I apologize in advance for the rather neophyte question, but can someone explain to me what makes for a great kebab?
Again not to diminish the quiddity of the kebab, but at its essence isn’t it just grilling meat over an open flame? With the only twist being the skewer? So wouldn’t it come down to just (1) quality of meat and (2) seasoning or marination of that meat?
Is there something else I am missing? I feel like there has to be because the kebabs that I’ve thought were great have all seemed a bit more elevated than typical grilled meat.
(Not necessarily asking about how to make kebabs at home, although that information would be enlightening as well. More curious as to just what makes a good kebab good - be it at home or at a restaurant.)
I’m looking forward to replies on this. (On a cooking note, there is the good advice that if cooking vegetables to put them on their own skewers as they’ll take longer to get done.)
My favorites were the Turkish “kebabs” we had in Turkey which I haven’t tried to replicate.
I’m going to say the marinade. There are lots of variations, but the one constant seems to be cumin and yoghurt. I like to use yoghurt, a grated onion, cumin and turmeric.
I think it depends on which country’s kebab you are trying to make. An Indian style kebab is going to be different than a turkish or lebanese style kebab, due to the different spices.
I think what make a kebab good in general is a good marinade (for pieces of meat) and/or a good blend of spices in ground meat kebabs. The meat needs to sit for a bit with the marinade/spices before being put into skewers and cooked. Grilling is the best option, but the broiler works in a pinch.
