Spiedies, a Southern Tier delicacy.

[Speedogomer]

Just thought I'd share a really easy recipe, something that's perfect for camping.

They're called spiedies (pronounced "SPEED-ee"), they're a local favorite from the Binghamton NY area, aka the southern tier of NY state. They're really simple. A spiedie is small cubes of meat, marinated, and usually cooked on a skewer. Chicken is the most common meat, but pork is very common. Traditionally they were lamb, but lamb fell out of favor due to the price of lamb meat. Venison (deer) is also very popular for people who hunt. They can be cooked on a grill, or on a cooking grate over a fire. Most the preparation is done in advance, so they're perfect for packing in the camper or cooler.

Ingredients: meat of your choice and spiedie sauce. The sauce is common in stores around here, but is also easy to make your own. You can also buy it online (which is recommend). Salamidas and Lupos are the most popular.

Sauce: 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, teaspoon of each salt pepper and oregano, and 1 clove of garlic. Blend it all and there's your sauce. This is a very basic recipe... There are many more online HERE

To prepare the spiedies, cube your meat of choice, then soak it in the sauce overnight. You can marinate for a few days even if you like. We usually marinate for 2 days at least. The longer the better they are. Make sure all the meat is liberally covered in the sauce.

To cook, place on skewers and grill, do it on charcoal, gas grill, or open fire (charcoal recommended). Nothing special, just till they're cooked. Make sure you don't overcook them, they're best when they're tender and juicy, overcooked will dry them. If they're too dry, they're probably too cooked. No need to brush on more sauce while they're cooking. If they're marinated long enough, you don't need to.

The best part is they can make several meals. Eat them right off the skewer. Serve them with soft white Italian bread and use the bread to slide them off the skewer, instant sandwich! You can also make a regular sandwich with them with lettuce tomato and oinion. They're great over a salad. Chicken spiedie pizza is also common here! Dip them in extra sauce you've made, or eat them plain.

You can prepare a batch of spiedies at home, seal them and have them marinating the first few days of your trip. When you're ready to cook, skewer them and you're ready to cook!

Enjoy!

[JoeH]

SWMO wrote:
In reading the original link it appears that the sauce varies some with some additions to the basic. Is that normal or is this just people doctoring the original for the sake of a recipe?

Everybody has their own favorites and puts in what they think is good. I used to go to the Lupo stand when I lived up there and liked their blend.

[SWMO]

In reading the original link it appears that the sauce varies some with some additions to the basic. Is that normal or is this just people doctoring the original for the sake of a recipe?

[JoeH]

When I was up in Owego at Hickories, the supermarket across the street had prepackaged Lupo's spiedies. I ended up buying 10 lbs of them ( 5 chicken,5 pork) an putting them in the freezer. Today, I'll grill up some pork ones. Just picked up a fresh loaf of Italian bread to go with them

[Leo_Benson]

haven't had a spiedie since i did some work in the Athens PA/Binghamton area. Pretty good! Tasted to me like it was marinated in Kraft Italian dressing, pretty much the same thing.

[Speedogomer]

Shish kebab Would be a skewer of meat, seasoned, generally with vegetables.

A spiedie is just meat with no vegetables on a skewer, the real difference comes from the sauce that it marinated in. Marinating for a few days changes the taste of the meat from what a shish kebab Would taste like.

[JoeH]

There are tons of different recipes out there... I experiment all the time with different ingredients. One place you might want to start with is this link of winners and this summary of others favorites from the spiedie fest that is held annually.

[Debbie]

Never heard of this, sounds easy and good. What makes these different from a Shisk-K-bob? I clicked on here for the sauce and couldn't believe all the different sauces and meat recipes. Lots to try. Thanks something new to add to my list of foods when visiting.

[JoeH]

Thanks for the info -- we be up around the end of August

[Speedogomer]

Yes they have quite a few 50 amp sites, all of them have sewer hookups. I believe all of the sites on the "outside" of the main loop are 50amp. Like it said before though, the only sites without sewer are the ones by the river, I assume because of flooding they couldn't put sewer there.

