Sunday, December 18, 2005

Patychky for Christmas

I've posted mother anchovy's recipe for patychky once before, but seeing as I'm making a large batch for Christmas this week, I'm going to post it again for those who are interested. Patychky are also known as 'meat sticks'. They can be made with pork or a combination of pork and beef and veal, or even with chicken, but I usually use pork, and I'm going to show you my way.

Start with an inexpensive pork roast.
Cut it up into cubes that are a little bigger than 1 cubic inch. Some people use smaller chunks but I find the bigger ones are juicier and just perfect.
Chop up an insane amount of garlic - 30 or 40 big cloves is not too much.
Toss the garlic in with the meat.
At this point you have to add some booze. There are a couple schools of thought on this - some folks use sherry - others use beer. I have done both and I believe that nobody will be able to tell you which you used - so I use beer. So, beer and garlic is your basic marinade. Toss it all together, cover and put the whole business in the fridge overnight. In a pinch you can marinate for a couple hours and it will be OK, but I believe the overnight marinade makes them extra yummy.
Break some eggs in a bowl and lightly beat them for a few seconds. In another bowl, toss in some bread crumbs with salt and pepper.
I should have mentioned earlier that you need the right sticks. They have to be sturdy wooden sticks, about 6 inches long. I get mine at Czehowski's at Queensway and Islington in Toronto - just ask for sticks for patychky and they'll know what you want.
Take the meat from the fridge and start skewering the meat cubes on the sticks such that you basically cover the wood. Once you have them all done, dip them in egg and roll them in the breadcrumb mixture.
Meanwhile, add a generous portion of oil to a good skillet and heat it on medium-high. For this, don't use olive oil. It has to be an oil that can handle more heat, like canola or corn oil.
Brown the patychky thoroughly, 4 or 5 at a time.
Meanwhile, take a roaster and line the bottom with sticks of celery. These are to keep the patychky off the bottom of the pan. Preheat your oven to about 350 f.
As you take the patychky out of the skillet, lay them on the celery in the roaster. It's OK to have two or three layers of meat sticks - don't worry about them touching one another.
Bake the whole business for 45 minutes to an hour. After 45 minutes, take one out and eat it. Then put them back in for a few minutes, before testing a second one. This is chef's privilage.
I have never met anyone who likes meat who does not go crazy for these things. My mom used to make them for every big holiday occasion - and later I found out that Tuffy's mom did too - basically the same approach. I learned about using the celery from Tuffy's mom - it's an excellent innovation.
Patychky are great right out of the oven, cold for breakfast, re-heated in a toaster over, or even zapped up next day in a microwave, if you must use one.

If any of you make these, please report back and let me know how you liked them.

Check out the holiday recipes Wandering Coyote has posted on Retorte

32 comments:

greatwhitebear said...

I think I will try these Christmas day!

Anonymous said...

A recipe for patychky?! Mmmm ... you're making me homesick. My mother has never marinated hers in booze, though; maybe I should make these and surprise her!

Anonymous said...

I made these and they were awesome! A new favorite around our place.

mister anchovy said...

So glad you enjoyed them!!!

Ann Morash said...

I tried this recipe, and they were absolutely fantastic!! Exactly like my aunt makes, but I haven't had them in YEARS (and I wasn't able to get her recipe, either, so I was TOTALLY grateful to find yours!) I did a whole blog entry about it, including step by step photos:

http://annmorash.blogspot.com/2007/08/patychky-aka-ukrainian-meat-on-stick.html

I also have your recipe linked from my LearnPysanky.com website (about Ukrainian Easter eggs), where I also share Ukrainian recipes.

Thanks again for such a fabulous recipe, and a great connection to my past!

Ann Morash said...

Hmmm...my link looks like it got cropped, I'll try to htmlize it here. Thanks again!

Anonymous said...

Thank-you, my 30 year search is over!!!! I grew up in Noranda, Quebec and evry summer we'd head to Toronto. On the way we'd stop in at friends' in Cobalt, Ontario. They were Russian and we'd be fed the most fabulous meals. But I have always remembered these melt in your mouth meat skewers. Now, I can have them again!!!
Janette, Campbell River, BC

mister anchovy said...

Janette,
I think you will really enjoy these. They are easy to make and are always delicious. Just be sure to give the meat plenty of time to marinate. cheers.

Anonymous said...

I am so excited to have found this and read the reviews. My meat is now in the oven marinating and if it's as good as the reviewers say (the reason I chose to try) I will post again. Ever since having them at the Ukranian pavilion for Caravan (in Toronto) growing up, I've been looking on and off for a recipe that came close to matching the tender inside and crispy outside that those Caravan ladies used to make.

