# Schawarma



## jonathan (Jan 22, 2008)

I lived in the Middle East a while growing up. No matter where you go, Lebanon, Turkey, Israel, Egypt, Yemen there is some form of schawarma. 
In most places its some form of lamb or beef or combo marinated in the family's personal spice/curry, and then prepped as thin disks of meat layered on a vertical spit, between periodic layers of fat to keep it lubricated, then grilled as a vertical rotisserie.

You'd serve thin sliced bits on a pita with some tahina (sesami sauce), some pickled vegetables or other, and a little simple salad mixture of parsley, cucumber, tomato and lemon juice.

Historically you would use wood fires to cook it, but these days its gas rotisseries. I'm considering replicating it by making up a nice middle eastern style curry, brining/injecting a leg of lamb, smoking it up to 140, then tossing it on a grill to toast it and cut as we go.

For the brine/marinade, I'm thinking of using:

cumin seed, coriander seed, cinnamon, clove, a bit of cayenne, fresh garlic, vinegar or lemon juice, black pepper, salt, and undecided about cardamom, turmeric and allspice and of course water.

Anyone think that this would be too 'granular' to inject? I'm still new to injection and not sure if you want to inject something that has undissolved spices.

So any opinions? I'll probably try it in the next week and if I like it, tune it a bit and bring version 2 along with some other things to a friend's Superbowl party.


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## richtee (Jan 22, 2008)

I'd smoke it! As far as injection...why? Mop it..same thing if I understand the construction of it correctly.


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## jonathan (Jan 22, 2008)

Well, the way they prepare is slice thin and have the thin slices marinating, so the spices get deep into the meat. If I take a whole leg of lamb, only way to really get as deep penetration of the spices is let it sit for days or inject and still let it marinate probably for 24 hours, because the cut of meat is much thicker.

Its why a meat like lamb with a stronger taste is good as its got to be able to keep up with the curry spices and the wood smoke.


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## richtee (Jan 22, 2008)

Ahhh  I misunderstood... grind yourspices in a coffee grinder first, make the injection from that. If that's not enough, simmer ground spices in water a short time, kill the heat and in a few min, add some vodka <or BOURBON> to dissolve the non water soluable components.. strain and inject.


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## jonathan (Jan 22, 2008)

So you don't think that if I grind the spices fine I'll have an issue? I suspect it won't, but don't want to end up with a grainy feeling meat :P


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## starsfaninco (Jan 22, 2008)

I remember well being in Dubaii and having schwarmas (sp?).  We called them the fajita's of the middle east.  We hit Dubaii 3 times on that cruise and every time about 10000 drunk sailors (yes we found alcohol, surprisingly enough right above an ice rink, really bad combo) would fund a great place eat drink and be merry.  

As for grinding the spices, I think they'll mix very well with the meat and shouldn't be grainy at all.

KE


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## jonathan (Jan 22, 2008)

Schawarma is undoubtedly my favorite street meat. I'll eat most anything to try, and have gotten unnamed meats in the strangest places around the world (used to have to travel stupid amounts for work, which is not very exciting after the first trip or few), but I just adore schawarma. 

When I'm in NY, take the extra 1 hour drive to Coney Island blvd to go to Olympic Pita for Schawarma (an Israeli joint), and when in Europe, in places with Turkish populations, I pretty much live in their schawarma joints.

Okay. So advice gotten. I'll do this later in the week and provide q-view and report


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## dragonslayer (Nov 11, 2009)

I was at olympic last week.  I love that place!!!!


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## shooterrick (Nov 11, 2009)

Believe it or not Shwarma is very popular here in Louisiana.  Many places to get it.  One place not far from the office is a Gas Station with a side buisness of Shwarma and the like.  Inject if you like but grind the spice fine in a coffee grinder as Rich mentioned.  I inject all the time and even with elcheapo cajun injector if fine ground it will work.  Ya just need a carrier like apple juice or broth ect.


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## mballi3011 (Nov 11, 2009)

Man this shwarma sound yummuy but we love lamb here and another way to make it is always welcomed. I would grind it like rick and rich said in a coffee grinder and then mix it with something like apple juice or something else and then inject it. I would like to see some Q of this stuff cooked but it sounds good.


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## hoser (Nov 11, 2009)

Did you know that Cuisinart now makes a vertical rotisserie for the home that you could make this, or gyros in?

Here's a link...it's pricy, but if you like it as much as you say it may be worth it to you.

http://www.cuisinart.com/emails/vert...ampaign_id=101


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