The forest lake inn closed down years ago and they even demolished the building. There's a new building there that was just built over the last 2 months or so, looks like it may be apartments but is not occupied yet.

[JoeH]

Speedogomer wrote:

JoeH wrote:
I'm from Johnson City and make spiedies all the time here in Florida. I make them up in advance, vacuum seal them and freeze them. When we go on a trip, I pull a few bags from the freezer and we are set to go. They actually started to sell State Fair Sauce down here a few years ago... I don't know if anyone really knows what it is.
Speedogomer--- I haven't been up that way in many years.... is the Friendville Bar still open ? We used to have a place at Stanley Lake 40 yrs ago. Will probably stop up that way toward the end of summer. I thought staying at Hickories Park would work as we have a 43 ft MH and not many places will accommodate that up there.

The Friendsville bar is still open, it's called Willie's now, but isn't that nice of a place. Close by the Choconut inn has new ownership, and is a great place to go, pretty good food and some great bands there, Rusted Root is playing there Saturday!

The Hickories is a pretty nice park, we've been there 8 nights this year already. All the sites that aren't on the river now have sewer hookups, new this year.

We'll stop by Willies just because of the memories ... We will also can also try the Choconut Inn, it's been a long time since I was there... is the Forest Lake Inn still around ? When I talked to the guy at Hickories, he said they have 50 amp at some sites and if they have sewer, that would be great.

[Speedogomer]

JoeH wrote:
I'm from Johnson City and make spiedies all the time here in Florida. I make them up in advance, vacuum seal them and freeze them. When we go on a trip, I pull a few bags from the freezer and we are set to go. They actually started to sell State Fair Sauce down here a few years ago... I don't know if anyone really knows what it is.
Speedogomer--- I haven't been up that way in many years.... is the Friendville Bar still open ? We used to have a place at Stanley Lake 40 yrs ago. Will probably stop up that way toward the end of summer. I thought staying at Hickories Park would work as we have a 43 ft MH and not many places will accommodate that up there.

The Friendsville bar is still open, it's called Willie's now, but isn't that nice of a place. Close by the Choconut inn has new ownership, and is a great place to go, pretty good food and some great bands there, Rusted Root is playing there Saturday!

The Hickories is a pretty nice park, we've been there 8 nights this year already. All the sites that aren't on the river now have sewer hookups, new this year.

[magnusfide]

JoeH wrote:
I'm from Johnson City and make spiedies all the time here in Florida. I make them up in advance, vacuum seal them and freeze them. When we go on a trip, I pull a few bags from the freezer and we are set to go. They actually started to sell State Fair Sauce down here a few years ago... I don't know if anyone really knows what it is.
Speedogomer--- I haven't been up that way in many years.... is the Friendville Bar still open ? We used to have a place at Stanley Lake 40 yrs ago. Will probably stop up that way toward the end of summer. I thought staying at Hickories Park would work as we have a 43 ft MH and not many places will accommodate that up there.

Lot of snowbirds have relocated to FL and started asking for the sauce at Publix and other stores.

Those vacuum sealers are great for rv food storage.

[JoeH]

I'm from Johnson City and make spiedies all the time here in Florida. I make them up in advance, vacuum seal them and freeze them. When we go on a trip, I pull a few bags from the freezer and we are set to go. They actually started to sell State Fair Sauce down here a few years ago... I don't know if anyone really knows what it is.
Speedogomer--- I haven't been up that way in many years.... is the Friendville Bar still open ? We used to have a place at Stanley Lake 40 yrs ago. Will probably stop up that way toward the end of summer. I thought staying at Hickories Park would work as we have a 43 ft MH and not many places will accommodate that up there.

[lat471]

We used to make them or buy them regularly when we lived in NY. Spiedie Festival is in Binghamton NY Aug 1,2,3.