📝 About This Recipe
Hailing from the rugged mountains of Abruzzo, Italy, Arrosticini are more than just skewers; they are a rustic celebration of pastoral tradition. These delicate cubes of castrato (mutton) or lamb are hand-cut to ensure a perfect ratio of lean meat to succulent fat, then grilled over a specialized narrow brazier called a 'furnacella'. The result is a smoky, melt-in-your-mouth experience that balances the bold, earthy flavors of the meat with nothing but high-quality sea salt and a touch of extra virgin olive oil.
🥗 Ingredients
The Meat
- 2.2 pounds Leg of Lamb or Mutton (Castrato) (deboned, ensuring a 25% fat-to-meat ratio)
- 150 grams Lamb Fat (extra fat if the leg is too lean)
Seasoning and Aromatics
- 2 tablespoons Fine Sea Salt (added only during the final stage of grilling)
- 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (high quality, preferably from Abruzzo)
- 1 large piece Fresh Rosemary Sprig (used as a basting brush)
Traditional Accompaniments
- 1 loaf Pane di Genzano or Rustic Sourdough (thickly sliced)
- 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for drizzling on bread)
- 40-50 pieces Wooden Skewers (approx. 25cm long, soaked in water)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Begin by soaking your wooden skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes to prevent them from burning on the grill.
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2
Prepare the meat by removing any tough silver skin, but crucially, leave the creamy white fat intact. The fat is essential for flavor and moisture.
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3
Slice the lamb into long strips about 1cm wide, then dice those strips into uniform cubes of precisely 1cm (about 0.4 inches).
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4
Thread the meat onto the skewers, alternating 4 pieces of lean meat with 1 piece of fat in the center, and ending with meat. Each skewer should have about 10cm of meat coverage.
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5
Ensure the meat is packed tightly together on the skewer; this prevents the meat from drying out and keeps the center juicy.
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6
Prepare a charcoal grill (ideally a narrow 'furnacella' channel grill). The coals should be glowing orange with a light coating of grey ash.
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7
Arrange the skewers side-by-side across the grill so that only the meat is over the coals and the wooden handles hang off the edge.
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8
Grill for approximately 2-3 minutes on one side until a deep brown crust forms and the fat begins to sizzle and drip.
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9
Turn the skewers 180 degrees. While the second side cooks, dip your rosemary sprig into the olive oil and lightly brush the meat.
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10
Immediately after brushing with oil, sprinkle a generous amount of fine sea salt over the cooking meat from a height.
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11
Cook for another 2 minutes. The total cooking time should be short (under 6 minutes) to ensure the lamb remains slightly pink and tender inside.
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12
As the skewers finish, wrap them in a large sheet of aluminum foil in bundles of 20 to let them rest for 2 minutes; this softens the fibers and distributes the juices.
💡 Chef's Tips
Use mutton (older sheep) if available for a more authentic, robust flavor profile than lamb. Never salt the meat before it hits the grill, as this draws out moisture and toughens the protein. If you don't have a furnacella, use two bricks on a standard grill to create a narrow channel for the skewers. The meat-to-fat ratio is non-negotiable; aim for roughly one cube of fat for every four cubes of meat. Always serve in 'mazzi' (bundles) wrapped in foil to keep them piping hot until the very last bite.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with thick slices of rustic bread soaked in extra virgin olive oil. Pair with a bold Montepulciano d'Abruzzo red wine to cut through the richness of the lamb fat. Offer a side of simple pickled vegetables (sottaceti) to provide a bright, acidic contrast. A simple salad of sliced tomatoes and red onions with dried oregano is the perfect light accompaniment. Eat them traditionally by pulling the meat off the skewer with your teeth while holding the bread underneath to catch the drippings.