Here in South Dakota, that is a very traditional dish called "Chizlick". Some batter, some do not, but in either case it is always deep fried fast and not for too long so that it remains tender and juicy. Marinades are not unusual, and discussions over best marinades often devolve into fistfights and families breaking up.
The name is a derived from the Russian shashlik and from Arabic shiskebab. In the earliest records, it was mutton, but nowdays anything animal based is used!
My choice of marinade is 3 mashed cloves of garlic for every pound of meat, 2 tbsp fresh cracked black pepper, and about a quarter cup of good cabernet sauvignon. dad-gum it, now I am hungry enough to eat my shoes and floss my teeth with the laces.
