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Failing NY Times Chicken Shawarma

The Cen-Tex Smoker
The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,951
edited January 2018 in Poultry
Modified for the Blackstone. Fun easy cook. I added a bit of soy sauce to finish on the BS and it was the right call. Seemed a little bland but I only marinaded for an hour so it needed a little bump (for me anyway). In the end, the flavor was awesome. Lots of lemony brightness with a salty crispy bite. 

Served with (storebought) nann and the yogurt cucumber sauce with fresh parsley finish. 

100% thumbs up for us. 

Mods I made from the (failing) NYT Recipe:(I made a 1.5x recipe so adjust soy accordingly if you follow this). 

i sliced the chicken into thin slices before the marinade. 

I cooked on the Blackstone instead of in the oven 

i added 1/8-1/4 cup of soy sauce to caramelize on the BS.

Recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017161-oven-roasted-chicken-shawarma











Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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Comments

  • tarheelmatt
    tarheelmatt Posts: 9,867
    Looks fantastic Cen. 
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  • Looks fantastic Cen. 
    give it a rip. very good. The blackstone is the right play too. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,654
    edited January 2018
    I've been thinking of cooking the same recipe, and I'm confused about how the recipe "failed."

    The recipe said to marinate at least an hour and up to 12, and then roast in a hot oven. You marinated it only the minimum hour, and then fried it instead of roasting it, and added soy sauce.  

    What you did sounds GREAT, and I'm not complaining that you changed the recipe and loved the result!  But I've been thinking of trying this recipe so I really want to know if it's a "failing" recipe or not, and given how very differently you prepared it than the recipe, I can't tell.  How sure are you that if I actually made it the way they call for in the recipe, marinating it a lot longer and then cooking it in the BGE instead of an oven (and probably direct, which would be more like the original rotisserie-cooked meat), that it would "fail?"
  • HeavyG
    HeavyG Posts: 10,323
    I believe the "failing" was just a commentary on Voldemorts opinion of the NYTimes.
    “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.” ― Philip K. Diçk




  • Theophan said:
    I've been thinking of cooking the same recipe, and I'm confused about how the recipe "failed."

    The recipe said to marinate at least an hour and up to 12, and then roast in a hot oven. You marinated it only the minimum hour, and then fried it instead of roasting it, and added soy sauce.  

    What you did sounds GREAT, and I'm not complaining that you changed the recipe and loved the result!  But I've been thinking of trying this recipe so I really want to know if it's a "failing" recipe or not, and given how very differently you prepared it than the recipe, I can't tell.  How sure are you that if I actually made it the way they call for in the recipe, marinating it a lot longer and then cooking it in the BGE instead of an oven (and probably direct, which would be more like the original rotisserie-cooked meat), that it would "fail?"
    I was poking a little fun of Donald Trump calling the NYT the "Failing New York Times"

    The recipe was great. I can see how that is confusing but make this with confidence. The recipe is good, the joke was bad :)
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Hard to beat a good schwarma! Great cook!

    "Brought to you by bourbon, bacon, and a series of questionable life decisions."

    South of Nashville, TN

  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    Good stuff!

    I keep hearing about Zankou's garlic sauce on the interwebz and want to try it with something like this. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • 20stone
    20stone Posts: 1,961
    ....Served with (storebought) nann ....
    Philistine!  

    I want my starter back
    (now only 16 stone)

    Joule SV
    GE induction stove
    Gasser by the community pool (currently unavailable)
    Scale (which one of my friends refuses to use)
    Friends with BGEs and myriad other fired devices (currently unavail IRL)
    Occasional access to a KBQ and Webber Kettle
    Charcuterie and sourdough enthusiast
    Prosciuttos in an undisclosed location

    Austin, TX
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Theophan said:
    I've been thinking of cooking the same recipe, and I'm confused about how the recipe "failed."

    The recipe said to marinate at least an hour and up to 12, and then roast in a hot oven. You marinated it only the minimum hour, and then fried it instead of roasting it, and added soy sauce.  

