Pork Shashlyk in Sparkling Water
Sparkling water is gentler than vinegar: the bubbles loosen the fibres a little without tightening the protein, so pork neck never turns dry. The marinade is deliberately plain — water, onion, pepper, oil. The coals do the rest.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Rest
- 5 h
- Total
- 5 h 50 min
- Servings
- 6
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 520 kcal
Ingredients
Makes: 6 skewers
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
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Step 1: Cut the pork
Cut the meat into 5 cm cubes, about the size of a matchbox. Leave the seams of fat in place — they are what makes pork neck worth grilling.
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Step 2: Two jobs for the onion
Slice three onions into rings and crush them by hand until they release juice; keep two for the skewers. Discard the marinade onion later — on the fire it burns and turns bitter.
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Step 3: Add the water
Combine the meat with the onion, pepper, oil and bay, then pour in the cold sparkling water. It should barely cover the meat.
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Step 4: Marinate
Refrigerate for 5 hours or overnight. Salt 30 minutes before threading, not earlier, or the salt draws the juices into the marinade.
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Step 5: Thread the skewers
Thread tightly, alternating with rings of fresh onion. Turn pieces with a thick seam of fat so the fat faces the outside edge.
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Step 6: Grill
Coals should be ashy grey with no flames. Keep the skewers low for the first 3 minutes to set a crust, then raise them and grill for 20 minutes, turning every 4.
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Step 7: Check
Cut into a piece at the centre: the juices should run clear. Pork should not stay pink inside.
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Step 8: Rest and serve
Slide onto a board, cover with foil for 5 minutes and serve with parsley and pickled onion rings.
Tips & variations
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Tip
The water has to be genuinely cold and strongly carbonated — flat, room-temperature water is just water.
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Variation
Light beer instead of water gives a sweeter, bready note; the marinating time stays the same.
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Swap
Loin works too, but it is leaner: cut the time over the coals to 15 minutes or it dries out.
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Storage
Marinated pork keeps 2 days in the fridge; cooked skewers 2 days, best reheated in the oven under foil.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 6 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 520 kcal | 3,120 kcal |
| Protein | 34 g | 204 g |
| Fat | 41 g | 246 g |
| Carbohydrates | 4 g | 24 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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