shashlyk recipe history culture origin

Shashlyk prepared to be eaten with traditional tkemali sauce.

All About Shashlyk (BBQ from the Caucasus)

Published: August 4, 2018

Shashlyk (ัˆะฐัˆะปั‹ะบ) is considered to be one of the very first dishes humans invented and most likely hails from the place the first modern human likely appeared โ€“ the area covering Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, and the Caucasus.

How โ€œShashlykโ€ Got Its Name

(ะŸะพั‡ะตะผัƒ ะพะฝ ั‚ะฐะบ ะฝะฐะทั‹ะฒะฐะตั‚ัั?)

The word โ€œัˆะฐัˆะปั‹ะบโ€ was adopted into Russian in the 18th century. It may have come from Crimean Tartar. In that language โ€œัˆั‹ัˆโ€ means โ€œpieceโ€ and โ€œัˆั‹ัˆะปั‹ะบโ€ means โ€œin pieces.โ€

However, it may also have come from Turkish where โ€œัˆั‹ัˆโ€ is a skewer and โ€œัˆั‹ัˆะปั‹ะบโ€ is something on the skewer.

Interestingly, both languages are related to Persian, from where English adopted the phrase โ€œshish kabab.โ€ From Persian, this translates to โ€œpieces of roasted meat.โ€

Shashlyk was eaten in Russia before the 18th century, but was most often called โ€œะฒะตั€ั‡ั‘ะฝะพะต ะผััะพโ€ which basically means โ€œrotated meatโ€ and was called so because it was usually roasted โ€œะฝะฐ ะฒะตั€ั‚ะตะปะตโ€ (on a spit). Today, shashlykย is most often cooked on skewers, which Russians call โ€œัˆะฐะผะฟัƒั€ั‹.โ€

There is evidence to suggest that โ€œัˆะฐะผะฟัƒั€โ€ is related to the word โ€œัˆะพะผะฟะพะป,โ€ or โ€œramrod,โ€ as that is what soldiers would often use as skewers to cook their meat in the field.

shashlyk recipe history culture origin
Classic pork shashlyk being cooked over coals.

How and When to Eat Shashlyk

(ะšะฐะบ ะฟั€ะฐะฒะธะปัŒะฝะพ ะตัั‚ัŒ ัˆะฐัˆะปั‹ะบ?)

Shashlyk is most traditionally made from lamb. The best cuts to use are ะฝะพะณะฐ โ€œะฑะฐั€ะฐะฝะฐโ€ (leg of lamb), โ€œะฟะตั‡ะตะฝัŒโ€ (liver), and โ€œะฟะพั‡ะบะฐโ€ (kidney). โ€œะ“ะพะฒัะถัŒั ะฒั‹ั€ะตะทะบะฐโ€ (beef tenderloin) and โ€œั‚ะตะปัั‚ะธะฝะฐโ€ (veal) are also considered traditional. However, today shashlyk is most often made from โ€œัะฒะธะฝะธะฝะฐโ€ (pork), probably because it is naturally โ€œัะพั‡ะฝะฐัโ€ (juicy) and relatively โ€œะฝะตะดะพั€ะพะณะฐัโ€ (inexpensive).

Shashlyk is a national tradition in Russia and its cooks can be as passionate as barbequers in the US.

Shashlyk is occasionally made from more exotic meats such as โ€œะฟั‚ะธั†ะฐโ€ (poultry) or โ€œั€ั‹ะฑะฐโ€ (fish). To better enhance the flavor, โ€œะปัƒะบโ€ (onions), โ€œะฟะพะผะธะดะพั€ั‹โ€ (tomatoes), โ€œะฑะฐะบะปะฐะถะฐะฝั‹โ€ (eggplants), and/or โ€œะณั€ะธะฑั‹โ€ (mushrooms) are sometimes cooked on the skewers with the meat.

shashlyk recipe history culture origin
Raw shashlyk prepared with spices and vegetables.

For many people in Russia, shashlyk is not just a dish, but an event. Shashlykย is best prepared and eaten โ€œะฝะฐ ัƒะปะธั†ะตโ€ (outside) or โ€œะฝะฐ ะฟั€ะธั€ะพะดะตโ€ (outdoors, such as when camping) with family and friends and especially on occasions such as birthdays or holidays. It is usually prepared by men who, as a rule, are reluctant to entrust the important process to women. While the shashlyk is being cooked, those gathered talk, joke, and wait for it as the โ€œgrand finale.โ€ Usually there is bread and โ€œัะฐะปะฐั‚ั‹โ€ (salads) as well, usually prepared by the women. The meal proceeds slowly with toasts and conversation that can last well into the night.

