Armenian Grilled Meat Skewers (Khorovats)
Խորոված khorovatsSay it: khor-oh-VAHTS
Khorovats is the Armenian cookout centerpiece: chunks of pork shoulder or lamb leg get a brief rub of salt, black pepper, sweet red pepper and thyme, then go over live coals on skewers until smoky and browned. It anchors warm-weather get-togethers, family milestones and Sunday meals, often outdoors. The meat stays simple; a parsley-garlic butter, grilled vegetables and lavash round out the plate. A practical note: give the meat at least four hours to season before it hits the fire.
Armenian Grilled Meat Skewers (Khorovats)
Խորոված, khorovats
Pronounced khor-oh-VAHTS
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 1 hr 5 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the meat
For the green butter
For the grilled vegetables
Method
Trim and cube the pork or lamb into 1½-inch (4 cm) pieces, keeping them similar in size. Put the meat in a wide bowl and sprinkle with 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp red pepper and 1 tsp thyme; mix so every side is seasoned. Cover and chill for 4–24 hours.
For the green butter, put the soft butter, torn bread, crushed garlic, parsley leaves, minced chili, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp red pepper and 3 tbsp olive oil in a food processor. Pulse and scrape until the mixture is uniform. Turn it out onto plastic wrap, roll into a log, seal tightly and chill until sliceable.
Boil the halved potatoes in salted water just until a knife meets little resistance, roughly 8–10 minutes; drain them. Meanwhile, cut the bell peppers into quarters, slice the eggplant or zucchini ½ inch (1 cm) thick and trim the mushroom stems.
Set a charcoal or gas grill for medium-high direct heat, around 400°F / 200°C. Soak bamboo skewers for 30 minutes if you are using them. Push the seasoned meat onto flat metal skewers or drained bamboo skewers, leaving a small gap between cubes.
Place the skewers over the coals and turn them every 3–4 minutes. Cook until browned in places and done: pork takes about 10–14 minutes; lamb about 10–12 minutes for medium, or until the juices run clear. Move the skewers to a platter, tent loosely and let them sit for 5 minutes.
During the meat’s rest, coat the peppers, eggplant or zucchini and mushrooms with 2 tbsp olive oil and add salt and black pepper. Grill them until tender and marked, flipping once. Put the parboiled potatoes cut-side down on the grate and cook until crisp and golden.
Cut the firm green butter into slices. Lay a few over the hot meat, or pass the rest at the table for lavash and vegetables.
Bring out the khorovats with the grilled vegetables, warm lavash, raw onion slices and fresh herbs.
Regional variant: Lamb rib khorovats with green butter (chalaghaj khorovats)
Swap in 8–10 lamb rib pieces (chalaghaj) for the cubed meat and coat them with the same salt, black pepper, red pepper and thyme. Brown the ribs in a hot grill pan, roughly 3 minutes on each side. Place them on a foil-lined tray with halved potatoes, mushrooms, quartered red peppers and sliced eggplant or zucchini; dot the green butter over the top. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30–35 minutes, until the ribs are tender and the vegetables have caramelized.
Cook's notes
- Traditional Armenian skewers are flat metal pins known as shampoo; their shape stops chunks from twisting as you turn them. If bamboo is what you have, give it a long soak first.
- Let the chilled meat sit out for about 30 minutes before it goes on the grill, which helps the pieces cook at a similar rate.
- Hardwood charcoal or vine cuttings give the cleanest smoke; skip lighter fluid so the aroma stays woody rather than chemical.
Serve with
Offer warm lavash, sliced raw onion, fresh herbs and a dry red wine alongside.
Make ahead and storage
Season the meat as much as 24 hours in advance. The green butter keeps for 3 days in the fridge or up to 1 month in the freezer. Khorovats is at its best straight from the grill; leftovers can be warmed gently in a pan or oven.
