Pour it all over with vinegar, previously mixed with sugar, and oil. Stir, place a plate on top, place pressure on it, and place in the cold for about a day. Next, the meat can be baked.

Beer marinade for lamb

Ingredients:

• lamb – 1 kg;
• light beer – 500 ml;
• olive oil – 40 ml;
• fat tail fat – 100 g;
• basil – 0.5 teaspoon;
• garlic – 1 head;
• rosemary – 0.5 teaspoon;
• thyme – 0.5 teaspoon;
• paprika – 1 teaspoon;
• mustard – 2 tbsp. spoons;
• red hot pepper – 0.5 teaspoon.

Preparation

The meat can be marinated as a whole piece, or you can pre-cut it. Peel the garlic and cut into pieces. Fill the meat and tail fat with beer and add spices, garlic and mix. Leave at normal room temperature for 8 hours, and then put in the refrigerator for another 8 hours. Now remove the meat, lard and garlic. We pass it through a press and mix it with mustard and olive oil. Lubricate the meat with the resulting mixture. And that’s it, the meat is ready for further cooking.

Marinade for lamb ribs

Ingredients:

• lamb ribs – 1 kg;
• dried tomatoes – 150 g;
• dry wine (white or red) – 50 ml;
• mustard – 2 tbsp. spoons;
• greens – 100 g;
• grated ginger - 1 teaspoon;
• salt;
• pepper.

Preparation

Cut the lamb ribs into pieces and place in a bowl. Cut dried tomatoes into small pieces. Chop the greens. Salt and pepper the ribs, add your favorite spices, mustard, grated ginger and mix well. Now lay out the tomatoes, herbs, pour in the wine and put the lamb ribs in the marinade in the refrigerator overnight.

Tomato marinade for lamb on the bone

Ingredients:

• lamb on the bone – 2 kg;
• vegetable oil – 30 ml;
• onions – 5 pcs.;
• vinegar – 20 ml;
• – 400 g;
• salt;
• pepper.

Preparation

Fill the meat cut into pieces with vegetable oil, add onion rings, salt and pepper. We also send tomatoes pre-chopped in a blender in their own juice. Stir and leave the meat to marinate at least overnight. After this, add about 1 tablespoon of vinegar, mix and start cooking the meat.

The most delicious marinade for lamb shish kebab

Ingredients:

• kefir – 200 ml;
• sugar - a pinch;
• onions – 3 pcs.;
• salt – 1.5 teaspoons;
• black peppercorns – 5 pcs.

Preparation

Sprinkle the cut meat with salt. Cut the onion into rings, add to the meat and mix. Add kefir, sugar, peppercorns and mix well. Let the meat marinate for about an hour at room temperature, then put it in a cold place overnight. And then you can safely make barbecue.

Marinade for grilled lamb

Ingredients:

Preparation

Peel the onion and garlic and chop finely. Chop the greens. If you want to get a very spicy marinade, then you don’t have to peel the seeds in the pepper. Otherwise, it is better to clean them. Cut the pepper itself into small pieces. Mix wine, pomegranate juice, chopped onion, garlic and pepper. Salt and mix. Pour the marinade over the meat and leave in a cool place for 5 hours. Grill the marinated lamb until cooked. Bon Appetit everyone!

You can use different ones. As a rule, such meat is soaked in creamy sauce, garlic, tomato and others. We will tell you how the mentioned and other marinades are made in this article.

Step-by-step recipe for lamb marinade (for baking in the oven)

Surely all housewives know that after baking lamb almost always becomes tough and dry. Most often this occurs due to the use of the wrong marinade. Therefore, the meat of such a domestic animal requires a special method of preparation.

So, to make a marinade for lamb, you need to prepare:

• lamb shoulder - about 1 kg;
• natural yogurt without additives - approximately 250 ml;
• garlic cloves - 2 pcs.;
• ginger, finely grated - about 1 large spoon;
• fresh cilantro - approximately 40 g;
• crushed chili pepper, black pepper and salt - to your taste.

Cooking process

(lamb) in the oven should be done immediately before soaking the product. We decided to use natural yogurt as the basis for this sauce. This product can also make it tender and juicy.

