Gamebird Shish Kebabs
Prep time
1 hour 30 minutes
Cook time
10 minutes
Course
Main
Skill level
Intermediate
Season
Summer
Serves
4
I adapted this recipe from a Middle Eastern dish called shish taouk. Thick slices ofpheasant or other upland gamebird marinatein a delicious blend of spices, lemon, garlic and yogurt to impart intense flavors. The best part about the marinade are the active cultures present in yogurt. They have a tenderizing effect, leaving you with soft and juicy chunks of meat.
I suggest serving this dish with the garlic sauce, ortoum, as it’s referred to overseas. This condiment is similar to a garlic aioli, although then healthy amount of garlic makes it very spicy and pungent.
You can stretch out this meal by serving it with flatbread or basmati rice and various grilled vegetables of your choice.
Ingredients
Shish Kabobs
- 1-1 ½ pounds of breast meat from any light-colored gamebird or rabbit
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. za'atar * (see notes for substitution)
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¼ cup canola, grapeseed or avocado oil
- ½ tsp. Aleppo or red chili flakes (optional)
- Skewers
Serving Suggestions
- Grilled veggies such as tomatoes, red onions, summer squash or mushrooms
- Shredded lettuce, chopped
- Garlic sauce
- Flatbread such as naan, or basmati rice
Garlic Sauce (toum)** (see notes for substitution)
- 1 egg white
- 2-3 cloves of garlic
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- ½ cup of canola, grapeseed, or avocado oil
- Pinch of salt to taste
* Za'atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend. If you have trouble finding it, you can make it from scratch by using my recipe here. If you wish to make a substitute, use 1 tsp. each of thyme, oregano and sesame seeds, plus 1/2 tsp. of cumin. It won’t taste quite the same without the sumac, but will still add a variety of spices.
** A traditional toum is made without eggs and uses whole heads of garlic as the emulsifier. My American taste buds find it overwhelming, and this recipe uses less garlic than normal. I also prefer to add an egg white to help keep it emulsified, light, and fluffy. If the garlic sauce is still too pungent, you can cut it with mayonnaise or yogurt to taste. If you prefer to use a traditional toum recipe, check outthis resource.
Also works with
Special equipment
Preparation
Prep
- Use a meat mallet and gently pound the thickest part of the pheasant breast. You don't want to pound it thin like a cutlet; you want even thickness. Slice the pheasant into long strips roughly 2 inches wide. Set aside.
- Make the marinade by mixing the yogurt, garlic, tomato paste, lemon juice, za’atar spices, salt and oil. Add chili flakes if you like spice. Add the sliced pheasant to the mix and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour and up to 12 hours.
- Bring the meat to room temperature before cooking. Squeeze off excess marinade from each slice before weaving the slices onto skewer lengthwise in an "S" shape. If you thread them on loosely, they will cook fast. If threaded on tightly, they will take a little longer and give you time to create a sear on the outside. Either season a grill grate with non-stick spray or brush the meat with a light layer of oil to prevent sticking.
- Heat a grill over medium-high heat. Arrange the skewers and cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side or until done. You can also place the meat under a broiler to cook instead of grilling.
- Serve with the suggested sides. If grilling vegetables, I recommend seasoning first with oil, lemon juice, salt and a sprinkle of zaatar.
Garlic Sauce
- Use a microplane to grate the garlic into a fine paste. You can also use a mortar and pestle to mash it. Three cloves will make a very spicy, garlicky sauce. For subtle flavor, use only two.
- In a bowl, vigorously whisk the egg white for 3-5 minutes until frothy. Whisk in the garlic paste and lemon juice. While continuing to whisk, very slowly pour in a thin stream of oil. Continue to whisk until fully emulsified. This will take a few minutes. Season with 1-2 pinches of salt. Store in the fridge until ready to use. If it breaks up, give it a quick whisk to re-emulsify. Use within a few days.
- If you don't want to do this by hand, you can use a food processor and repeat steps above, although I find it doesn't emulsify quite as well.
