Pork Shashlik with a Tomato-Onion Marinade

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make pork shashlik with tomatoes and onions? Gather all the ingredients listed in the recipe. Which cut of meat is best for skewers? If you can, use pork neck (collar) — it's moderately fatty, so the skewers come out very juicy and tender. Rinse the pork and pat it dry with paper towels.

2. Step 2:

   

   Peel the onions. Rinse the tomatoes, onions, and basil in cold water. Instead of basil in the marinade, you can use sprigs of oregano or fresh cilantro; mixing a few kinds of herbs makes it even more fragrant and flavorful. Put everything into a blender jar — for convenience, you can cut the onions and tomatoes into halves or quarters.

3. Step 3:

   

   Blend the contents until smooth. To make blending easier, you can add a few more tomatoes. If your tomatoes are out of season, stir a pinch of sugar into the puree for a richer flavor.

4. Step 4:

   

   Put the puree in cheesecloth and squeeze out the juice — that's what we'll use to marinate the meat. Why separate the juice from the pulp? Over hot coals, the tomato and onion pulp burns, which spoils both the look and the taste of the finished skewers.

5. Step 5:

   

   Cut the pork into small pieces, roughly the size of a matchbox. Put the meat into a deep container — a bowl or a pot.

6. Step 6:

   

   Add a blend of ground peppers (or a ready-made grilling seasoning), then pour the tomato-onion juice and the soy sauce over the pork. Add salt to taste if needed, but remember that soy sauce is already salty.

7. Step 7:

   

   Mix everything thoroughly, cover with a lid or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours.

8. Step 8:

   

   Take the marinated meat out of the refrigerator.

9. Step 9:

   

   Light the firewood in the grill.

10. Step 10:

    

    While the fire burns down, thread the meat onto skewers.

11. Step 11:

    

    Once the flames have died down and you're left with hot coals, you're ready for the next step. Set the skewers over the coals.

12. Step 12:

    

    Turning the skewers now and then, grill the meat until cooked through.

13. Step 13:

    

    The cooking time depends on the size of the pieces and how hot the coals are.

14. Step 14:

    

    Serve the skewers while they're still hot! Offer fresh vegetables, salads, herbs, and your favorite sauces alongside.