Add grated ginger and pepper to the yogurt for spiciness, as well as chopped garlic and fresh chopped cilantro, mix them thoroughly. After this, hot pepper and salt to taste are added to the ingredients.

Having received a fragrant and very spicy gruel, rub it on a pre-treated spatula. In this form, the dishes with meat and marinade are covered with foil or film and then placed in the refrigerator.

After keeping the product in the cold for several hours, it is placed on a baking sheet and baked for an hour at 190 degrees.

This time is enough for the lamb to be covered with a golden brown crust, and the inside to be completely baked, juicy and tender.

Vinegar marinade for lamb in the oven

In the sleeve, this meat turns out to be especially tender. What is this connected with? The fact is that in the bag this product is baked in its own juice, as well as in the marinade. Therefore, it is very important to make a special dressing for it.

So, to prepare a delicious marinade for lamb, you need to purchase:

• fresh lamb (tenderloin) - 1 kg;
• onions - about 3 pcs.;
• table vinegar 3% - 150 ml;
• salt and ground pepper - use at your discretion.

Cooking method

Marinade for lamb baked in the oven does not necessarily need to be prepared separately from the meat. It can be done in the process of preparing the main product for baking.

So, before heat-treating the meat, wash it thoroughly, and then cut off all unnecessary veins, films, etc. After this, the lamb is divided into the necessary pieces. They are placed in a deep enamel bowl, after which they are salted and pepper to taste.

After mixing the ingredients, be sure to add sweet onions, which are first peeled and then chopped into half rings. Also pour a little into the bowl with the meat and add table vinegar.

Once again, mix the ingredients with your hands, cover them with a lid and leave them in this form at room temperature. If the meat product has been completely thawed, then you will need only two hours to soak it. If it was slightly frozen, then it will take at least half a day to soak the lamb in the marinade.

As soon as the meat product becomes aromatic and forms juice, it is placed in a culinary sleeve, into which all the broth and marinade that has accumulated in the bowl must be poured.

After tightly tying the bag of lamb, place it on a baking sheet and put it in the oven. Maintaining a temperature of 190 degrees, the meat is baked for about 60 minutes. During this time, even more aromatic broth should accumulate in the cooking sleeve. At the same time, the lamb should become as juicy, tender and soft as possible.

After heat treatment, the pieces of meat are carefully removed from the sleeve and placed on a large dish. After adding aromatic broth to them, they are sprinkled with cilantro or finely chopped green onions, and then served to the table along with some side dish.

Bake meat in foil with tomato cream sauce

To prepare this dressing you will need the following ingredients:

• fresh lamb (any part) - 2 kg;
• the fattest cream - about 100 ml;
• ripe tomatoes - 2 pcs.;
• cilantro, onions - to your taste;
• granulated sugar - 2 dessert spoons;
• lemon juice - 10 ml;
• salt and ground pepper - use at your discretion;
• dried parsley, dill and other seasonings - to taste.

How to cook?

Marinade for lamb in the oven in foil is quite simple to make. First the meat is processed. If it has a bone, then it is better to get rid of it. Unnecessary veins and films are also removed. After this, the product is thoroughly washed and dried with paper towels.

As soon as the lamb is processed, begin preparing the marinade. For this purpose, use the heaviest cream. Beat them using a blender, gradually adding granulated sugar, salt and ground pepper.

Leaving the dairy product aside, begin preparing the tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes are washed thoroughly and then transformed into a paste in a blender bowl. They also add parsley, lemon juice, dill, green onions and other spices.

After the described steps, combine both parts of the sauce and stir.

The meat should not be marinated with this dressing for long. Place lamb at room temperature in a container and pour marinade over it. After rubbing it into the surface of the product, close the container tightly and leave for 20-40 minutes.

After time, the aromatic and tender meat is carefully transferred to a sheet of thick cooking foil. Having formed small sides, add all the sauce remaining in the container to the lamb. After this, wrap the foil tightly, making sure that it does not tear.

In this form, the package with meat is placed on a baking sheet and kept for some time at room temperature (about ¼ hour). Next, the sheet is sent to the oven.

This dish is baked at 190 degrees for a whole hour. According to experienced chefs, this time is enough for the lamb to fully cook and, of course, absorb all the marinade.

