So What is a Spiedie, Anyway? #FlavoursomeTuesday

Every part of the world has its own food specialty.  In the Binghamton, New York area, it is something called a "spiedie", a food perfect for #FlavoursomeTuesday.

A spiedie is a marinated meat - the traditional lamb, or other choices such as chicken, pork, venison - called "spiedino" in Italy - marinated in oil, herbs and vinegar - grilled and then served on Italian bread. 

This is the food that launched a three day festival in Binghamton, New York this past weekend.   And I'm a little amazed to realize that until this year I had never seen any of the cooking contest.

But first, a confession - As delicious as they are, I rarely eat them. I have a problem with swallowing (I've had to have my esophagus stretched once already) where I can't eat certain dry foods. Served in bread, I find them hard to swallow.  So if I eat them, I skip the bread.

But many people love them.  Here's a brief history.

Back in 1983, a cooking contest for spiedies was first held - it quickly evolved into the three day festival we celebrate the first weekend of every August, complete with music, balloon launches, and more.

In 2013, the Spiediefest Facebook page published the winning recipes from that year's competition. A few of them are below:  Enjoy!

Ray Parkes, pork division winner (he also won this year, and here he is being interviewed).

3 pounds pork sirloin, cubed
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup olive oil
¾ cup cider vinegar
¼ cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, chopped finely
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Add ingredients to cubed meat and mix thoroughly. Marinate for at least 24 hours, stirring occasionally.
Cook over white coals til done. Serve on Italian bread. Take cook out for a drink.

I am not sure who she is but I loved her competition booth!

Don Wright, poultry division winner
6 pounds chicken
Fresh lemons
Red wine vinegar
1 cup corn oil
6 cloves of garlic, minced
Parsley
Basil
Oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Combine ingredients and marinate for 2-3 days, mixing occasionally


Teresa Lockwood and Kathy Lockwood, lamb division winner
5-7 pounds lamb
6-7 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
1 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped
1 ½ tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons oregano, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Equal amounts olive oil and red wine
Mix all spices into meat until evenly distributed. Add wine and oil mix. Marinate 48-72 hours, adding oil and wine as needed to keep meat moist.
Cook, being careful not to overcook - meat should be pink in the middle.

WBNG (a local TV Station), celebrity division winner (the women in the middle)
 All Purpose Spiedie Marinade
1/2 cup olive oil
¼ cup vinegar
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon oregano, hand-crushed
1 teaspoon thyme
2 teaspoons seasoning salt
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon horseradish
¼ to ½ cup lime juice or lemon juice (optional; add during the final hour of marinating)
Place everything except juice in a blender or jar with tight-fitting lid and mix until completely blended. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag, add meat and place bag in the refrigerator. Turn bag several times while marinating. Times: 2-4 hours for beef, 1-2 hours for chicken or pork, ½ hour for shrimp. For use as a basting sauce, mop onto meat or kebobs during grilling or roasting.

Joining up with #FlavoursomeTuesdays (hosted by Bellybytes and Metanoia)