Ten Second Marinade

For more than 30 years, WSU has held an annual shearing school in Moses Lake, WA to train new generations in the skill of sheep shearing. It’s one of the best experiences I have ever had; it’s a really special community. Shearing is a lot of things, but exhausting is definitely one of them—at the end of a long day I have about ten seconds of effort left in me to cook, but am always ravenous. The second year I attended shearing school I accidentally made this marinade and stood at the stove of a Moses Lake trailer in my sweaty, wooly singlet and sheep-covered pants, eating ground lamb by the spoonful. This marinade works so well on kebab, but you also de-glaze a pan of ground with it.

Long story short, use this on literally any cut. It tenderizes lamb, takes basically no effort, and hits all the flavor notes I love. I have seen a New Zealander toss this over mutton and live off it all summer, so it’s got to be good…

• 1/2 cup bottled Italian dressing (I also like Trader Joes French Shallot dressing)

• Pinch garlic powder

• Pinch dried oregano or Italian blend herbs

• Pinch cayenne pepper

• Salt & Pepper

• 1 Tbsp strong olive oil

Mix it all together. That’s it! If you’re doing kebab pour over the cubes of meat and marinate for a few hours to overnight. Grill or broil & serve with grilled vegetables.

For quick ground lamb, sauté onions over medium heat, add 1 lb of ground lamb and pour marinade over. Cook until reduced. Serve over soft pita or naan.