Let's sum it up

Now you know how to make marinade for lamb for baking in the oven. Using these and other recipes for preparing a homemade dinner, you are sure to get a tasty, juicy, tender and very aromatic meat dish. It should be recalled that lamb goes perfectly with potatoes, fresh vegetables, rice and herbs. It is with these products that it is recommended to serve it at the family table.

Lamb is considered one of the least common types of meat in production and sale, which significantly affects the volume of its consumption by the population. In addition to this, due to widespread rumors about the presence of a specific aroma and unpleasant taste in cooked lamb meat, residents, even if they have lamb, increasingly prefer the types of meat that are more familiar to them - poultry, beef and pork.

It’s definitely worth eating lamb, especially for older people and children - this is said by representatives of the Caucasian and Asian peoples, who traditionally eat lamb shish kebab and other dishes made from this meat (and are famous for their longevity), and even doctors. And a delicious marinade for barbecue, prepared according to the traditions of the above-mentioned peoples or simply taking into account the characteristics of lamb, can forever make even the most sophisticated gourmets fall in love with it.

How to choose the right lamb for barbecue

In order for lamb kebab to be a great success, you should pay primary attention to the quality of the meat used. The ham, loin and upper part of the shoulder blade of young lambs (they should be no more than 1 year old) are perfect - their light red soft meat has absolutely no unpleasant odor, streaks or fatty layers.

The ideal option for barbecue is milk lamb meat, the age of which does not exceed 2 months, but you will be able to pamper yourself with such an exquisite delicacy only in the spring. It is important to remember that the younger the lamb, sheep and ewe lamb were, the more tender and tastier the kebab made from their meat will be.

It is not recommended to marinate fresh meat from freshly slaughtered lamb, lamb or sheep - to avoid toughness of the kebab, you should give the meat the opportunity to lie down for a while (so that the muscles of the killed animal relax).

If you buy lamb in a store, where in most cases it is impossible to find out the real age of the cut carcass, you should be guided by the color and smell of the meat, as well as by the degree of freezing. The meat of an old sheep or an old ram has a dark red hue and a smell that will only intensify during frying (it is precisely this sign of unsuitable meat that people like to scare).

A kebab made from such meat is unlikely to be to your taste due to its dryness and toughness. Yellow fat and large joints of the same color are also signs of old lamb.

Repeatedly frozen meat is not suitable for barbecue and is only suitable for minced meat or soups. It will not be difficult to determine it - the recess formed as a result of pressing a finger on the meat will not disappear and may even fill with blood.
Having finally made sure that the lamb for the future barbecue was purchased in accordance with the specified recommendations, you can finally start marinating it.

Preparing lamb for marinating

Marinade is a mixture of vegetable oils, aromatic seasonings and natural substances containing acids, used to give meat a soft consistency and additional taste or to preserve it.

For lamb, along with beef and pork, rich marinades are more suitable. Lamb shish kebab should be kept in such marinades for an average of 1 to 12 hours, depending on the degree of toughness of the meat and its age. It is better not to add a large amount of salt or acid to the marinade so that the kebab does not turn out dry when frying.

Before marinating, the lamb does not need to be washed in cold water - just wipe the piece of meat with a napkin or paper towel. Having removed all the films, tendons and excess fat, the future kebab should be cut into triangles or cubes and placed in a glass or enamel bowl with the fat side down - this way, when frying lamb kebab, the meat will become much more tender.

The specific smell of meat can easily be eliminated by pre-soaking it in vodka or adding cinnamon and pine nuts to the marinade.
A frozen piece of lamb requires preliminary defrosting at room temperature.

Marinade for lamb - recipes for tender and tasty kebab

Lamb is very fond of marinades, many of which can be used as salad dressings or sauces for meat dishes.
The most famous and common types of marinades are:

• classical;
• with sea salt;
• traditional peoples of the Caucasus and Asia;
• lemon (lime can be used instead of lemon);
• mustard;
• wine (cognac);
• pomegranate;
• soy;
• pub;
• vegetable (including tomato);
• coffee;
• tea;
• marinade based on vinegar (including apple, wine, etc.);
• marinade based on mineral water;
• exotic (for example, from kiwi or avocado).

You can marinate lamb shish kebab using any of the following methods, depending on your taste.
Sometimes the type of marinade can already be predetermined - for example, any kebab recipe according to Caucasian traditions does not allow the use of vinegar and mayonnaise in the marinade (only lemon juice, salt, spices and onions).

