Khorovats

About This Recipe

Khorovats is Armenia's national dish and cultural institution — the word means both the act of grilling and the event around the grill. It is more than food: it is a social ritual, the centrepiece of every Armenian celebration from weddings to New Year's Eve. The meat — pork neck, lamb ribs, or chicken — is cut thick, marinated simply in onion, pepper, and salt, then grilled over glowing fruit-wood coals until charred outside and juicy within. The ritual of khorovats is deeply male-coded in Armenian tradition, with the man of the house presiding over the grill as a point of family pride. Served on lavash flatbread with grilled whole tomatoes, peppers, and aubergines, and accompanied by fresh tarragon, basil, and spring onion, khorovats is Armenia in a single meal.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.2 kgpork neck or lamb ribs(cut 3–4 cm thick)
• 2 largeonions(grated or very finely sliced)
• 1 tbspblack pepper(coarsely ground)
• 1 tbspsalt
• 4whole tomatoes
• 2green peppers
• 1 largeaubergine
• Fresh tarragon, basil, spring onionsto serve
• Lavash flatbreadto serve

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate the meat

   Mix meat with grated onion, black pepper, and salt. Work the onion into the meat with your hands. Leave at room temperature for at least 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight.

   Armenian khorovats uses minimal marinade — the quality of the meat and the charcoal do the work. Don't overcomplicate it.

2. 2

   Prepare the coals

   Light charcoal and wait until it turns white-grey with no visible flames — about 30–40 minutes. The coals should glow red when blown on but produce no flame.

3. 3

   Grill the meat

   Thread meat onto skewers or place on the grill rack. Cook over medium-hot coals, turning every 5–6 minutes, for 20–25 minutes total until charred outside and cooked through. Pork neck should reach 70°C internally.

4. 4

   Grill the vegetables

   Grill whole tomatoes, peppers, and aubergine directly on the coals or on the grill alongside the meat until charred and soft. Peel the aubergine and peppers when cool enough to handle.

5. 5

   Serve

   Lay lavash on a large board. Pile meat and grilled vegetables on top. Scatter with fresh tarragon, basil, and spring onions. Serve family-style.

Variations

• •

  Use chicken thighs for a leaner version — marinate with lemon zest added.

• •

  Add pomegranate molasses to the marinade for a fruity depth.

• •

  Make a vegetarian khorovats with whole aubergine, peppers, and halloumi.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Best eaten straight off the grill. Leftovers keep refrigerated 2 days — reheat in a hot pan.

Frequently Asked Questions