Best way to cook shish kabobs on the grill

Your summer weekend just got so much tastier.

Summer has us all grilling up a storm, and once we get a couple of weeks into the usual burgers, dogs, steaks, and chops, inevitably someone broaches the idea of shish kebab. Kebabs are great fun, fast, and easy to assemble and cook, with a terrific variety in flavors and combinations: meat, seafood, poultry, vegetables, plus different marinades, seasonings, and dipping sauces. You can eat them straight off the skewer or slide into sandwiches. Serve over rice or on top of lavash bread. Make ahead to serve room temp, or hot off the grill.

But kebabs can also pose some complications. Getting meats just right so that you don't end up with charred on the outside, raw on the inside. Or cooked meat but crunchy raw vegetables. Or perfect vegetables with overcooked dry proteins. So how do you set yourself up for skewer success? Here are the top five secrets to perfect kebabs every time.

1. Sort and skewer ingredients by cooking time

The key to perfect cooks on all your skewers is to ensure that everything on each skewer cooks at the same rate. The easiest way to ensure that is to do skewers of single ingredients: all meat on one, all tomatoes on another, etc. That way you can pull skewers off the grill once they are cooked and adjust your timing appropriately. If you do want to mix and match various ingredients on your skewers, just be sure they are all things that cook at the same rate and are cut to similar sizes.

2. Use the indirect heat method

Skewers can overcook quickly. They can also burn, especially if you have used a marinade. The best way to get juicy kebabs is to create a cool zone of your grill and cook your skewers there until they are just shy of finished then shift over the hot zone to char a little bit and finish the cooking process.

3. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before removing skewers

Resting any protein that comes off your grill is essential to retain juices, but is even more important for kebabs, which have a hole poked through the middle creating a place where juice wants to escape. By leaving the skewers set aside for the full resting time, you help to keep those juices inside where they belong and not on your platter.

4. Try a post-grill marinade

Marinades can provide some nice flavor, but they are also the best way to burn your kebabs before they are fully cooked. To get that flavor, make your favorite marinade and put in a shallow dish. When you remove your cooked kebabs from the grill, give them an immediate twirl in the marinade, and let them hang out in the sauce as they rest. The hot meats and vegetables will absorb the flavors and their juices will mingle and warm the marinade, creating an instant sauce to serve on the side.

5. Use metal skewers for meat, soaked bamboo for vegetables

Kebabs originated as meat cooked on swords or spears over live fire. They cook quickly because the metal transfers heat into the center of the meat, helping to cook from the inside at the same time as the outside. Using a metal skewer for all your proteins will help them cook evenly and fast. As meats cook they contract, which means they will grip the skewer, which in turns helps prevent them falling off.

Vegetables, on the other hand, because of their moisture content, expand and slump as they cook, which means they tend to slide off of metal skewers. Using a well-soaked bamboo skewer will not transfer heat to the middle of the vegetables, and the rough natural texture will help them grip and stay secure.

Beef kabobs are a winning pick for your next backyard grill out. Quick and easy to make and extremely versatile with nearly infinite ingredient variations, kabobs are sure to delight guests of all ages. Seriously, who doesn’t love eating beef on a stick?! However, without basic grilling or skewering know-how, even the best-intended efforts can turn out dry or lackluster.  Kick up your kabob grilling game with these seven tips, along with recipe suggestions, that produce consistently delicious results.

1. Choose the Best Beef Cut for Kabobs

After years of trial and error, I’ve found that the various cuts of Sirloin are the best for kabobs. Relatively tender, without a need for extensive marinating, Sirloin (from top to tip) is lean and fits into a balanced diet — plus, it’s budget-friendly . Other good beef choices for kabobs are Flat Iron or Strip Steak and even Tenderloin.

2. To Marinate Or Not

Sirloin doesn’t require marinade to break down muscle fibers for tenderness. But, if you’d like to impart a distinctive flavor, pour a marinade (bottled brands are fine) on your beef cubes for about 15 to 45 minutes prior to grilling (discard marinade after use). Or, keep life super simple and let the beef flavor shine through with just a little sprinkling of salt and pepper or a steak seasoning. Pro tip: For food safety reasons, always marinate in the refrigerator. Never marinate at room temperature or outdoors when grilling

3. Co-mingle Consistently

Allowing beef and produce to co-exist on the same skewer is perfectly fine, and it also looks beautiful. Keep beef chunks, and similar-density vegetables and fruits cut into approximate 3/4-inch to 1 1/2-inch pieces for even cooking. For example, beef, onions, squash, or pineapple chunks would be paired well on the same skewer, as they can all handle the same heat and cooking time.

4. Separate Strategically

If you have distinctly smaller or larger ingredients or produce that is extremely delicate (like tomatoes), these should be skewered separately and removed from the heat earlier. Hearty ingredients like raw potatoes or chunks of corn-on-the-cob can be partially cooked prior to grilling and placed on their own individual skewers or threaded alongside the beef.

5. Give Space

Human nature directs us to cram all we can fit onto a single skewer. But, by leaving a small amount of space between each ingredient (1/4-inch), heat can better circulate and cook food evenly.

6. How Hot, How Long

Grill kabobs over direct heat of approximately 400°F. Kabobs with 3/4-inch cubes require approximately 8 to 10 minutes of total time on the grill, flipping halfway through. Bigger chunks will take a few more minutes. If you notice that some skewers are cooking faster than others, move them toward a cooler zone or to indirect heat. For medium-rare kabobs, the internal temperature should be 145°F after you’ve completed cooking. Protip: Kabobs will continue to cook a little more and gain a few more degrees while resting on the platter.

7. Make It A Party

Create a skewering station and ask guests to each bring a bowl full of their favorite produce prepped into bite-sized pieces.  You can also provide popular veggies such as mushrooms, colorful peppers, squash, tomatoes, and onions or experiment with Romaine lettuce, asparagus, brussels sprouts and more! Fruits that hold up well on the grill include pineapple, citrus with skin on and stone fruits — grapes and watermelon are good too!

Ready to get grilling? Here are some kabob ideas to get you started:

Classic Beef Kabobs

My mama said “classics” are the best and she is always right.  These juicy hunks of steak skewer up perfectly with colorful bell peppers and mushrooms, time and time again!  Yogurt feta dipping sauce adds a tangy twist on tradition.

Hoisin-Marinated Beef Skewers with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Tangy-sweet peanut sauce sauce infuses these not-so-basic beef kabobs with Far East flair. Crisp, cool salsa made with cucumber adds a refreshing touch.

Citrus Marinated Beef Kabobs

A quick soak in zesty juice gives these meaty Top Sirloin chunks a bright, vibrant vibe. Thread your favorite fresh fruit on the skewers to enhance the savory-sweet matchup.

Onion Lovers Steak Kabobs

Chop big chunks of your favorite onions, from red and white to scallions and shallots, and skewer alternating alongside beef. A sprinkle of blue cheese straight off the grates give these meaty kabobs an even bolder, richer bite.

Spicy Portuguese Beef Steak Kabobs

Get in touch with your inner “gaucho” by grilling up these South American inspired skewers of juicy sirloin steak and red bell peppers.

Moroccan Style Kabobs with Spiced Bulgur

Get a taste of Morocco with these globally-inspired kabobs.

Fig-Balsamic Glazed Beef Kabobs

Add a sweet and savory touch to your kabobs with a delicious fig-balsamic glaze.

What are your favorite kabob combinations? Tell us in the comments below.

How long does shish kabobs take to cook on the grill?

How do you grill kabobs without burning vegetables?

How do you grill shish kabobs on a gas grill?

Should you put foil on grill for kabobs?