Classic marinade

The classic marinade recipe is one of the simplest. That is why it is most common on store shelves. To prepare, you will need coarsely chopped onions, peppercorns, vinegar and salt. The disadvantages of this marinating option are the unpleasant taste and smell of the finished kebab, which is caused by vinegar.

Marinade with sea salt is very common. Any spices to taste are added to the lamb, and before frying, the meat is sprinkled with sea salt. This will give the kebab an unusual taste and pleasant aroma.

Traditional marinade of the peoples of the Caucasus and Asia

These marinades differ from all others in the presence of seasonings and spices that are unique to the cuisine of these peoples. Adding vinegar and mayonnaise is prohibited. The most popular types of herbs used are cilantro and marjoram. Vinegar is replaced by citrus juice, which also contains an “acidic” component.

Mustard marinade

The marinade is made from mustard powder, vinegar, vegetable oil, and salt. You can also use regular mustard, diluted with water in advance. French mustard is also suitable - unlike regular mustard, it is not as spicy. Sometimes mustard is replaced with peanut butter, which does not negatively affect the taste of the kebab.

Wine (cognac) marinade

The most delicious marinade of all presented, since the wine goes well with this type of meat. Lamb is poured with dry or semi-dry wine with the addition of oils, herbs and spices. It is possible to replace wine with cognac.

Pomegranate marinade

Freshly squeezed pomegranate juice is required; store-bought bagged juice is not suitable in this case due to the high sugar content. Using a mortar, herbs, salt, spices and spices (for example, paprika) are rubbed, after which the finished pieces of lamb are rubbed with the resulting powder. At the very end, pomegranate juice is added.

Soy marinade

Ingredients: soy sauce, tarragon, peppercorns, sea (or regular) salt, Provençal herbs. All ingredients are pre-mixed and then added to the meat. You can add onions (including shallots) to taste.

Beer marinade

Salt and spices are added to the meat, after which the lamb should lie for 20-30 minutes. Next, add a light or dark type of beer (non-alcoholic is possible). Beer gives the meat a delicate taste.

Vegetable (including tomato)

Ingredients: tomatoes, red or green bell peppers, chili peppers, pine nuts (to taste), a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, salt. All ingredients are passed in a blender until smooth and then mixed with meat. If necessary, you can add garlic to the marinade.

Coffee marinade

Weak, freshly brewed coffee cools to room temperature. Salt, spices and herbs are then added to the coffee. Everything is mixed and poured into the meat, after which it is left to marinate for 20-60 minutes.

Tea marinade

Loose black tea is brewed and cooled. Per liter of tea, add 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon of salt, spices and herbs. The mixture should stand for 10-15 minutes, after which it can be added to the meat.

Marinade based on vinegar (including apple, wine, etc.)

At its core, it is similar to a traditional marinade, to which you can add any other type of vinegar. The most original version of the marinade is based on apple cider vinegar, which adds sourness to the meat. If you want a sweetish taste to your kebab, you can add cherry vinegar. Be sure to add vegetable oil.

Marinade based on mineral water

Any non-medicinal mineral water is enriched with a mixture of seasonings, herbs and spices. Plain onions or shallots are added to taste. The meat is infused in this marinade for 1-2 hours.

Exotic (such as kiwi or avocado)

For 1 kg of lamb, take 200 g of peeled kiwi or avocado, which are rubbed through a sieve or in a blender. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, spices and salt to the resulting puree. Under no circumstances should onions be added to this marinade - it is better to cook it separately as a side dish along with olive or vegetable oil, salt and spices.

The marinade for lamb shish kebab can have a very different and sometimes unusual composition, dictated by taste preferences and the desired result from frying the meat marinated in it. Vegetables cooked on charcoal are ideal for lamb shish kebab. Regarding barbecue sauces, one can debate for quite a long time - connoisseurs claim that good barbecue does not require any additional sauces for it, while people can no longer imagine barbecue without ketchups and sauces.

It is only important to remember that the best and most delicious marinade is not store-bought, but made with your own hands, with soul and concern for health. By experimenting with different ingredients, you can create your own unique marinade, which is not inferior in taste to restaurant marinade.