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Gamebird Shish Kebabs
Prep time
1 hour 30 minutes
Cook time
10 minutes
Course
Main
Skill level
Intermediate
Season
Summer
Serves
4
I adapted this recipe from a Middle Eastern dish called shish taouk. Thick slices ofpheasant or other upland gamebird marinatein a delicious blend of spices, lemon, garlic and yogurt to impart intense flavors. The best part about the marinade are the active cultures present in yogurt. They have a tenderizing effect, leaving you with soft and juicy chunks of meat.
I suggest serving this dish with the garlic sauce, ortoum, as it’s referred to overseas. This condiment is similar to a garlic aioli, although then healthy amount of garlic makes it very spicy and pungent.
You can stretch out this meal by serving it with flatbread or basmati rice and various grilled vegetables of your choice.
Ingredients
Shish Kabobs
- 1-1 ½ pounds of breast meat from any light-colored gamebird or rabbit
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. za'atar * (see notes for substitution)
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¼ cup canola, grapeseed or avocado oil
- ½ tsp. Aleppo or red chili flakes (optional)
- Skewers
Serving Suggestions
- Grilled veggies such as tomatoes, red onions, summer squash or mushrooms
- Shredded lettuce, chopped
- Garlic sauce
- Flatbread such as naan, or basmati rice
Garlic Sauce (toum)** (see notes for substitution)
- 1 egg white
- 2-3 cloves of garlic
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- ½ cup of canola, grapeseed, or avocado oil
- Pinch of salt to taste
* Za'atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend. If you have trouble finding it, you can make it from scratch by using my recipe here. If you wish to make a substitute, use 1 tsp. each of thyme, oregano and sesame seeds, plus 1/2 tsp. of cumin. It won’t taste quite the same without the sumac, but will still add a variety of spices.
** A traditional toum is made without eggs and uses whole heads of garlic as the emulsifier. My American taste buds find it overwhelming, and this recipe uses less garlic than normal. I also prefer to add an egg white to help keep it emulsified, light, and fluffy. If the garlic sauce is still too pungent, you can cut it with mayonnaise or yogurt to taste. If you prefer to use a traditional toum recipe, check outthis resource.
Also works with
Special equipment
Preparation
Prep
- Use a meat mallet and gently pound the thickest part of the pheasant breast. You don't want to pound it thin like a cutlet; you want even thickness. Slice the pheasant into long strips roughly 2 inches wide. Set aside.
- Make the marinade by mixing the yogurt, garlic, tomato paste, lemon juice, za’atar spices, salt and oil. Add chili flakes if you like spice. Add the sliced pheasant to the mix and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour and up to 12 hours.
- Bring the meat to room temperature before cooking. Squeeze off excess marinade from each slice before weaving the slices onto skewer lengthwise in an "S" shape. If you thread them on loosely, they will cook fast. If threaded on tightly, they will take a little longer and give you time to create a sear on the outside. Either season a grill grate with non-stick spray or brush the meat with a light layer of oil to prevent sticking.
- Heat a grill over medium-high heat. Arrange the skewers and cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side or until done. You can also place the meat under a broiler to cook instead of grilling.
- Serve with the suggested sides. If grilling vegetables, I recommend seasoning first with oil, lemon juice, salt and a sprinkle of zaatar.
Garlic Sauce
- Use a microplane to grate the garlic into a fine paste. You can also use a mortar and pestle to mash it. Three cloves will make a very spicy, garlicky sauce. For subtle flavor, use only two.
- In a bowl, vigorously whisk the egg white for 3-5 minutes until frothy. Whisk in the garlic paste and lemon juice. While continuing to whisk, very slowly pour in a thin stream of oil. Continue to whisk until fully emulsified. This will take a few minutes. Season with 1-2 pinches of salt. Store in the fridge until ready to use. If it breaks up, give it a quick whisk to re-emulsify. Use within a few days.
- If you don't want to do this by hand, you can use a food processor and repeat steps above, although I find it doesn't emulsify quite as well.