Drinking a lot of alcohol with shashlyk is not recommended; it is best with โ€œะฝะตะผะฝะพะณะพ ััƒั…ะพะณะพ ะธะปะธ ะฟะพะปัƒััƒั…ะพะณะพ ะฒะธะฝะฐโ€ (a little dry or semidry wine) or โ€œะฝะตะผะฝะพะณะพ ะฒะพะดะบะธโ€ (a little vodka). โ€œะŸะธะฒะพโ€ (beer) is not recommended by aficionados as it can overpower the taste of the shashlyk. A lot of vodka is also not recommended, as โ€œะฟะพัะปะต ัั‚ะพะณะพ, ะฝะธะบั‚ะพ ะฝะธั‡ะตะณะพ ะฝะต ั‡ัƒะฒัั‚ะฒัƒะตั‚โ€ (after that, nobody feels anything).

How to Prepare Shashlyk

(ะšะฐะบ ะฟั€ะฐะฒะธะปัŒะฝะพ ะณะพั‚ะพะฒะธั‚ัŒ ัˆะฐัˆะปั‹ะบ?)

The meat should be โ€œัะฒะตะถะตะตโ€ (fresh), never โ€œะทะฐะผะพั€ะพะถะตะฝะฝะพะตโ€ (frozen). Ideally, the meat should still be โ€œะฝะฐ ะบะพัั‚ะธโ€ (on the bone). โ€œะจะตะนะบะฐโ€ (neck meat), โ€œั€ะตะฑั€ะฐโ€ (ribs), and โ€œะบะพั€ะตะนะบะฐโ€ (brisket) are generally good choices.

For beginning Shashlyk makers, try neck meat or โ€œะบัƒั€ะธั†ะฐโ€œ(chicken). Both of these are fairly forgiving, cook quickly and generally stay tender.

shashlyk recipe history culture origin
Shashlyk cooked with improvised means. Note the color and quality of the ideal coals beneath the meat.

Cut the meat into cubes of about one to two inches. โ€œะœััะพ ะฝัƒะถะฝะพ ะผะฐั€ะธะฝะพะฒะฐั‚ัŒโ€ (the meat needs to be marinated) โ€œะพั‚ ะดะฒัƒั… ั‡ะฐัะพะฒ ะดะพ ััƒั‚ะพะบโ€ (for two to 24 hours).

First, โ€œะฟะตั€ะตัั‹ะฟะฐั‚ัŒ ะผััะพ ะบั€ัƒะฟะฝะพะน ัะพะปัŒัŽโ€ (sprinkle the meat with coarse salt). This will absorb the excess juices and add flavor. Now, โ€œะฟะตั€ะตัั‹ะฟะฐั‚ัŒ ะบั€ัƒะฟะฝั‹ะผะธ ั€ะฐะทะผัั‚ั‹ะผะธ ะณะพั€ะพัˆะบะฐะผะธ ะฟะตั€ั†ะฐโ€ (sprinkle the meat with coarsely ground pepper), and then finally add onion slices. If the meat is fresh, this will suffice for the โ€œะผะฐั€ะธะฝะฐะดโ€ (marinade).

You can also then add almost any โ€œะบะธัะปั‹ะต ะถะธะดะบะพัั‚ะธโ€ (acidic liquids) as additional marinade. โ€œะ’ะธะฝะพโ€ (wine), โ€œะปะธะผะพะฝะฝั‹ะน ัะพะบโ€ (lemon juice), โ€œะณั€ะฐะฝะฐั‚ะพะฒั‹ะน ัะพะบโ€ (pomegranate juice), and โ€œะบะธัะปะพะต ะผะพะปะพะบะพโ€ (sour milk) are some good choices.

Never marinate in an aluminum pot: the aluminum oxide the meat absorbs from the pot can be toxic.

Shashlyk should be cooked on a fire made from โ€œะปะธัั‚ะฒะตะฝะฝั‹ั… ะฟะพั€ะพะด ะดะตั€ะตะฒัŒะตะฒโ€ (hardwood). โ€œะ’ะธะฝะพะณั€ะฐะดะฝั‹ะต ะปะพะทั‹โ€ (grapevines) can also be burned to make excellent shashlyk. Much of the street shashlyk in Russia is cooked over โ€œัƒะณะพะปัŒโ€ (coal โ€“ not charcoal), which is also delicious.

