Arrosticini Recipe: How to Make Italian Lamb Skewers

Arrosticini are skewers of lamb or sheep meat grilled over charcoal, commonly found in the streets of Abruzzo, Italy. Italians typically flavor them with olive oil and rosemary and serve with crusty bread. Traditionally made with castrated sheep or mutton meat, this recipe features an ingredient that’s easier to source stateside: lamb shoulder.

Arrosticini is a regional speciality of the shepherding region of Abruzzo, known for its production of quality meats. While lamb is a typical export, local shepherds often enjoy mutton as the meat and in this street food. For those who frequent ancient paths throughout the Apennine mountains spit-roasting and open-fire roasting are foundational methods of culinary technique, dating as far back as humanity itself. A narrow Italian grill called a furnacella is the perfect width for arrosticini skewers to lay across and likely led to the dish’s current form. Sometimes called spiedini or arrustelle, arrosticini goes by different names, based on local dialects (as is typical for many dishes in Italian cuisine).

While the recipe itself is simple, a few techniques will help you turn these small pieces of meat into an Italian shepherd’s delight.

1. 1. Cut the lamb evenly. The key to any good kebab or skewer is in the knife work. You want small, even pieces that will cook evenly and char quickly while still staying juicy inside. For this recipe, pieces that are less than one inch wide and half as thick are best.
2. 2. Soak the skewers. To avoid burning the wooden skewers before your arrosticini are fully cooked, soak the skewers in water for thirty minutes before threading them with the meat. The added moisture will prevent them from catching fire as they rest over the hot coals.
3. 3. Use a charcoal grill. A gas grill will work if that’s what is available, but coals are necessary if you want to attain the classic, charbroiled flavor of true Apennine cooking methods.
   
4. 4. Make a DIY furnacella. There’s no need to buy a special grill from Italy. You can create your own version of a furnacella by wrapping four bricks in aluminum foil and laying them across the grates of a charcoal grill, creating a channel to rest the skewers on. The key here is that the meat sits above the heat, like a spit-roast, as opposed to touching the grill grates or a pan directly.
5. 5. Serve with bread. For a fun and mess-free eating experience, tear crusty bread into pieces and use it to pull each piece of meat off the skewer. This method keeps your hands clean, soaks up the delicious lamb fat, and makes you look like a true Italian.