Chislic BBQ

Choose your meat: Traditional chislic uses lamb (preferred in South Dakota) or beef. Lamb leg and beef sirloin both work well. Look for well-marbled meat for the best flavor.

Cube the meat: Cut the meat into 1 to 1.5-inch cubes. Keep them relatively uniform for even cooking. Remove any large pieces of fat or sinew.

Season the cubes: Toss the meat cubes with vegetable oil, then season with garlic salt, black pepper, and onion powder. Let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Skewer the meat: Thread meat cubes onto metal skewers, leaving a small space between each cube for even cooking. Plan for 4-5 cubes per skewer.

Preheat the grill: Heat your grill to high heat (450-500°F). Chislic cooks fast and hot - you want a good sear on the outside while keeping the inside pink.

Grill the skewers: Place skewers directly over high heat. Grill for 2-3 minutes per side (4 sides total, 8-12 minutes) for medium-rare to medium. Don't overcook - chislic should be juicy inside.

Rest briefly: Remove skewers from grill and let rest 2 minutes. The residual heat will finish cooking while juices redistribute.

Remove from skewers: Slide the meat cubes off the skewers into a serving bowl. This makes them easy to grab with toothpicks.

Serve South Dakota style: Pour garlic salt into small ramekins for dipping. Provide toothpicks for spearing the meat. Serve with a basket of saltine crackers and ranch dressing on the side.

Eat like a local: The authentic way to eat chislic: spear a cube with a toothpick, dip in garlic salt, eat, and follow with a saltine cracker. Repeat until bowl is empty. Wash down with cold beer.