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Telavi-Style Kakhetian Pork Mtsvadi with Red Wine and Onion

Grill pork mtsvadi marinated with dry Kakhetian red wine, grated onion and coriander, then serve with tkemali and bread

Georgian home recipeGeorgian dish
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A Telavi-style serving of browned pork skewers with raw onion rings and plum sauce.
Yield6 portions (6 skewers)
Serving sizeAbout 200 g raw pork per person, with onion and tkemali
DifficultyModerate; marinate safely, then manage the ember heat and check the largest pork cube
Dietary classificationContains pork; wine contains sulfites. Check tkemali and bread labels for additional allergens.
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The dish

About Telavi-Style Kakhetian Pork Mtsvadi with Red Wine and Onion

Mtsvadi is Georgian meat cooked on skewers over a fire. Kakheti is closely associated with wine and grilled meat, and Telavi is a regional food and wine center. This measured home variation uses dry Kakhetian red wine and grated onion in a short marinade, then grills pork shoulder over glowing embers. It is presented as a practical Telavi-context recipe, not as a historic or exclusive local formula.

This seasoning distinguishes the recipe from a salt-forward skewer brushed with wine only near the end, and from versions marinated with pomegranate. The dry wine lends a gentle fruit note while onion clings to the meat. Keep the cubes large and evenly cut so they stay juicy and cook at a similar rate.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Pork and marinade

  • 1.2 kgboneless pork shoulder or neck, well marbled, excess hard outer fat trimmed and cut into even 4 cm cubes
  • 150 mldry Kakhetian red wine (Saperavi if available), for the marinade
  • 200 gyellow onion, coarsely grated
  • 12 gfine salt
  • 3 gground coriander
  • 2 gfreshly ground black pepper

To grill and serve

  • 15 mlneutral sunflower oil, for lightly oiling the skewers or grill grate
  • 200 gred onion, thinly sliced and kept away from raw-pork contact
  • 150 gtkemali plum sauce, check the label for allergens
  • 300 gshotis puri or other bread
  • 15 gfresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Method

Method

  1. Cut and marinate the pork. Keep raw pork and its utensils separate from ready-to-eat foods. Cut the pork into even 4 cm cubes and place in a non-reactive bowl. Add the red wine, grated onion, salt, coriander and black pepper; mix to coat. Cover and refrigerate at 4 °C or below for 2 hours.

  2. Prepare the skewers and grill. Set the sliced red onion, cilantro, tkemali and bread aside for serving, away from the raw pork. Heat the grill until the charcoal or vine cuttings have burned down to glowing embers with no active flames. Remove the pork from the marinade and discard the liquid and onion. Thread the meat evenly onto six skewers. Lightly oil the skewers or clean grill grate.

  3. Grill the mtsvadi. Grill over steady embers, turning the skewers often so the cubes brown on all sides, about 20–25 minutes depending on cube size and heat. Avoid prolonged flames. Check the center of the largest cube by inserting the thermometer from its side; it must reach at least 63 °C.

  4. Rest and serve. Transfer the skewers to a clean platter and rest the pork for at least 3 minutes. Serve hot with the separately reserved raw onion, tkemali, cilantro and bread.

Excerpt

Excerpt

Pork shoulder cubes soak up dry Kakhetian red wine, grated onion and coriander before grilling over steady embers. Serve the smoky skewers with raw onion, tkemali and bread.

Practical guidance

Success points

  • Cut the pork into even 4 cm cubes; trim only very hard outer fat and leave fine marbling in place.
  • Marinate in the refrigerator at 4 °C or below for 2 hours. Do not leave raw pork on the counter during marinating.
  • Discard the used wine-and-onion marinade; do not brush it onto cooked meat or serve it as a sauce.
  • Grill over glowing embers without active flames, turning often. Move skewers away from flare-ups.
  • Check the largest cube from the side with an instant-read thermometer. It should reach at least 63 °C, then rest for 3 minutes.
Practical guidance

Practical guidance

  • If using grapevine cuttings, let them burn down fully before grilling; flame can char the outside before the center is done. A clean charcoal ember bed also works for this home version.
  • If the pieces brown too quickly, raise the skewers or move them to a cooler part of the grill. Keep turning for even cooking.
  • Do not reuse the marinade that held raw pork. If you want a warm sauce, use fresh wine and onion in a separate pan and cook it thoroughly.
  • Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at 4 °C or below, use within 3–4 days and reheat throughout to 74 °C.
Nutrition per serving

Nutrition per serving

  • Serving size: About 200 g raw pork before grilling, plus a share of onion and tkemali
  • Calories: About 550 kcal
  • Carbohydrate: About 4 g
  • Protein: About 38 g
  • Fat: About 42 g
  • Dietary fibre: About 1 g
  • Sodium: About 600 mg

These are provisional estimates for six portions using a raw pork-shoulder nutrient baseline, with an approximate cooked edible yield and partial disposal of salt and marinade. Pork cut and fat, salt retained after marinating, tkemali brand and final cooked yield can shift the values. Bread is not included in the nutrition estimate.

Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Contains pork. Wine contains sulfites. Check the tkemali and bread labels for other allergens and cross-contact information. Keep raw pork, its marinade and utensils away from ready-to-eat food. Marinate in the refrigerator, discard the used marinade, and cook whole-muscle pork pieces to at least 63 °C followed by a 3-minute rest. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at 4 °C or below.

To finish

To finish

  • Serve directly from the grill with raw onion, tkemali and warm bread.
  • Add fresh herbs and a simple tomato-and-cucumber salad alongside.
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