If you’re a meat lover, chances are that you are partial to the taste of good skewers every now and then. Although this dish may be viewed as a more simplistic way to enjoy meat, skewers have many attributes that make them fascinating (other than their mouth-watering taste).
Here at Hunter & Barrel, we provide a service that takes our diners back to ancient years, sitting by the fire with your stomach rumbling as decadent cuts of meat are roasted by the flames. We are skewer specialists, offering a dining experience across Australia that will blow your mind and change how you view skewered meat.
From combining unique flavours, pursuing a dry-ageing process, or experimenting with authentic charcoal, there are plenty of ways that we elevate our skewer experience. Not to mention our delicious wine pairings. But what makes skewers so unique?
Here’s 5 facts about skewers you never knew!
- Skewers found in Ancient Greek Ruins
- Skewers are a symbol of unity
- Skewers have alternative names
- The meaning of skewers
- Skewers have wartime origins
Skewered Food Found in Ancient Greek and Roman Ruins
As mentioned above, our goal is to transport our diners back to ancient times with our aesthetic and crackling fire. However, skewered meat has been enjoyed for thousands of years, dating back to ancient Greek.
It is believed that the Greeks would cook whole goats, lamb, and other types of meat on skewers made from either metal or wood. Ruins have been found that provide evidence for this, showing that skewers are no new type of food.
So, next time you tuck into a skewer, remember that the ancient Greeks once dined in a similar way! But perhaps with a little less sophistication!
Symbol of Unity
Whilst you may not be big on sharing your food, skewered meat dishes are seen as a symbol of unity because they are typically served as a communal dish. Whether your family skewers meat on a BBQ with a grand display of different meat cuts for all to share or you order a meat skewer to share at a restaurant, there is something incredibly satisfying about tucking into this dish communally.
The crackling of the campfire, the ambient sounds of your resident guitarist in the background. It’s the perfect meal for a get-together at home or in the park. Just make sure you bring some wine to accompany your feast.
Alternatively, you can forego all of the party planning and book yourself in for the ultimate skewer experience at Hunter & Barrel. While there’s no campfire as such, our carefully selected decor and ambience delivers everything you love about community dining.
Alternative Names
Another fun fact regarding skewers is that their name is somewhat flexible. Sometimes, people refer to skewered meat as “food on a stick” because of the apparent fact that the food is impaled on a stick.
Of course, people enjoy numerous types of food served on sticks due to the convenience and ease of eating. However, meat skewers are the type of skewered food that started this trend and continue to be a popular way of enjoying a delicious cut of meat in a unique way.
Shish Kebab Meaning
To truly appreciate skewers in all their glory, we must respect their Middle Eastern origins. The term ‘shish kebab’ literally means ‘roasted meat on a skewer’ in Turkish, and this is a meal that you will find in abundance in Turkey.
The origins of the shish kebab date back to wartime and are why the name stuck. However, there is evidence that skewers were a part of the Byzantine era, meaning that this type of dish has been around for hundreds of years!
Despite this, we can thank Middle Eastern tradition for making skewers how we know them today. Shish kebabs elevated older forms of skewered meat by using marinades to add exciting bursts of flavour to the meal, helping this dish become popular worldwide.
Skewered Meat Wartime Origins
Another fact that traces back to the Middle East is the idea of skewered meat originating from Turkish soldiers impaling their food on their swords to cook it over campfires.
It is believed that this happened during the Anatolia invasion and saw soldiers grilling meat in open fields. From here, the shish kebab was born and continued to grow into a tradition.
Over time, the ways of cooking skewered meat have evolved. When soldiers cooked skewers on an open fire, this would often be whole chunks of meat as there wasn’t enough time or facilities to cut the meat into sections. As this tradition spread across the Middle East, cooks began cutting meat into small cuts for faster and easier cooking times, a popular strategy today.
The Final Word
Now that we have covered five key facts about skewers, we are confident you will have all the knowledge to further ignite your love of skewered meat. There are incredible skewering recipes out there that you can try for yourself, but none quite compare to what we offer at Hunter & Barrel. I mean, skewers are what we do!
Our skewered menu is truly out of this world, providing you with a piping-hot skewer that encapsulates the taste of hunting. Choose from rich dry-aged striploin to indulge in something luxurious or BBQ glazed pork to take your tastebuds on an invigorating journey.
Every season, we introduce new skewers to our menu to ensure we are always ahead of the curve and provide our customers with magnificent flavour combinations. There are plenty of different types of skewered meat, but we include the best cuts of meat and techniques in our menu to ensure we remain the top Australian skewer specialist.
So, what are you waiting for? Contact us today or come and dine with us now and find out why Hunter & Barrel skewers are the best in Australia.
