South Dakota Chislic

Description

Chislic is the official state nosh (food) of South Dakota, that has a deep history that stretches across several continents. The history of chislic starts in the Caucuses region, where the term “shashlik” emerged, in reference to a grilled meat kebab, usually made of lamb. The word “shashlik” is of Tatar origin, and its namesake is still a popular dish in Russian cuisine to this day. The Tatars are a Turkic speaking nomadic group, who once ruled over much of Central Asia, the Caucuses and Crimea.

In the mid-18th century, Catherine the Great, who was the German-born Empress of Russia, brought in large numbers of German immigrants in an effort to westernize and expand the Russian Empire. Many of these German immigrants were enticed to settle in the southern regions of the Russian Empire, including Crimea, Southern Russia and the Caucuses. In these regions, these German-Russians encountered shashlik and adpoted it into their own culinary traditions. However, the situation would change with time for the German-Russian community with the arrival of Tzar Alexander II in the 1870s. Many from this community opted to leave the Russian Empire for America, in search of better opportunities and religious freedom. Many of these “Germans from Russia”, as they were called, chose to settle in America’s western frontier, known as the Dakota territory at the time. These immigrants to the Dakota territory continued to prepare shashlik, albeit with some modifications that reflected the constraints of frontier life. The traditional shashlik marinade was simplified to garlic salt, the traditional grilling method was replaced with deep frying, and the flatbread that shashlik is traditionally served with was replaced by saltine crackers. While beef is the most popular choice of meat for the dish today, lamb and local game meat are occasionally used as well. By the early 20th century, chislic (likely the German pronounciation of shashlik) began to emerge in bars and restaurants in South Dakota. Chislic has only grown in popularity in South Dakota since its introduction, so much so that it was formally recognized as the official South Dakota State Nosh in 2018, which is a true testiment to how iconic and beloved this dish is to the state.

(Source: Heritage Hall Museum)

Ingredients

(Serves 2)

• 1 lb beef sirloin, lamb shoulder or venison loin, cut into ½ inch cubes

• Peanut oil or tallow, for frying

• Garlic salt

Preparation

In a pot, heat the oil over high heat. In batches, add the meat and cook until well-browned. Drain on a plate lined with a paper towel and season with the garlic salt.

Notes

• If you don’t have garlic salt, simply mix 1 part garlic powder to 1 part table salt.

• A popular variation of this dish involves skewering and then deep-frying the meat.