A history chislic and why it's South Dakota's unofficial dish

Alexa Giebink
Sioux Falls Argus Leader
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A serving of chislic at Lucky's bar on Nov. 30, 2017.

How did salty cubes of meat become the unofficial dish of South Dakota? 

Chislic is a culinary curiosity that's has been woven into the fabric of South Dakota's story since before it became a state in 1889.

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John Hoellwarth, a German Russian from the Crimea region, brought the dish with him when he immigrated to Hutchinson County in the 1870s, according to historical records. It is unclear why Hoellwarth and not the hundreds of other German Russian immigrants is credited with bringing chislic to South Dakota. 

The term chislic most likely derives from the Turkic word shashlyk or shashlik. The Russian dish features cubes of skewered meat grilled over an open fire. The origin of the word shashlik is rooted in shish kebab, the Turkish and Arabic words for skewered meats.

When the dish arrived in the United States, the name was most likely anglicized to chislic, as were many foreign surnames.

Out of the thousands of recipes immigrants brought with them to the United States, how did this simple dish grow to be a staple of the South Dakota diet? 

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Where is the Chislic Circle in South Dakota?

The little town of Freeman in Hutchinson County, population 1,306, is considered the chislic capital of America. It's the center of what's sometimes called the "Chislic Circle," an area that includes Sioux Falls.

Chislic is most prevalent in southeastern South Dakota, but the salty delicacy shows up in other Midwest communities with a German Russian heritage. The dish is consumed at festivals and restaurants in neighboring states, and other parts of the world similarly cook up and skewer cubed meat, but chislic remains a symbol of South Dakota. 

It wasn’t until the 1930s that chislic began to gain regional notoriety. There remains a bit of local controversy over who started selling chislic in Freeman.

"I would say there was maybe about two or three different individuals that were very good at it," said Reno Huber, 72, a Freeman native. "And both of them had claimed that they were the first."

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Some declare local entrepreneur Jake Huber, Reno Huber's distant relative, was the first to sell chislic. In the 1930s and '40s, Huber ran a chislic stand on summer Saturday nights when farm families would come to town for shopping and socializing.

Others argue that Albert Krieger deserves the credit for Freeman's chislic tradition.

“Whenever it was served, it was always good," said Reno Huber, who remembers getting a dozen sticks of chislic for a dollar at Krieger's stand by the old VFW.

Regardless of who started it, Freeman quickly entered a chislic boom that spread to the surrounding communities.

“It hit a real high point in the '40s, '50s, '60s. There was a lot of chislic served,” said Tim Walter, contributing editor of the Freeman Courier. Old dives such as the Freedom Corner proudly served up chislic to locals and passersby.

Chislic didn’t officially hit the Sioux Falls scene until the winter of 1961. The newly opened Pit Club ran an advertisement in the Jan. 27, 1961, Argus Leader stating, “The Pit offers the delicious Chislic. A new-comer to Sioux Falls. If you have never tried it…you’re in for a treat!”

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And on Jan. 30, the Pit ran a more aggressive advertisement saying, “If you haven’t tried our Chislic by now, you must be some kind of nut!!”

In 1966, a newspaper advertisement for Burt's Drive-Inn urged customers to "try the real chislic." The diner even had a softball team named Burt's Chislic, after the local delicacy. 

A recipe for chislic under the Russian name "shashlik" first appeared in the Argus Leader 12 years earlier on Feb. 27, 1949, in an article about Moscow night life. The "caucasian" version described featured small pieces of lamb well done.

How is chislic made?

Over time, regional differences developed for how to prepare and serve chislic. It can be grilled, fried, skewered, eaten with toothpicks, marinated, salted and more.

In Freeman, chislic is traditionally lamb cooked on a skewer. After an animal is butchered, residents often throw chislic sticking parties where friends and family gather to prepare the meal. 

“Sometimes people will take pride in how many sticks they ate," Waltner said.

Freeman's restaurants also proudly serve chislic on their menu, including Meridian Corner, Blues Family Restaurant and Prairie House Restaurant, formerly Papa's.

According to a recent exhibit at the South Dakota Agriculture Museum in Brookings, sheep dominated pioneer life. This might explain why lamb is considered the traditional meat of choice for chislic. Nowadays beef is a more popular source of protein.

In Sioux Falls, it is more common to see the half-inch chunks of chislic served in a basket with toothpicks as your utensil, rather than on a stick. Chefs and consumers are less picky when it comes to the meat. Lamb is often substituted with beef or venison. 

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Most bar & grills in the Sioux Falls area have chislic on their menu. The debate is lively over who has the tastiest chislic or the most authentic. The Attic, W. 12th St. Pourhouse, Jono's and Gateway Casino & Lounge are among the names thrown around when discussing the best chislic in town. 

Some locals say Kaylor, South Dakota, now deserves to be called the capital of chislic. Located roughly 40 miles southwest of Freeman, Kaylor Locker has been providing sheep chislic to local restaurants and groceries stores for over 50 years. 

Traditionally, lamb chislic is fried, salted, and served with soda crackers. Some say it goes down well with a cold beer. Nowadays, chislic is served in a variety ways including marinated and with special dipping sauces.

“In my time we had it without any of that. You just threw it in the kettle," said Reno Huber, who remembers the days when the smell of sizzling lard filled the Freeman air.

With its current popularity and long history, maybe it's time to officially declare chislic South Dakota's state food. 

If you have an event or story idea that fits into the Sioux Falls dining or entertainment theme, Alexa Giebink can be reached at agiebink@argusleader.com. Follow her on twitter @ArgusAGiebink

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