Family Table: Savory Summer Kabobs

Savory Summer Kabobs

Tips for Perfectly Cooked Mouthwatering Kabobs

By Cristen Clark

I love to indulge in food history. The kabob is thought to have originated in Turkey during medieval times when Turkish soldiers dined on freshly hunted game skewered on swords, cooked over fires in open fields. Our translation of shish kabobs comes from the Turkish word “sis,” meaning sword, and “kebap” meaning meat, specifically mutton or lamb. The popularity of kabobs is not surprising because of the myriad of ways to customize this dish.

In my early cooking experiences, I grilled kabobs purchased from the grocery store. They consisted of meat and vegetables on the same bamboo skewer. It was impossible to cook the kabobs perfectly because the ingredients had different cooking times and temperatures.

Fast forward through many years of trial and error, and I’ve found some great kabob recipes my family enjoys.

A simple blend of ingredients within a marinade can add flavor and moisture. A quality marinade has a balance of acid, oil and seasonings.

Adding an acidic component to a marinade weakens the surface proteins in the meat, which helps introduce flavors and improve texture. My favorite acidic components are citrus juices, dill pickle juice and red wine vinegar.

Fat in a marinade helps retain moisture and transfer fat-soluble flavors onto the surface of the meat. Fats help round out flavor profiles and keep sharp or acidic flavors from taking over. Examples include soybean oil, olive oil, mayonnaise, yogurt, buttermilk or sour cream.

Herbs, seasonings, salt and sweeteners give a punch of flavor. Salt helps water-soluble flavors in the marinade penetrate the protein tissues and retain flavor. It also loosens the muscle fibers to make tough cuts easier to chew. Examples of salty marinade ingredients include sea salt, kosher salt, pickle juice, mustard or soy sauce.

Finding the right skewers is essential. Bamboo skewers are best for foods with short cooking times. Metal skewers are best for foods that take longer to cook. Soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes before adding food so the skewers don’t burn. Most foods fit for kabob-making can turn or twirl on traditional skewers. Using a double skewer, two skewers parallel to each other, to pierce the food can keep the ingredients in place.

Make ingredient-specific skewers and cut all pieces a uniform size for even cooking. Placing meat and veggies on separate skewers helps ensure each ingredient is cooked to the proper doneness.

Be sure to cook off the marinade. A 2- or 3-minute cook time after applying the last brushing of marinade is essential for food safety. Alternatively, you can use extra, unused marinade that has not touched raw meat for dipping or drizzling post-cooking. Cooking off the marinade also helps it stick to the meat. If there is sugar content in the marinade, it will become caramelized in the last minutes of grilling.

Garlic and Herb Beef Kabobs

• 2 pounds sirloin steak

• 1 tablespoon seasoned salt or garlic salt, divided

• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper, divided

• ¼ cup soybean or vegetable oil

• 6 cloves of garlic, minced

• ½ cup butter

• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary

• ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Trim steak and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place into a gallonsized zip-close bag. Season meat with 2 teaspoons seasoned salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.

Combine oil and garlic in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until garlic is fragrant and golden brown. Remove pan from heat, add butter, herbs, red wine vinegar and mustard. Stir until mixture is combined. Pour half of the mixture over the meat in the zip-close bag and massage together; marinate 30 minutes. Set remaining part of the mixture aside until serving.

Preheat grill to 375 degrees F. After beef is done marinating, thread beef onto skewers, leaving a small space between each piece on the skewer. Grill kabobs for 8-11 minutes, turning occasionally until beef reaches 125-130 degrees F on a digital-read thermometer or until your desired doneness. Rest 5 minutes before serving, and drizzle with remaining garlic butter sauce and herbs. Serve warm and garnish with additional chopped fresh herbs.

Tip: Use two heat zones on a clean and well-oiled grill. Heat one side of the grill and set the other side to a lower temperature to give flexibility during cooking time.

Makes 6 generous kabobs.