It’s summer time and grills are being used in backyards, in parks and at the beach nearly every day. One of the favorite meals to make on the grill are kabobs, uh … kebobs…Skewers!  Kebobs are pretty easy to make ahead of time, hold and transport well in a picnic cooler, are quick to cook, make an attractive presentation on the plate – and most of all can be an affordable way to entertain using beef, chicken, fish, lamb and pork.

Beef, lamb, chicken, pork, fish, fruit and veggies are easily prepared on skewers.

I most often hear from readers – that the beef kebobs they purchased at the grocery store turned out poorly. Many cuts of beef that are flavorful and inexpensive and are sold in stores on skewers – usually require slow cooking, often braising or stewing, to provide the most enjoyment for dining.  So I always frown when I see reither prepared packages at the store or read recipes for kebobs that use small portions of meat that is best slow cooked. And it never fails these cuts have been combined with veggies on the same skewer – most veggies require not more than 5- 7 minutes of grilling time.

The ingredients look great on paper and in the package at the store – but when you grill them – you are most likely not gonna get the results you want.

In my humble opinion the best beef kebobs are made from cuts of beef that are smaller sized cuts or trimmings from steaks that you would normally grill. The best beef for grilling has a good marbled fat content that renders into and flavors the meat when exposed to the hot temperatures and relatively quick cooking technique of grilling – but are usually overlooked for making kebobs.   There are two ways to make a tough cut of meat (that is best prepared by slow cooking so the connective tissues and collegin can break down to flavor the meat) palatable when grilled in small pieces on a skewer. The first is to slow cook it and the second is to marinate it for several hours in which you have mixed some acidic ingredient(s) that will essentially break down the tissues of the meat. Generally when that happens the marinade overwhelms the original flavors of the meat and you end up eating marinade with texture. I supposed that’s not bad if it’s what you want.

To inspire your next grilling experience with kebobs here are 3 tips to consider:

Kebob Tip #1. Use Good Grilling Cuts to make beef kebobs.

When you have a great piece of sirloin, rib-eye, tri-tip, tenderloin or other cut of beef that will cook more uniformly by trimming it to a standard size, you might want to vacuum seal and freeze the trimmings to use later for kebobs. Or perhaps purchase one larger piece of any of these cuts of beef and trim it to size for your kebobs. Tri-tip is an excellent choice for this procedure. These cuts of beef are perfect for grilling and when cut in to smaller sizes and skewered – they grill hot and fast and the results will be very palate pleasing.

Kebob Tip #2. Use Strips of cuts to make beef kebobs.

Use flank, flap, skirt, hanger or flat iron beef steak and slice into long 2 – 3 inch strips that follow the grain of the meat.  Thread the meat strips onto the skewers, weaving it around the vegetables on the skewer you cook with the meat. (Onions, peppers and squash work well because cherry tomatoes can easily over cook and get mushy.)  These cuts of beef are great for grilling and since they are fairly thin (relative to the sirloin, filet, etc.) they thread or weave nicely onto the skewer.

Kebob Tip #3.  Cook slow-cook cuts of beef separately from veggies.

Use the cuts of beef like round, brisket, chuck that are best when slow cooked – but cook them on skewers of meat only. Start by grilling the skewers quickly to “mark” or “brown” the meat – then place the skewers in a tray with some liquid like beer, water, wine or other sauce, cover with foil and slow cook using indirect heat. When it’s nearly time to serve the beef – it’s time to grill the veggies.  I like to grill similar types of vegetables on skewers – tomatoes, for instance, cook relatively fast while onions may take a bit longer. Zucchini and other squash may cook on the grill in the time somewhere between those two. I serve all tof he skewers together when the meat is done – sometimes removing from the skewers and placing in a large presentation bowl or on a platter.

Here are some kebob recipes to inspire you!

CB’s EZ Beef Kebobs

CB’s EZ Smokin’ Veggie Kebobs

Beef Kebobs with Parmesan Orzo

Dad’s Favorite Turkey Kebobs

Smoky Citrus Pork Kabobs

CB’S EZ Grilled Rosemary Skewered Red Potatoes

CB’S EZ “Souvlaki-Style” Grilled Lamb Skewers

Chef Chris Koetke Lamb & Portobello Skewers with Chimichurri Sauce

CB’s EZ Grilled Prawns on Skewers

Alaska Cod Kebobs with Bacon and Bread Crumbs

Do you have any favorite recipes for kebobs?  Post a comment or send me an email!

Happy Grilling!