Armenia · Meat Dishes
Khorovats
The Armenian grill: pork neck marinated with onion, pomegranate molasses, and Aleppo pepper, then skewered and cooked over wood coals, served with whole eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes charred into a smoky salad.
Ingredients
- pork neck1200 g
- onion400 g
- pomegranate molasses2 tbsp
- ground coriander1 tbsp
- Aleppo pepper1 tsp
- vegetable oil2 tbsp
- eggplant400 g
- bell pepper300 g
- tomatoes300 g
- lavash2 whole
- salt2 tsp
- black pepper1 tsp
Method
- 1Cut the pork neck into cubes about 4 to 5 cm. In a glass or ceramic bowl combine the pork with the sliced onion, pomegranate molasses, ground coriander, Aleppo pepper, black pepper, and oil. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- 2Light a charcoal or wood grill and let the fire burn down to even, glowing coals.
- 3Put the whole eggplants, bell peppers, and tomatoes on the grill, with no oil or salt. Char them all over, turning, until the skins are blackened and the flesh is soft.
- 4Transfer the charred vegetables to a bowl, cover, and let them steam 5 to 10 minutes. Then peel off the skins, discard stems and seeds, chop the flesh, and season with salt and pepper for a smoky vegetable salad.
- 5Wipe most of the onion off the pork, thread the cubes onto long skewers without packing them tightly, and salt them just before grilling.
- 6Grill the pork over the coals for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every few minutes, until charred outside and cooked through: the juices should run clear, and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest cube should read 63 to 70°C (145 to 158°F).
- 7Slide the meat onto a sheet of lavash, cover with a second sheet and a lid, and let it steam 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with the grilled vegetable salad and the juice-soaked lavash.