    What you did sounds GREAT, and I'm not complaining that you changed the recipe and loved the result!  But I've been thinking of trying this recipe so I really want to know if it's a "failing" recipe or not, and given how very differently you prepared it than the recipe, I can't tell.  How sure are you that if I actually made it the way they call for in the recipe, marinating it a lot longer and then cooking it in the BGE instead of an oven (and probably direct, which would be more like the original rotisserie-cooked meat), that it would "fail?"
    FAKE NEWS!!
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Paul B.
    Paul B. Posts: 57
    How much do you love the Blackstone?  Looks awesome.  That is that piece I am missing.  

    I am not giving the NYT's my email - w nt let me see the recipe ; (

    Looks great thx for sharing.
  • NCSmoky
    NCSmoky Posts: 515
    @Paul B.” Just type NY Times Chicken Shawarma in your browser and follow the google link,wont ask for email.

  • kl8ton
    kl8ton Posts: 5,410
    NIce work!


    Large, Medium, MiniMax, & 22, and 36" Blackstone
    Grand Rapids MI
  • buzd504
    buzd504 Posts: 3,824
    Paul B. said:
    How much do you love the Blackstone?  Looks awesome.  That is that piece I am missing.  

    I am not giving the NYT's my email - w nt let me see the recipe ; (

    Looks great thx for sharing.
    Psst, you can give them a made-up email.
    NOLA
  • Excellent cook my friend....
    Charlotte, NC - Large BGE 2014, Maverick ET 733, Thermopen, Nest, Platesetter, Woo2 and Extender w/Grid, Kick Ash Basket, Pizza Stone, SS Smokeware Cap, Blackstone 36"
  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 14,602
    buzd504 said:
    Paul B. said:
    How much do you love the Blackstone?  Looks awesome.  That is that piece I am missing.  

    I am not giving the NYT's my email - w nt let me see the recipe ; (

    Looks great thx for sharing.
    Psst, you can give them a made-up email.
    so, fake email unlocks fake news?
  • Paul B. said:
    How much do you love the Blackstone?  Looks awesome.  That is that piece I am missing.  

    I am not giving the NYT's my email - w nt let me see the recipe ; (

    Looks great thx for sharing.
    They will spam the $hit out of you too. I blocked them from my email but can still see the recipes. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,951
    edited January 2018
    NCSmoky said:
    @Paul B.” Just type NY Times Chicken Shawarma in your browser and follow the google link,wont ask for email.

    correct and tons of 3rd party sites have linked to it. You can get it
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Paul B. said:
    How much do you love the Blackstone?  Looks awesome.  That is that piece I am missing.  

    I am not giving the NYT's my email - w nt let me see the recipe ; (

    Looks great thx for sharing.
    We do enjoy the blackstone quite a bit. Once I got the cover situation right, we have enjoyed it even more. It can be a little bit of a PITA to maintain the grill surface if you don't have a proper cover. I got a new one for Christmas that has made all the difference for me. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Marinade (per 2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken thigh)

    1/2 cup EVOO
    Juice from 2 lemons
    6 cloves of garlic smashed and minced
    Tsp Salt
    2Tsp black pepper
    2Tsp Ground Cumin
    2Tsp Paprika
    1/2Tsp Turmeric
    pinch of cinnamon
    pinch of ground pepper flakes (dealer's choice)
    Large Red Onion-quartered 

    How I did it: Slice thighs into strips, Marinate the thighs up to 12 hours (I only had an hour and it worked- more would have been better). Throw the onion in the marinade as you are getting your griddle hot. Throw it all on a screaming hot griddle and sear it until crispy and the marinade has caramelized on the chicken. I did not pour all the liquid out of the bag and that was a good call. I grabbed the chicken from the bag with tongs and threw it on the Blackstone. There was plenty, if not too much, marinade on the griddle. 

    I tasted a piece on the griddle and it was good but lacked punch. I threw maybe an 1/8 cup of soy sauce just to add some umami and some color and that worked like a champ. I was using 3 lbs of chicken so adjust this step accordingly. 

    Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with naan

    Janell made a cucumber/yogurt raita to go on top. It was fantastic but I don't have that recipe at hand. I'll post later if I think about it. 

