Do not spend money on expensive exotic fruits to pickle kebab meat with them. The most common black tea has all the necessary acids and enzymes to soften meat fibers.
Pick your recipe
Marinades for meat, intended for the preparation of barbecue, today can not be counted. Acids (acetic, malic, citric) or acid fruits (lemon, kiwi, pineapple, papaya) are mainly used, because they contain enzymes that help soften meat. However, the simplest and cheapest method of pickling is plain black leaf tea. The effective destruction of the muscle fibers of meat using a strongly brewed tea leaf is explained by the fact that the chemical compounds of this drink are estimated at three hundred, among which there are also organic acids. In addition, dry tea leaf is also produced by oxidation up to 80%.
Everyone can choose for pickling their favorite tea variety at their discretion, both leaf and granular. It’s good if the brewed tea is tart enough, but without bitterness. As a rule, 50 g of tea leaves is taken per liter of boiling water. You need to make so much tea so that the meat prepared for the kebab is completely covered with marinade. 3-4 kg of meat will require 2–2.5 liters. Tea marinade is prepared before slicing the meat into portions, because it still needs to cool to room temperature.
Pork, lamb, or young beef is cut into pieces weighing 40-50 g, sprinkled with salt, mixed with chopped onions in half rings (2-3 medium onions per 1 kg. Meat), thoroughly mixed and filled with strained tea. However, not every cook considers it necessary to add salt immediately, some salt and add spices after the tea marinade has been drained. I must say that this will not affect the taste of the future barbecue.
Ground spice can be used as a spice, although tea itself plays the same role. In the cuisine of China and Burma, dry tea is ground to a powder and used in a mixture with salt and garlic as a seasoning for various meat dishes. Therefore, the simultaneous use of salt and spices in tea leaves is justified. But just pouring meat with prepared marinade is not enough, you need to crush it well with your hands. After that, you can cover the container with meat and put it in a cool place (refrigerator, balcony, cellar) for 4 hours.
You can make a preparation for barbecue and much earlier than 4 hours for frying. The advantage of tea marinade is precisely that the meat in it will not fall apart into fibers, as it happens under prolonged exposure to kiwi or pineapple. Because it will be pickled night or day, it will not be worse. On the contrary, the kebab will turn out tender and juicy. After the necessary time has passed, pieces of meat should be removed from the marinade, squeezed slightly in the hand and strung on skewers. Such kebab will be prepared in 20-30 minutes.
During this time, it is good to cut onions in half rings or rings and place it in a vinegar marinade (1 glass of water: 0.5 tsp. Salt, 1 tsp. Vinegar), then to serve it in a barbecue. Experts say that this is the surest addition to barbecue, and not a mixture of mayonnaise with ketchup.