Kebabs are good any time of year, but they seem especially tasty during summer when the grilling is good. Although they take a little prep, the fact that nearly anything goes on a kebab makes it an easy part of any meal. Cooking for a picky crowd? Turn it into a party and let everyone create their own kebab combos. Just remember to keep everything cut into similar sizes so they cook evenly. So let’s get grilling!
Steak Kebabs
Dijon Sauce:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon black pepper
For the kebabs:
1 3/4 pounds sirloin steak (look for thicker steaks), cut into 1 1/4-inch pieces
8 ounces button or cremini mushrooms, halved (unless small, then keep whole)
3 bell peppers (1 red, 1 green, 1 yellow) cut into 1 1/4-inch pieces
1 large red onion, cut into
1 1/4-inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for brushing grill grates
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and black pepper to taste
Wooden skewers, soaked in water at least 30 minutes
To prepare Dijon Sauce: In a small mixing bowl whisk all of the marinade ingredients together. Set aside.
For the kebabs: Place steak into a gallon size resealable bag. Pour marinade over steak then seal bag while pressing out excess air and pressing marinade over steak. Transfer to refrigerator and allow to marinate 3 to 6 hours.
When ready to cook, heat grill to medium-high heat, about 425 degrees. With veggies on cutting board, drizzle with oil and lightly toss to coat. Sprinkle veggies evenly with garlic powder and season with salt and pepper. To assemble kebabs layer steak and veggies onto skewers in desired order. Work to fit four steak pieces onto each kebab.
Brush grill lightly with oil. Place kebabs on grill, turning occasionally, until center of steak registers 145 degrees when checked with a food thermometer, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with Dijon Sauce.
Island-Style Chicken Kebabs
For Hawaiian Sauce:
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
2/3 cup pineapple juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 teaspoons peeled ginger, minced
3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
For the kebabs:
1 pound of boneless skinless
chicken breasts, cut into
1 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup pineapple chunks, cut into approximately 1 1/2- inch pieces
4 bell peppers (2 red, 2 green) cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 green bell peppers, cut into
1 1/2-inch pieces
2 red onions, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 limes, cut into wedges
Wooden skewers, soaked in water at least 30 minutes
To prepare Hawaiian Sauce: In a medium bowl whisk ingredients together; set aside.
To prepare the kebabs: Place the cut chicken in a large resealable bag and pour 3/4 of the sauce over the chicken; reserve the remaining sauce in the refrigerator. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes or up to several hours to increase flavor.
Heat a grill to medium-high heat. Thread chicken, pineapple, bell peppers and red onion alternately onto skewers. Drizzle the kebabs with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Grill for 7 to 9 minutes on each side. Brush the reserved marinade over each kebab and grill for 1 minute more on each side. Chicken is ready when internal temperature reaches 165 degrees when checked with a food thermometer. Brush with extra sauce and garnish with lime wedges, if desired, and serve hot
Salmon Kebabs
Herb Vinaigrette:
2 green onions, chopped
2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves, stems removed (about 4 ounces)
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 cup olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons large grain salt
2 tablespoons sugar
For the kebabs:
2 pounds fresh salmon
3 to 4 lemons
3 tablespoons olive oil
Large grain salt and freshly ground black pepper
Wooden skewers, soaked in water at least 30 minutes
To prepare Herb Vinaigrette: Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend for 60 seconds until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
For the kebabs: Heat your grill to medium-high heat. Cut the salmon into 1 1/2-inch cubes and slice 3 of the lemons into very thin slices either with a sharp knife or a mandolin. Alternate threading salmon and lemon slices onto the skewers, about 5 or 6 pieces of salmon per skewer. Drizzle the kebabs with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Squeeze 1/2 of the remaining lemon juice over the kebabs. Using cooking tongs, carefully transfer the salmon skewers to the heated grill and grill for about 3 minutes on each side until the salmon is almost fully cooked through. Remove the salmon skewers from the grill and let rest for about 5 minutes, then serve.
Serve salmon kebabs with the Herb Vinaigrette and extra lemons, if desired.
BBQ Meatball Kebabs
For the glaze:
8 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons water
For the meatballs:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 egg
1/2 cup panko crumbs
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
Salt and pepper
20 pineapple chunks
1 medium onion, cut into
1 1/2-inch pieces
1 green pepper, seeded and cut into 1 1/2 -inch pieces
Wooden skewers, soaked in water at least 30 minutes
Coat grill with nonstick cooking spray and heat to medium-high.
To prepare glaze: In small bowl combine barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce and water; stir to combine. Set aside. In a small mixing bowl, combine hamburger, egg, panko, barbecue sauce; mix well.
Roll mixture into 2-inch meatballs. Salt and pepper to taste. Carefully thread meatballs onto skewers, alternating with pineapple, onion and green pepper.
Brush glaze onto kebabs with a basting brush and place on hot grill. Turn skewers approximately every 2 minutes, coating between with additional sauce, if desired.
Grill until meatballs are no longer pink inside and reach 160 degrees when checked internally with a food thermometer, approximately 8 to 9 minutes. If meatballs need additional cooking, heat oven to 400 degrees, brush with extra glaze and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until done to preference.