There should be no fire under the meat, only white-hot embers. Allow the fire to burn through the fuel, then stir the embers to evenly spread them (and the heat). Now, place the meat above the heat, at a distance of about six inches.

Rotate the skewers frequently, but keep them close together so that the meat traps the smoke underneath.

Letโ€™s Cook!

(ะ”ะฐะฒะฐะน ะฟั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะธะผ!)

See below for a free recipe for shashlyk. See also the free videos online. If you are interested in cooking from Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, and other places in Eurasia, make sure to see our other resources! You might also be interested in the following specialized cookbooks weโ€™ve enjoyed:

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ะจะฐัˆะปั‹ะบ ะบะปะฐััะธั‡ะตัะบะธะน Classic Shashlyk
ะ˜ะฝะณั€ะตะดะธะตะฝั‚ั‹
  • 1 ะบะณ ะฑะฐั€ะฐะฝะธะฝั‹,
  • 5โ€“6 ะปัƒะบะพะฒะธั†,
  • 1 ะฟัƒั‡ะพะบ ะทะตะปั‘ะฝะพะณะพ ะปัƒะบะฐ,
  • 3โ€“4 ะฟะพะผะธะดะพั€ะฐ,
  • ะบั€ัƒะฟะฝะฐั ัะพะปัŒ
  • ะฟะตั€ะตั† ะณะพั€ะพัˆะบะพะผ
  • 1 ะปะธะผะพะฝ,
  • ะทะตะปะตะฝัŒ โ€“ ะฟะพ ะฒะบัƒััƒ.

ะŸั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะปะตะฝะธะต

  1. ะšะพั€ะตะนะบัƒ ะธะปะธ ะทะฐะดะฝัŽัŽ ะฝะพะณัƒ ะฑะฐั€ะฐะฝะธะฝั‹ ะฝะฐั€ะตะทะฐั‚ัŒ ะบัƒัะบะฐะผะธ, ัะปะพะถะธั‚ัŒ ะฒ ะฟะพััƒะดัƒ, ะฟะพัะพะปะธั‚ัŒ, ะฟะพัั‹ะฟะฐั‚ัŒ ะผะพะปะพั‚ั‹ะผ ะฟะตั€ั†ะตะผ, ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะผะตะปะบะพ ะฝะฐั€ะตะทะฐะฝะฝั‹ะน ั€ะตะฟั‡ะฐั‚ั‹ะน ะปัƒะบ, ะปะธะผะพะฝะฝั‹ะน ัะพะบ ะธ ะฟะตั€ะตะผะตัˆะฐั‚ัŒ. ะŸะพััƒะดัƒ ะฝะฐะบั€ั‹ั‚ัŒ ะบั€ั‹ัˆะบะพะน ะธ ะฝะฐ 2โ€“3 ั‡ะฐัะฐ ะฟะพะผะตัั‚ะธั‚ัŒ ะฒ ั…ะพะปะพะดะฝะพะต ะผะตัั‚ะพ ะดะปั ะผะฐั€ะธะฝะพะฒะฐะฝะธั.
  2. ะšัƒัะบะธ ะผััะฐ ะฝะฐะฝะธะทะฐั‚ัŒ ะฝะฐ ะผะตั‚ะฐะปะปะธั‡ะตัะบะธะน ะฒะตั€ั‚ะตะป ะฒะฟะตั€ะตะผะตะถะบัƒ ั ั€ะตะฟั‡ะฐั‚ั‹ะผ ะปัƒะบะพะผ, ะฝะฐั€ะตะทะฐะฝะฝั‹ะผ ะบะพะปัŒั†ะฐะผะธ.
  3. ะ–ะฐั€ะธั‚ัŒ ัˆะฐัˆะปั‹ะบ ะฝะฐ ะผะฐะฝะณะฐะปะต ะฝะฐะด ะณะพั€ัั‡ะธะผะธ ัƒะณะปัะผะธ ะฑะตะท ะฟะปะฐะผะตะฝะธ 10โ€“15 ะผะธะฝัƒั‚, ะฟะพะฒะพั€ะฐั‡ะธะฒะฐั ะฒะตั€ั‚ะตะป ั‚ะฐะบ, ั‡ั‚ะพะฑั‹ ะผััะพ ั€ะฐะฒะฝะพะผะตั€ะฝะพ ะฟั€ะพะถะฐั€ะธะฒะฐะปะพััŒ.
  4. ะะฐ ะณะฐั€ะฝะธั€ ะฟะพะดะฐั‚ัŒ ะทะตะปั‘ะฝั‹ะน ะปัƒะบ, ะฝะฐั€ะตะทะฐะฝะฝั‹ะน ะบะพะปัŒั†ะฐะผะธ ะปะธะผะพะฝ, ัะพัƒั ั‚ะบะตะผะฐะปะธ, ะฟะพะผะธะดะพั€ั‹.
Ingredients
  • 1kg of lamb (pork, chicken, beef)
  • 5-6 onions
  • 1 bunch of green onions
  • 3-4 tomatoes
  • Coarse salt
  • Coarse pepper
  • 1 lemon
  • Fresh herbs (to taste)

