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Pork kebab in foil in the oven is soft and juicy

Soft, Juicy Foil-Baked Pork Skewers in the Oven

Juicy, aromatic, and tender—this is shashlik made right at home. And really, when the forecast for the weekend calls for wild weather—snow, rain, and wind—these skewers are a wonderful backup plan. They're perfect not just when you can't get out to the countryside but are craving skewers anyway. For holidays, they're just the thing! And they work for any meal—breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Pack them for work or the road; that's handy too. Serve them on their own, with vegetables, with sauces, and so on.

wella

Recipe author

Pork kebab in foil in the oven is soft and juicy

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Pork

250

Onion

Salt

Khmeli-suneli

Ground pepper blend

Sour cream

Lemon

Cherry tomatoes

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 39 % 11 g

Fats 50 % 14 g

Carbohydrates 11 % 3 g

181 kcal

GI: 100 / 0 / 0

Cooking method

Cooking time: 45 min

Step 1:

There are lots of ways to marinate pork for shashlik. My favorite is soaking the meat in sour cream, mayonnaise, or kefir—the meat comes out fantastic. Let's start by prepping the meat. I cut the piece into small slices like these.
Step 2:

So the meat marinates while the oven heats, let's make the simplest possible marinade—just dry spices. I used a pepper blend and khmeli-suneli (a Georgian spice mix). I also salted it lightly.
Step 3:

Shashlik works without onion too, but with it the finished dish is tastier and more refined. So peel the onion and cut it however you like. Since I enjoy threading onion rounds onto the skewers, that's how I cut it. We'll also need onion for a "bed" to bake the skewers on.
Step 4:

Now let's marinate and salt the onion (so it releases its juices).
Step 5:

Combine the meat with the onion. Mix well and add the lemon slices. You can squeeze in some juice too, but judge it so it doesn't turn too acidic—otherwise the meat will be tough.
Step 6:

You can just leave it like this—for an hour, two, or even overnight if you want. But when your guests are already seated and staring hopefully at the preheated oven, like it or not you start to rush. I decided to add a little sour cream and mix everything together.
Step 7:

Next I threaded the meat onto wooden skewers and, at the last minute, decided to add pieces of cherry tomato—nice for both flavor and a pop of color. Thread it on snugly, but don't overpack it.
Step 8:

Then lay the skewers on a bed of onion in foil.
Step 9:

After dusting the skewers with a little curry powder on top, I folded the foil into a packet and set it in a baking dish (if you don't have one, a baking sheet works).
Step 10:

Bake in an oven heated to 375°F (190°C) for about 20 minutes—though the exact time depends on your oven. Serve right away!

A few more tips: The best cut is usually pork neck (shoulder)—not too fatty, but not lean either. If you cut the meat into big chunks like you would for a campfire or grill, you risk it coming out underdone and more braised than roasted, since a lot of juice collects in the foil. So for this method, pieces of about 1 by 1 1/4 inches (2.5 by 3 cm) are about right. You don't have to thread the meat on skewers—you can lay it straight into the foil. For the marinade you can choose other ingredients too, including all sorts of spices, dry adjika, liquid smoke, and so on. Marinating the meat for a long time is a matter of taste; 15–20 minutes while the oven heats is usually enough for me, and the spices do their job.