    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • KiterTodd
    KiterTodd Posts: 2,466
    That looks good.

    I bought the big stainless poker and tray from CGS over the holidays to make something like this in the big Latin/Greek stack.  Haven't broken it out yet, though.

    So, question below about the recipe...

    Marinade (per 2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken thigh)

    1/2 cup EVOO
    Juice from 2 lemons
    6 cloves of garlic smashed and minced
    Tsp Salt
    2Tsp black pepper
    2Tsp Ground Cumin
    2Tsp Paprika
    1/2Tsp Turmeric
    pinch of cinnamon
    pinch of ground pepper flakes (dealer's choice)
    Large Red Onion-quartered 

    How I did it: Slice thighs into strips, Marinate the thighs up to 12 hours (I only had an hour and it worked- more would have been better). ...

    ...I'm always nervous when a recipe with lemon or lime juice calls for a long marinade, as sometimes it cooks the meat and it develops a pasty white consistency.  While I've had that happen on long marinades, I have also followed plenty of recipes where it does not.  The flavors just deepen and taste awesome.

    Does anyone know if there is an ingredient in marinade that maybe neutralizes the acidic cooking potential of the citrus so you can do long soaks with those flavors?  I thought maybe the EVOO helps with that, as opposed to if the juice of 2 lemons was the only liquid.
    LBGE/Maryland
  • KiterTodd said:
    That looks good.

    I bought the big stainless poker and tray from CGS over the holidays to make something like this in the big Latin/Greek stack.  Haven't broken it out yet, though.

    So, question below about the recipe...

    Marinade (per 2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken thigh)

    1/2 cup EVOO
    Juice from 2 lemons
    6 cloves of garlic smashed and minced
    Tsp Salt
    2Tsp black pepper
    2Tsp Ground Cumin
    2Tsp Paprika
    1/2Tsp Turmeric
    pinch of cinnamon
    pinch of ground pepper flakes (dealer's choice)
    Large Red Onion-quartered 

    How I did it: Slice thighs into strips, Marinate the thighs up to 12 hours (I only had an hour and it worked- more would have been better). ...

    ...I'm always nervous when a recipe with lemon or lime juice calls for a long marinade, as sometimes it cooks the meat and it develops a pasty white consistency.  While I've had that happen on long marinades, I have also followed plenty of recipes where it does not.  The flavors just deepen and taste awesome.

    Does anyone know if there is an ingredient in marinade that maybe neutralizes the acidic cooking potential of the citrus so you can do long soaks with those flavors?  I thought maybe the EVOO helps with that, as opposed to if the juice of 2 lemons was the only liquid.
    I'm with you on that but I think this is more like a vinaigrette. Mostly EVOO with some lemon. The lemon really shines through so it's definitely in there. I think 4-6 hours should be plenty but this turned out fantastic with the splash of soy. I don't think I would change a thing about the way this turned out. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • GATraveller
    GATraveller Posts: 8,207
    KiterTodd said:
    That looks good.

    I bought the big stainless poker and tray from CGS over the holidays to make something like this in the big Latin/Greek stack.  Haven't broken it out yet, though.

    I want one of those for to make Al Pastor.

    "Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community [...] but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots."

                                                                                  -Umberto Eco

    2 Large
    Peachtree Corners, GA
  • I have made the exact recipe a couple of times with fantastic results.  Both times marinated overnight and done in the oven.  Only change I make is to at least double the amount of onions called for.   Serve on either pita or naan with some tzatziki sauce and diced tomatoes.   Highly recommended and so simple.
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    KiterTodd said:
    That looks good.


    Does anyone know if there is an ingredient in marinade that maybe neutralizes the acidic cooking potential of the citrus so you can do long soaks with those flavors?  I thought maybe the EVOO helps with that, as opposed to if the juice of 2 lemons was the only liquid.
    Baking soda or baking powder will neutralize the acidity.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    KiterTodd said:

    ...I'm always nervous when a recipe with lemon or lime juice calls for a long marinade, as sometimes it cooks the meat and it develops a pasty white consistency.  While I've had that happen on long marinades, I have also followed plenty of recipes where it does not.  The flavors just deepen and taste awesome.