Preparation

  1. Cut the brisket or leg of lamb into cubes, place them in a dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add finely chopped white onion and lemon juice and mix well. Cover the dish and let it marinate in a cool place for 2-3 hours.
  2. Place meat pieces on metal skewers, interspersed with slices of white onion.
  3. Cook the shashlyk over hot coals with no flames for 10-15 minutes, turning the skewers so that the meat is evenly cooked.
  4. For garnish, serve with green onions, fresh herbs, lemon slices, tkemali sauce,* and/or tomatoes.

*tkemali sauce is a traditional sauce from Georgia made with cherry plums, pepper, and spices. If you canโ€™t find any, spicy ketchup can also be used.

ะจะฐัˆะปั‹ะบ ะธะท ะบัƒั€ะธั†ั‹ ั ะพัั‚ั€ั‹ะผ ัะพัƒัะพะผ Chicken Shashlyk with Spicy Sauce
ะ˜ะฝะณั€ะตะดะธะตะฝั‚ั‹
  • ะบัƒั€ะธั†ะฐ โ€” 1 ะบะณ.
  • ะผะฐัะปะพ ั€ะฐัั‚ะธั‚ะตะปัŒะฝะพะต โ€”50 ะณั€.
  • ัƒะบััƒั ะฒะธะฝะพะณั€ะฐะดะฝั‹ะน โ€”40 ะณั€.
  • ะปัƒะบ ั€ะตะฟั‡ะฐั‚ั‹ะน โ€”2 ัˆั‚.
  • ะฟะตั€ะตั† ั‡ั‘ั€ะฝั‹ะน ะธ ะบั€ะฐัะฝั‹ะน ะผะพะปะพั‚ั‹ะน โ€” ะฟะพ ะฒะบัƒััƒ
  • ัะพะปัŒ โ€” ะฟะพ ะฒะบัƒััƒ

