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Xinjiang Lamb Skewers
Fat-and-lean lamb cubes grilled over medium heat and dusted with cumin and chilli only in the final minute. Adapted from the original ClouChef R&D report — 新疆羊肉串, report 172. Scaled here from the report's per-skewer table to four skewers.
Original poster image from clouchef.com (poster: 新疆羊肉串_172.jpeg). This is the hero poster only, not a step-by-step photo set.
Prep: 20 minutesCook: 8 minutesTotal: 28 minutesServings: 2Difficulty: Easy–MediumRegion: XinjiangFlavour: Cumin-chilli
Home adaptation note: The report gives quantities per skewer (30 g lamb); this page scales that table to 4 skewers (120 g lamb) and labels the scaling as an adaptation. No charcoal grill? A grill pan or oven grill works — see Equipment.
Why this works
Xinjiang lamb skewers are deliberately simple, and the report's rules protect that simplicity. The meat must be lamb rib meat with fat in it, not lean meat, because the fat is what bastes the cubes as they cook and keeps them juicy. Cubes are cut to a uniform two centimetres so they cook at the same rate, and the marinade is only salt and wine for fifteen minutes — longer and the meat loses water and turns hard. The grill is medium heat, one hundred and eighty to two hundred degrees, for six to eight minutes with three or four turns, until the surface is golden and slightly charred and the fat turns translucent. Cumin and chilli go on only in the last minute, with a final thirty seconds to bloom them; any earlier and the spices scorch and turn bitter, which is the most common home mistake with this dish.
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Ingredients
| Ingredient | US | Metric | Substitute / note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamb rib meat, boned, cut into 2 cm cubes | 4.2 oz | 120 g | Fat-and-lean rib meat, not lean leg, per the report. |
| Cumin powder | 2 tsp | 6 g | Scaled from 1.5 g per skewer. |
| Chilli powder | 1 tsp + 1/4 tsp | 4 g | Scaled from 1 g per skewer. |
| Salt | 1/2 tsp | 2 g | Scaled from 0.5 g per skewer. |
| Shaoxing wine | 1 tbsp + 1 tsp | 8 ml | Scaled from 2 ml per skewer. |
| Bamboo skewers, 30 cm | 4 skewers | 4 skewers | Single use only; soak wooden skewers 30 minutes before grilling (adaptation). |
Equipment
- Charcoal grill if you have one; otherwise a grill pan or oven grill (adaptation)
- Bamboo skewers (do not reuse)
- Tongs for turning
Steps
- Cut and marinate. Trim the lamb rib meat of sinew and cut into uniform 2 cm cubes. Toss with salt and wine and marinate 15 minutes — no longer.
- Thread. Thread 4 cubes per skewer, mixing fat and lean, leaving 3 cm bare at the handle end.
- Grill. Grill over medium heat (180–200 °C) for 6–8 minutes, turning 3–4 times, until golden and lightly charred and the fat looks translucent. Cook lamb to 63 °C / 145 °F and rest briefly (home food-safety guidance, added as an adaptation).
- Season. In the last minute, dust evenly with cumin and chilli powder and grill 30 seconds more to bloom the spices.
- Serve. Serve hot, skewer tails outward, and eat at once.
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Technique: Spices last, always
Cumin and chilli are dusted on at the end for a reason: ground spices burn fast over direct heat. A final thirty seconds is enough to release their aroma without turning them bitter.
Variations
- Oven version: Grill under a hot oven grill, turning as directed, if you have no outdoor grill (adaptation).
- Milder: Use only cumin and skip the chilli; the lamb and fat still carry the dish.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my lamb dry?
Lean meat, too long a marinade, or too hot a grill. Use rib meat, marinate 15 minutes only, and hold medium heat.
Why do my spices taste bitter?
They went on too early and scorched. Season only in the last minute.
Can I reuse the skewers?
No — the report requires single-use bamboo skewers.
Storage
Best eaten straight off the grill. Leftovers keep 1 day refrigerated; reheat until steaming hot. Do not re-grill with fresh spices.
Xinjiang Lamb Skewers — Recipe Card
Grilled lamb rib cubes dusted with cumin and chilli in the final minute.
Prep: 20 minutesCook: 8 minutesTotal: 28 minutesServings: 2
Ingredients: 120 g lamb rib meat; 6 g cumin; 4 g chilli powder; 2 g salt; 8 ml wine; 4 bamboo skewers.
Steps: 1) Cut lamb into 2 cm cubes, marinate 15 minutes. 2) Thread 4 cubes per skewer. 3) Grill at 180–200 °C for 6–8 minutes, turning. 4) Dust with cumin and chilli in the last minute, grill 30 seconds more.
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Source note: ingredients, quantities and steps are adapted from the original ClouChef R&D report for 新疆羊肉串 (data/reports/172.md). The report's pricing, margin and marketing sections are deliberately omitted here; no B2B cost is presented as a home-cook cost. Scaling from one skewer to four is labelled as an adaptation.