    Does anyone know if there is an ingredient in marinade that maybe neutralizes the acidic cooking potential of the citrus so you can do long soaks with those flavors?  I thought maybe the EVOO helps with that, as opposed to if the juice of 2 lemons was the only liquid.
    Stopped marinating meat in acidic liquids (lime, lemon, yogurt) for more than 4 hrs for the same reason. If you want a longer marination, you could try adding the citrus towards the end, so its only in there for 1/2/4 hrs, or however long you want. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,654
    I was poking a little fun of Donald Trump calling the NYT the "Failing New York Times"

    The recipe was great. I can see how that is confusing but make this with confidence. The recipe is good, the joke was bad :)
    Oh, for crying out loud <laughing>, how dumb was I?  Sorry, I completely missed the reference to Trump and the Times, thought you were seriously saying it was a terrible recipe but adding soy and doing it on the Blackstone somehow made it better.  I'm sure your version was great, but (a) I don't have a Blackstone, and (b) I really like the idea of grilling it direct, maybe pounding it a bit thinner first, as maybe getting a more similar result to real shawarma.  Dunno.  Definitely want to try it sometime.

    Anyway, thanks for the explanation, sorry I completely misunderstood the joke!
  • Theophan said:
    I was poking a little fun of Donald Trump calling the NYT the "Failing New York Times"

    The recipe was great. I can see how that is confusing but make this with confidence. The recipe is good, the joke was bad :)
    Oh, for crying out loud <laughing>, how dumb was I?  Sorry, I completely missed the reference to Trump and the Times, thought you were seriously saying it was a terrible recipe but adding soy and doing it on the Blackstone somehow made it better.  I'm sure your version was great, but (a) I don't have a Blackstone, and (b) I really like the idea of grilling it direct, maybe pounding it a bit thinner first, as maybe getting a more similar result to real shawarma.  Dunno.  Definitely want to try it sometime.

    Anyway, thanks for the explanation, sorry I completely misunderstood the joke!
    This would be awesome grilled direct. At the end of the recip it said “if you want it crispy (like the NYC food carts) slice it thin and put it in a hot cast iron skillet”. I figured I would skip the middleman (oven) and just do it on the flat top. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Paul B.
    Paul B. Posts: 57
    I used to run a chicken restaurant called Koo Koo Roo and our signature chicken was marinated for 3 days. We put chicken pieces in a large lexan and put sliced onions over the top of the chicken then alot of salt.  The salt would make the onions drain their juice and we would mix that together really well.  After 18-24 hours we would add lemon juice (real lemon 100% lemon juice in the bottle) mixed with black pepper and marinade for 48 hours mixing it a couple of times.  The chicken was cooked over an open flame and finished with a tomato based sauce similar to bbq but not as sweet.  It was a bit tart from the lemon juice but super juicy.  The first restaurant was in L.A. owned if i remember right by two Lebaneese brothers. Another guy that I worked for bought the recipe and expanded the concept but it was based on that chicken. At one point there were 25 - 30 restaurants that did well.  It was a lot of pepper and salt and the chicken did get white from the marinade but it was really good! Chi Chi's mexican restaurants wound up buying it and ruined the concept ; (

    Citrus worked for that recipe and I still, make the chicken but I finish it w bbq.....
  • So nice we did it twice. This time I grilled direct on skewers. TFJ said it was better but I kinda liked the flat top version better. Both had merits, the skewer cook has nice  little crispy bits mixed in while I thought the blackstone version had better caramelization of the sauce. Both were very good though. 







    A few notes- the marinade tastes and smells downright electric with all that lemon, cumin, and turmeric but it does mellow during the cook. Im a bit of an under-taster so I think it does benefit from a little splash of umami and a squeeze of fresh lemon as it’s rests. I like to rest these in a long bowl to catch all the drippings and lemon juice and toss the chicken chunks in that before plating

    this one is pretty good and definitely worth a try. Great on the griddle, and great grilled raised direct on the bge. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    Looks killer!

    I'm a fan of the raised direct cook on skewers. Those cripsy bits are where its at. Its not quite the same on a grid. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.