If you were to ask me what my favourite Chinese foods are, street style skewers would definitely be in my top 3 list. These are lamb skewers (yang rou chuang 羊肉串), seasoned well with spices, and traditionally grilled over hot charcoal. Juicy on the inside, and slightly crispy on the outside. Very tasty.
Lamb skewers are a popular favourite among Northern Chinese people. I don’t really have access to eat these at street vendors all the time in North America, so I usually order these in Chinese skewer restaurants.
However, making them at home is actually easier than you think. You just cut the lamb in small pieces and marinate them. Thread the lamb on the skewers and grill. That’s it.
For the best texture, I highly recommend using lamb that has a combination of both lean and fatty meat. This is how the street vendors do it as well. I usually get the boneless lamb leg from Costco.
Don’t skip out on the spices and season the meat generously, because or else ground cumin will dissipate when it’s heated up too much, and the meat will not be as fragrant and taste like the street style version.
You can also replace the lamb with beef if you’d like.
If you do try out this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give it a rating! I’d also love to see your creations so don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!
Street Style Grilled Spiced Lamb Skewers
Ingredients
Lamb Marinade
- 1 lb boneless lamb meat (cut into 1 inch pieces) - use a combo of lean and fatty lamb for best texture
- ½ medium onion (sliced)
- 2 tsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 1 large egg
Spice Mix
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorn powder
- 1 tsp white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Submerge the bamboo skewers in a large container filled with cold water and let it soak for at least 2 hours, or overnight. This prevents them from burning on the grill. Alternatively, you can also use metal skewers and skip this step.
- Cut the lamb meat into 1 inch pieces. Don’t trim any of the fat off, because that makes the meat more tender and juicy, which is the flavour that you want.Mix the lamb meat with the rest of the lamb marinade ingredients. Cover and marinate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- Thread the lamb on the skewers, while alternating between the lean and fatty pieces. Discard the onion.
- Place skewers on the grill (that’s been lightly brushed with oil) over medium low heat. Brush oil all over the meat.Cover and cook until the meat browns and has a nice char on the outside. Uncover and flip.Continue to cook until the meat is cooked through. Generously sprinkle on the spice mix, ensuring each piece is covered with a layer of the spice mix. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
