Khorovats, shashlik and kebab: the differences
Khorovats (Armenian barbecue, խորոված) is meat grilled over embers on skewers or a grill grate. Shashlik often describes the same dish, while kebab in Armenia commonly means minced meat shaped into a long kebab.
Khorovats is an Armenian term for food cooked over the heat of a fire. In a meat context, it usually means pieces grilled on skewers or a grate, either bone-in or boneless. The Armenian word խորոված comes from խորովել, meaning to grill or roast; the term is not limited to meat.
Pork is a common choice for khorovats in Armenia, including bone-in loin chops known locally as chalaghaj. Lamb, beef and chicken are also used. The name does not specify a single meat or cut.
Shashlik usually means pieces of meat grilled on skewers. Vasmer's etymological dictionary identifies the Russian word as a Turkic borrowing and compares it with Crimean Tatar şişlik, derived from şiş, meaning a spit or skewer. An Armenian khorovats dish may therefore be called shashlik on a Russian-language menu.
In Armenia, kebab often means minced meat shaped around a skewer. It may use beef, lamb or chicken; check the specific ingredients rather than assuming.
On menus elsewhere, kebab can also mean skewered meat chunks, doner and other dishes. It is inaccurate to define every kebab as minced meat.
Skewers, grill grates, firewood and charcoal do not individually determine the name. When ordering or choosing a recipe, check the meat, whether it is minced or in pieces, whether it includes bones and how it is cooked.
Tips
- On an unfamiliar menu, ask what a kebab contains rather than inferring its ingredients from the name.
- The word khorovats does not specify a particular marinade.
- Minced-meat kebabs and whole-muscle meat pieces have different doneness requirements.
- Compare recipes by meat preparation and piece size as well as their titles.
