RAZNJICI (MEAT AND VEGETABLES SKEWERS)

Ražnjići is a popular meat dish, usually prepared on a grill. They're basically consisted of pieces of meat on a skewer. The meat used is either pork or chicken. Combined with vegetables, ražnjići are even juicer and tastier. This recipe is for 10-12 skewers.

Ingredients:

• 750 g meat (pork neck or leg) or chicken meat
• 1 larger red fleshy pepper
• 1 large onion
• 1 tsp ground herbs
• 1 tsp mixed spices with salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 50 g smoked bacon, sliced
• 1 dl oil
• sticks

Important: Besides firing temperature, most important is that meat is sliced equally thick.
The length of the pieces is not that important, the thickness is. Baking time of piece of meat with length of 10 cm and 3 cm is the same if they're equally thick.
Meat from pork leg is drier and needs stronger fire so the pores are closed and the rest of the meat remains juicy.
Rack itself is juicy and it's suitable for foods that bake in the oven where we can't reach a temperature as on grill.

Preparation:

1. Peel onion and separate layers to get pieces suitable for tamping on sticks.
2. Peppers cut into slices 1x1 cm.
3. Add spices and oil in the container for marinating and mix. Add the meat and mix well so marinade would caught well on the meat.
4. Move in a bag and vacuum if possible, place on cold for at least 3-4 hours to marinate. The best is overnight.
5. Soak skewers for 15-20 minutes in hot water before you stick meat and vegetables on wooden skewers. So soaked sticks would not burn as if they were completely dry.
6. Stack skewers with meat, bacon, onions and peppers so that you start and end with meat and bacon set in two places on the stick.
   
7. Bake in oven on a baking pan coated with baking paper in a maximum-heated oven.
8. Meat cut into 2 cm thick cubes needs approx. 20-25 minutes. Turn only once in the middle of baking.
9. When turning, collect juice released from peppers and onions. You'll use that juice to pour over roast raznjici when served.
10. Grill: If meat is cut into squares, such meat will be able to slightly browned on all four sides on the grill. How long is baked on the grill depends on the grid and temperature, so that you have to decide yourself. As a rule the grill is hot enough when you can't hold your hand over it for more than 1 sec and the meat doesn't stick on the grid when put on. I prefer baking on a grill instead of baking in an oven.

Enjoy!