Recipe: Thai Style Venison Kebab

There is often confusion around a kebab, kabob and a kebob. A kebob likely originated with people from countries such as Iran or Armenia. In contrast, kebab or kabab would be from Arabic-speaking countries such as Lebanon or Syria. No matter which way you spell it, they are either built by skewering cubes of meat or forming ground meat around the skewer and then grilled.

A wide array of spices and flavors can be added to a kebab, and garlic, ginger, white pepper, oyster or hoisin sauce generates an oriental flare. Wild game can be tricky to form into a kebab, and the lean, dry meat can crumble and fall apart. The options for a firm and tasty kebab are adding about 30 percent regular ground pork, or using other binders, like milk, egg or breadcrumbs.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground venison
• ½ lb. ground pork
• 2 Tbsp. ground coriander
• 2 Tbsp. red chili sauce
• 2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
• ½ tsp. white pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
• ¼ cup milk or cream
• 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley or cilantro

Directions

1. Soak ten bamboo skewers in water for one hour.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. When all ingredients are fully combined, divide into ten balls, approximately two inches in diameter.
3. Run a prepared skewer through each meatball. Place the meat portion on top and in the middle of a large zipper bag. Fold the bag over and push a flat-edged object tight under the meat like a large metal spatula. On the other side of the spatula, grab the top of the bag and pull as you push with the spatula. The meat will form a cylinder around the skewer.
4. Place the meat skewers in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
5. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Grill the kebabs for about 2 minutes on each edge until fully browned.

Serve with Asian noodles or cabbage salad, rice or stir-fried vegetables. Try with various dips and sauces, including tzatziki, chili sauce or your favorite barbecue sauce.