ะŸั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะปะตะฝะธะต

  1. ะšัƒั€ะพั‡ะบัƒ ั€ะฐะทั€ะตะทะฐั‚ัŒ ะฝะฐ ะพะดะธะฝะฐะบะพะฒั‹ะต ะบัƒัะบะธ ะฟะพ 60 ะณั€ะฐะผะผ, ัะปะพะถะธั‚ัŒ ะฒ ะฟะพััƒะดัƒ, ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะผะตะปะบะพ ะฝะฐัˆะธะฝะบะพะฒะฐะฝะฝั‹ะน ะปัƒะบ, ั‡ั‘ั€ะฝั‹ะน ะธ ะบั€ะฐัะฝั‹ะน ะผะพะปะพั‚ั‹ะน ะฟะตั€ะตั†, ัะพะปัŒ, ะฒะธะฝะพะณั€ะฐะดะฝั‹ะน (ะฒะธะฝะฝั‹ะน) ัƒะบััƒั ะธ ะพัั‚ะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะผะฐั€ะธะฝะพะฒะฐั‚ัŒัั ะฒ ะฟั€ะพั…ะปะฐะดะฝะพะผ ะผะตัั‚ะต 2-3 ั‡ะฐัะฐ. ะ—ะฐั‚ะตะผ ะฝะฐะฝะธะทะฐั‚ัŒ ะบัƒัะพั‡ะบะธ ะผััะฐ ะฝะฐ ัˆะฐะผะฟัƒั€ั‹ ะธ ะถะฐั€ะธั‚ัŒ ะฝะฐะด ั€ะฐัะบะฐะปั‘ะฝะฝั‹ะผะธ ัƒะณะปัะผะธ, ัะผะฐะทั‹ะฒะฐั ัˆะฐัˆะปั‹ะบ ั€ะฐัั‚ะธั‚ะตะปัŒะฝั‹ะผ ะผะฐัะปะพะผ ะธ ัะฑั€ั‹ะทะณะธะฒะฐั ะพัั‚ะฐะฒัˆะธะผัั ะผะฐั€ะธะฝะฐะดะพะผ.
  2. ะš ัˆะฐัˆะปั‹ะบัƒ ะฟั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะพัั‚ั€ั‹ะน ัะพัƒั, ัะผะตัˆะฐะฒ ัะผะตั‚ะฐะฝัƒ, ั‚ะพะปั‡ั‘ะฝั‹ะน ั‡ะตัะฝะพะบ, ะฐะดะถะธะบัƒ ะธ ั‚ะพะผะฐั‚ะฝัƒัŽ ะฟะฐัั‚ัƒ. ะŸะพะดะฐั‚ัŒ ัˆะฐัˆะปั‹ะบ ะณะพั€ัั‡ะธะผ ะฝะฐ ะฑะปัŽะดะต, ะฐ ัะพัƒั ะพั‚ะดะตะปัŒะฝะพ ะฒ ัะพัƒัะฝะธะบะต.
Ingredients
  • 1kg chicken
  • 50 grams cooking oil
  • 40 grams wine vinegar
  • 2 onions
  • Red and black ground pepper (to taste)
  • Salt (to taste)

Preparation

  1. Cut chicken into 60-gram pieces, place them in a dish with finely chopped onion, red and black ground pepper, salt, and wine vinegar and let it marinate in a cool place for 2-3 hours. Then, place the pieces on skewers and cook over white-hot coals, intermittently brushing them with cooking oil and the rest of the marinade.
  2. To make the spicy sauce, mix sour cream, crushed garlic, adjika sauce,* and tomato paste. Serve the shashlyk hot on a platter and the sauce in a separate dish.

*Adjika is a traditional Georgian sauce made with tomatoes, peppers, and spices. If you canโ€™t locate any, try Frankโ€™s Red Hot or a smooth salsa.

Our Favorite Shashlyk Videos

An excellent way to make shashlyk โ€“ from an English-speaking woman from Latvia.

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This Persian-style shashlyk goes a bit more exotic on the spicesโ€ฆ

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Galileo, a Russian popular science show, investigates the science of making good shashlyk.

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Draniki, Kartupeฤผu Pankลซkas potato pancakes

Draniki, Latkes, Kartupeฤผu Pankลซkas: The Simple Deliciousness of Potato Pancakes

Potato pancakes dominate coffee shop menus in Riga, Latviaโ€”and for good reason! Meticulously prepared using grated potatoes, eggs, and flour, these pancakes are crisped to a brilliant golden hue, reaching a level of perfection that rivals the shining sun itself. The mouthwatering allure of this delightful dish is recognized worldwide. Following their inception in Eastern [โ€ฆ]

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Josh Wilson

Josh Wilson

Josh lived in Moscow from 2003, when he first arrived to study Russian with SRAS, until 2022. He holds an M.A. in Theatre and a B.A. in History from Idaho State University, where his masters thesis was written on the political economy of Soviet-era censorship organs affecting the stage. At SRAS, Josh assists in program development and leads our Internship Programs. He is also the editor-in-chief for the SRAS newsletter, the SRAS Family of Sites, and Vestnik. He has previously served as Communications Director to Bellerage Alinga and has served as a consultant or translator to several businesses and organizations with interests in Russia.

Program attended: SRAS Staff Member

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Andrei Nesterov

Andrei Nesterov

Andrei Nesterov leads SRAS' Research Services, performing remote archive research and consultations for researchers around the globe. Andrei graduated from Ural State University (journalism) and Irkutsk State Linguistic University (English). He also studied public policy and journalism at Duke University on a Muskie Fellowship and taught Russian at West Virginia University. As a journalist, he has reported in both Russian and English language outlets and has years of archival research experience. He has travelled Russia extensively and penned many stories on the โ€œreal Russiaโ€ which lies beyond the capital and major cities. Andrei also contributes news, feature stories, and language resources to the SRAS Family of Sites.

Program attended: SRAS Staff Member

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