I was introduced to the “spiedie” at a small backyard BBQ at a friend’s house one time and it has been on my mind ever since. I had never heard of the regional sandwich, but did a ton of research on it after having it. This lamb version is my humble take on the Spiedie!

If you aren’t familiar with these (not many people are), it’s a regional sandwich for Binghamton, NY. You can get a sense for how crazed people get for these sandwiches in this little clip that aired a while ago on the Food network.

It seems like the kind of sandwich that people make their own way, but word on the street is that Lupos is the place that sells the best Spiedies. You can even order their marinade online but I just mixed up my own based on a few recipes and videos I saw.

If you are curious, the word “spiedie” comes from the Italian word Spiedo meaning spit. You cook the meat for these sandwiches on big skewers over very high heat!

I’m sure I didn’t get these perfect but feel free to leave a comment if you are really familiar with them! I’m always happy to hear how I screw up regional favorites!

How to Make the Marinade for a Spiedie

There is a wide range of marinades out there for spiedies. I mixed up a big batch of the marinade because I also divided off about half of the marinade and saved it for a sauce for the sandwiches during serving.

Other than that, I kept the marinade pretty simple: olive oil, vinegar, a few spices, and fresh lemons.

Marinade for Lamb Spiedies

Most importantly, this is not a quick marinade situation. If you are making the spiedies with chicken, you can get away with a day-of marinade, but any other cut and you want to let it marinate for at least a day. I let my lamb marinate for two full days before making these!

Lamb Marinated for spiedies

What kind of Meat to use for Spiedies?

You can technically use any kind of hearty protein for these. Lamb is the classic, apparently, and what I used. My first spiedie ever was chicken and I thought it was exceptional.

As far as cuts go, the whole point of a spiedie is to use a tougher cut and let it marinate so it becomes tender. That said, I like using a steak cut for mine. I don’t like to start with something that is intended for stews or roasts, although I’m sure you can.

Cooking the Lamb Spiedies

Ready to grill lamb meat.

When you are ready to cook, get your grill blazing hot. High heat is what you want so the meat caramelizes nicely. Skewer the meat on metal skewers if you have or well-soaked bamboo skewers.

I cooked my spiedies for about five minutes per side. Lamb is best if it’s about a medium cooking temp. If you are using chicken, you want to make sure it’s cooked through completely obviously.

Want to roast a whole leg of lamb? Try this Panko Leg of Lamb!

High heat grilling lamb meat for spiedies

These were my finished lamb bites for the spiedies. Looking good!

Lamb finished for spiedies

Once your skewers come off the grill, don’t turn it off! Toss on the bread you are using and let it toast quickly. Based on the videos it seemed like spiedies are usually served on a soft Italian roll or even a hot dog bun. I liked serving them on something with a bit more body. I chose a crusty baguette and just cut it and toasted it. Worked great!

Bread Grilled for sandwiches

When I was ready to serve, I stirred my reserved marinade with a few tablespoons of mayo to make it creamy and then spooned it generously over my spiedies.

Sauce on Lamb Spiedies

These are a delicious little sandwich and would be a perfect grilling item for Memorial Day!

Lamb Spiedies

If you have leftovers, you can store the meat in the fridge for 3-4 days and reheat it gently in the oven or in a microwave until it’s warm. The sauce keeps just fine as well.

Lamb Spiedies

Have you ever had a Spiedie?! Leave a comment!

Lamb Spiedies

5 from 1 vote
Author: Nick Evans
Servings: 8 Servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
These regional favorites can be made with almost any protein and involve well-marinated meats, grilled at a high heat and served on crusty bread with a tangy, lemony sauce!

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup olive oil
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 lemon, juice
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon dried mint
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise, divided
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 ½-3 pounds lamb, chicken, or steak
  • Crusty bread or hoagie rolls, for serving

Instructions

  • Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, mint, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon mayonnaise. Separate 3/4 cup of the marinade for the serving sauce.
  • Cube your meat into about 1-inch pieces. You can use almost any cut of meat, but make sure it isn’t too tough. Stew cuts don’t work well, but any steak cut will work great.
  • Marinate the meat for at least 24 hours. I used lamb for my version and actually marinated them for 48 hours.
  • When you’re ready to cook the spiedies, skewer the meat on to metal skewers (or bamboo skewers that have been really soaked in water). Grill meat over HIGH direct heat for about 4 minutes per side until the meat is cooked to the desired temperature. Lamb and steak can be medium to medium-rare, but chicken should be cooked all the way through (165˚F.)
  • After skewers are done, remove them from the grill and add bread. Grill for a few minutes to char the bread.
  • Slide the skewers off onto the grilled bread rolls.
  • Make the serving sauce by stirring together reserved marinade sauce (not the actual sauce that was used to marinate the meat) and mix it in with the reserved mayonnaise.
  • Serve spiedie sandwiches drizzled generously with sauce and optionally garnished with some fresh parsley.

Notes

Adapted from a Food Network Chicken Spiedie Recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Sandwich | Calories: 704kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 66g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 35g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 421mg | Potassium: 358mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 26IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 3mg
Course: Main Dishes, Sandwiches
Cuisine: American

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Here are a few other great sandwich recipes!