With the right cut and the right marinade you can grill awesome beef kebabs. And even if it isn’t outdoor grilling season, don’t worry as these steak skewers are great for indoor broiling too.
For some unknown reason, I never really got into beef skewers (also known as shish kebabs) for the longest time, despite loving all types of grilled food and meats. Having eaten many mediocre kebabs, the effort to prep all of the meat and vegetables didn’t seem to have enough of a reward.
What I never really thought about, is that when done right, the up front prep yields more surface area to take on the crispy, charred deliciousness that comes from an open flame. Put it all together and steak skewers turn out to be one of the best foods to grill.
Choosing the Best Steak for Kebabs
Since I’ve definitely had my share of dry, tough or chewy skewered meats, I experimented with different cuts and found ribeye to be the best choice for kebobs. Lots of marbling and connective tissue that leads to really flavorful pieces. Plus, if you get a thick steak, it’s really easy to make uniform cuts that cook evenly.
A 1″ thick piece is preferred. Stick it in the freezer for about 30 minutes to firm it up and make it easier to cut and skewer. Four adults will need at least 1 1/2 pounds of meat since you’ll wind up trimming out a bit of the meat.
For the skewers themselves, I like to use leftover chopsticks from carry-out. We have about a million of them in a kitchen junk drawer. Put the ones you’ll use in a tall glass and soak in water while the meat is in the freezer.
Marinate Steak Skewers with Chimichurri Sauce
The flavor for the meat and vegetables comes from a classic Argentine chimichurri. There’s a lot to love about chimi. First, it’s a great vehicle to deliver high quantities of garlic. Second, for this recipe, it’s also a great marinade.
Like any vinaigrette marinade, the red wine vinegar will help with tenderizing and the oil helps increase surface temperatures while protecting from drying out. The parsley and garlic bring the unique flavor. It’s an all around perfect marinade. Plus, if you make extra chimi, you can use it for a delicious chimichurri butter to spread on just about anything.
How to Grill Steak Kebabs
Ideally you turn the meat about every 4 to 5 minutes to evenly char each side. Since cutting a uniform and even square shape with every item is absolutely impossible, I’ve found a great solution: a set of grill skewers that sits in a rack. These are super clever because the flat blade can rotate 4 times in the v-shape notch
What if you can’t grill outside? In the long Chicago winter, I’ve cooked this many times under the broiler in the oven. Make sure your oven is preheated to about 450 degrees before broiling. You’ll still cook them 2-3 minutes per side.
- 1.5 Pounds Ribeye Steak
- 1 Red Onion
- 1 Red Pepper
- 1 Green Pepper
- 3-5 Garlic Cloves about 1 Tablespoon chopped
- 1 Cup Parsley Leaves
- 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
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In a food processor, pulse the garlic with a pinch of salt
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Add the parsley leaves and pulse several times to combine with the garlic
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Add the Oil, Vinegar and remaining seasoning and process for about 30 seconds
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Cut the beef into uniform 1″ chunks and place in a mixing bowl.
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Spoon over enough marinade to coat and set aside
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Cut the peppers and onion into roughly 1″ wide by 2″ long pieces and add to the meat. Add additional marinade as needed
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(Optional) Let this marinade for up to 2 hours while you’re doing other prep
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Thread the meat and vegetables onto skewers and grill over direct heat for 2-3 minutes per side, about 10 minutes total
