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Chicken Shawarma

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gracoman View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gracoman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Chicken Shawarma
    Posted: 29 July 2019 at 13:17
Shawarma, like its Greek counterpart Gyro, means turn.  They are named after the method of meat(s) spinning slowly on a vertical spit with a heat source on one side.  Fat is mixed in with the meat so it is a self basting method similar to a rotisserie.  Both methods lend themselves to even cooking with a crispy surface covering a meltingly tender interior.  The surface is shaved off in stages making for a popular "fast food" found just about everywhere these days.

Shawama is different from the Gyro in that it is more flexible.  Gyro's are made from a specific recipe containing lamb, beef, or more likely, a mixture of the two.  This is chicken Shawarma.

I started with 6 pounds boned and skinned chicken thighs spiced with lemon juice, toasted coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, black peppercorns, cloves, nutmeg, allspice berries, green cardamom, paprika, turmeric, white pepper, salt, EVOO, Greek Yogurt and garlic paste.  This was threaded onto a vertical skewer and tightly wrapped with plastic wrap to marinate overnight in my fridge.  Next day it was placed on my ceramic cooker at 325F.  My vertical skewer doesn't spin but it does a fairly good job of mimicking the process.

Lamb fat is usually added but I've never been a huge fan of lamb so I added much of the chicken skin to the skewer to render fat as the chicken cooks.  Lemon water is in the stainless steel drip pan.

2 hours in

3 hrs in and it has an internal temp of 167F.  Done, and pictured below after the first shaving.

I had planned on making up some Lebanese bread for this but ended up serving it on naan bread with pickled carrot slivers, chopped romaine, tomaahtos and garlicky toum sauce made with a base of Greek yogurt. This was very good. I'm going to have to order a longer vertical spit cause 6lbs of chicken thighs vanished in a couple of minutes.

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HistoricFoodie View Drop Down
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Joined: 21 February 2012
Location: Kentucky
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote HistoricFoodie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 August 2019 at 11:24
Another great job, G-man. 
But we hae meat and we can eat
And sae the Lord be thanket
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pitrow View Drop Down
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Joined: 22 November 2010
Location: Newberg, Oregon
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pitrow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 August 2019 at 10:32
Looks delicious. one of these days I need to try this. 
Mike
Life in PitRow - My often neglected, somewhat eccentric, occasionally outstanding blog
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