Anonymous said...

Umm...that would be marinating in the "fridge"....

Val said...

I have been searching for this recipe. Used to make something very similar years ago, but I forgot how to do it (that comes with getting older, I am afraid). I am going to make these for New Year day and will let you know how I do with it. Thanks for the recipe.

Unknown said...

Yummmm. we're doing a new year's dinner with perogies, cabbage rolls and leneski (sp?) and this is now on the menu! Thank you!

Tapshop321 said...

you have a awesome christmas very nice. Thanks for sharing... keep it up and we will be waiting for your next post.




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Anonymous said...

My family have never made these. I'm going to make some this week and bring them to our family super.

Thank you so much for posting it!
Mary

kitchen taps said...

They look fantastic!

Julie said...

yay!! been looking for this recipie for a while now - gonna give it a try on the BBQ (it's Aug) - I'll let you know......

Anonymous said...

When I put them in the roaster I stand them up on their ends to allow some of the oil to drain off. Learned that from my Polish mother-in-law. She has passed and I didn't write down the recipe that she used. I just showed up to skewer the meat and fry them. We used to make 4 roasts at a time and freeze them after frying. Then just take from the freezer the amount that you need, pop them in the oven for 1.5 hrs at 300F.

Anonymous said...

Hi my family has made these for years. I changed the recipe and we no longer bake them in the oven we double fry them, they stay moist and crisp that way. We also add a bit of lemon juice, soy sauce and tiny amount of sugar to the marinade. Try frying once and set aside then refry after the whole batch is done.

JJS said...

I had a heck of a time finding the sticks to do this. I looked at every deli I could think of. it finally came to me that they are the same sticks used for candy apples. I went to rocky mountain chocolate factory and he sold me the sticks for 5 cents a piece. they are perfect. I LOVE meat on a stick!!!

mister anchovy said...

JJS...I live in Toronto. I used to get my sticks at Czehowski until they closed. Now I get them at Starsky's in Mississauga. They are a little longer than the ones my mom used but they're otherwise perfect. Candy apple sticks would be perfect...what a great idea.

Unknown said...

What cut if pork is best? Shoulder? Butt? Tenderloin?? Help!!!

Eugene Knapik said...

I use pork shoulder.

Anonymous said...

I make them a lazy way..ground beef,pork,veal..mix together with egg,salt,pepper,garlic puree.form into logs on sticks.Roll in flour,egg,bread crumbs. Pan fry then place in roast pan and bake. Grandkids love them and call them a Ukrainian name latterly translated as "poop on a stick"..they can be frozen after baked (if any left)..enjoy..this recipe can be altered according to taste.

Anonymous said...

It would be helpful if this recipe said how much meat for the 30 gloves of garlic. Is 4 pounds too little?

Unknown said...

I never used booze and neither has my mom. Sticks are carried at various Polish Deli's including Starsky's. Use Italian dressing for a marinade.

Unknown said...

I've made my mom's version at an actual charity food contest for 400 people and won 1st prize for best appetizer. I had to give them the recipe to put in there cookbook for the fund raiser. But basically the marinade is the most important. Italian dressing paprika and lots of garlic. NO BOOZE..unless it's for the chef.
I also stand them on their ends in a roasting pan instead of lying them down. I have also done them in a slow cooker....you swear it was chicken although you lose the crispness of the breading. Email me if you want the detailed recipe "Bapci's Patychki" I would be happy to share with you..just email me at markkus@rogers.com

Unknown said...

Have you ever made them a day ahead? If so, how do you recommend reheating them?

Sommer Jacobsen said...

Lol! Thumb up for coĊ•recting that.... i was concerned for your 1 to 2 day marinading unrefrigerated! CHEERS!

Sommer Jacobsen said...

Our Ukrainian family also cooked them standing. My dad made a board with hole in it that we put the stick in. Cheers!

Sommer Jacobsen said...

One thing each Ukrainian family know is that a person post THEIR families variation. You shouldn't tell anyone what to use and not use... just let thwm know how you vary yours. You won 1st place, but you didnt go up against his. Yours may be better, his may be better. Either way this is his blog, therefore HIS way is the correct way HERE. Cheers

Larry said...

This is the 3rd year my wife makes them.They are excellent.I do have a question.If you want to freeze them how long should they cook for?I find when you re-heat them they get dry.

Unknown said...

I marinaded boneless skinless chicken thighs in ranch dressing with the juice of half a lemon overnight. the next day put them on the sticks whole spread out thighs are small anyway. Rolled them in italian bread crumbs and browned in canola oil. Than bake on onion bed for 45 minutes at 300f and they came out perfect.