Mtsvadi, Braised Skewers from the Dacha
Large cubes of marinated meat grilled over vine shoot embers until a smoky crust and juicy center. They are served slid off the skewer onto flatbread, with raw onions, herbs, and a tangy plum sauce.
Large cubes of marinated meat grilled over vine shoot embers until a smoky crust and juicy center. They are served slid off the skewer onto flatbread, with raw onions, herbs, and a tangy plum sauce.
Meat is cooked outside, over vine shoot embers — never over flame, remember that, flame burns it and ruins it. You let it marinate in crushed onion, salt it, and you wait: haste is the enemy of good mtsvadi. At night, at the dacha, we grilled until the small hours, and whoever wanted to leave early, well… he stayed. On hot bread, with raw onion and plum sauce: that's how a Georgian receives.
- •Pork or lamb shoulder, in large cubes — according to guests (meat)
- •Onions — a lot (marinade)
- •Salt, pepper, khmeli suneli — to taste (seasoning)
- •Vine shoots — for the fire (fragrant embers)
- •Tkemali sauce (sour plum) — one bowl (accompaniment)
Mtsvadi, Braised Skewers from the Dacha
Large cubes of marinated meat grilled over vine shoot embers until a smoky crust and juicy center. They are served slid off the skewer onto flatbread, with raw onions, herbs, and a tangy plum sauce.
Why this dish? Stalin loved shashlyk (mtsvadi in Georgian) and organized long, boozy evenings at his Kuntsevo dacha, where meat was grilled late into the night. The skewer over vine shoots is the quintessential Caucasian outdoor dish, tied to his Georgian roots.
Meat is cooked outside, over vine shoot embers — never over flame, remember that, flame burns it and ruins it. You let it marinate in crushed onion, salt it, and you wait: haste is the enemy of good mtsvadi. At night, at the dacha, we grilled until the small hours, and whoever wanted to leave early, well… he stayed. On hot bread, with raw onion and plum sauce: that's how a Georgian receives.
Ingredients (period version)
- Pork or lamb shoulder, in large cubes — according to guests (meat)
- Onions — a lot (marinade)
- Salt, pepper, khmeli suneli — to taste (seasoning)
- Vine shoots — for the fire (fragrant embers)
- Tkemali sauce (sour plum) — one bowl (accompaniment)
Ingredients
- Pork loin (or lamb leg) — 800 g, cut into 4 cm cubes (meat)
- Onions — 3 large, crushed into rings (marinade)
- Salt and pepper — to taste (seasoning)
- Khmeli suneli — 1 tsp (signature spice)
- Wine vinegar or pomegranate juice — 2 tbsp (acidic marinade)
- Flatbread (lavash) and raw onion — for serving (accompaniment)
- Tkemali sauce (plum) — 1 bowl (accompaniment)
Method
- Mix meat cubes with crushed onions, salt, pepper, khmeli suneli, and vinegar; cover and marinate in the fridge at least 3 hours (ideally overnight).
- Prepare a glowing ember fire (barbecue, vine shoots if possible) — no live flames.
- Thread meat onto skewers, pressing pieces together.
- Grill, turning regularly, for 12-15 minutes until a nice crust and just-cooked center.
- Slide meat onto warm flatbread, add raw onions and herbs.
- Serve immediately with tkemali sauce on the side.
How it was made : Mtsvadi was traditionally grilled over embers of vine shoots pruned in winter, which give a characteristic smoky flavor. Pork, lamb, or veal were used depending on region and celebration; the onion marinade (and sometimes wine or pomegranate) tenderized the meat. The accompanying sauce, tkemali, is made from wild sour plums — a Georgian condiment predating the arrival of New World products.
The contemporary twist : In the oven, lacking embers: sear skewers under a very hot broiler then finish 5 minutes at 200 °C — and briefly smoke the meat under a cloche with a wood chip for the dacha spirit.
Joseph Stalin · Charactorium