Beef Shish Kebab
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These skewered Beef Shish Kebab’s are one very impressive way to serve both meat and vegetables. Marinated in an abundance of mouth-watering flavors, they are especially perfect for an outdoor BBQ gathering. Everyone will love and appreciate the single serve portions of these colourful skewers.
Beef Shish Kebab Recipe
I love beef and this is one of my favorite ways to cook it. It’s so easy and you can use a variety of vegetables to suit your taste. I used colourful bell peppers and red onion but you can easily add some whole earthy mushrooms, zucchini, or sweet cherry tomatoes.
For any BBQ gathering, it’s a great option since everyone will have their own (or more) skewer of food. Simply pair this with some delicious greek rice, baked potatoes, a great side dish like my caesar or greek salad, and a nice dinner roll. There are endless ways to turn this into a full meal deal.
Ingredient Notes
- Beef – Tenderloin is the most tender cut, but top sirloin is also a great choice.
- Sugar – Use plain old white sugar to add a hint of sweetness and help caramelize the beef as it’s grilling.
- Cumin – Ground cumin is rich and hearty, earthy and warm, with an edge of citrus, and adds instant depth to any dish.
- Paprika – I use sweet paprika. It adds colour and has a mild peppery flavor.
- Allspice – Adds some great taste. The flavor of allspice brings to mind cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper.
- Garlic – Fresh is best, minced. Use as much or as little as you like, the more the better in my opinion.
- Tomato Paste – This will thicken the marinate a bit and adds some tomato flavor.
- Oil – A good olive oil is preferred for the marinade.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh squeezed lemon juice will help to tenderize the meat, and balance out the flavors.
- Peppers – I used yellow, orange and red, but of course use any colour you prefer.
- Onion – I used red onion because it has a stronger taste than yellow or white onion.
How To Make Beef Shish Kebabs
- Mix Marinade and Add Beef: In a large bowl combine all the marinade ingredients together. Transfer ¼ cup of the marinade to a large bowl and another ¼ cup to another smaller bowl. To the first bowl with remaining marinade add the cubed beef and toss it well, making sure it’s fully covered. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Marinade Vegetables: Add the bell peppers and onions to the large bowl with ¼ cup of reserved marinade and toss well. Set aside until ready to thread on skewers.
- Preheat Grill: Preheat your grill for 10 minutes on high heat. Lightly oil the grates of the gas grill.
- Make Skewers: Thread the meat, onions, peppers on skewers, alternating until you run out of ingredients. You should get about 8 skewers.
- Grill the Kebabs: Place the shish kebabs on the grill and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally making sure to grill on all sides. While the kebabs are grilling brush the skewers a couple times with the reserved ¼ cup of marinade in the small bowl.
- Serve: Transfer the kebabs to a serving platter and allow 5 minutes to rest before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can you serve with shish kebabs?
There is an endless list of side dishes to serve with kebabs. Try rice, baby potatoes, salads, corn on the cob, and the list goes on. Serve with your favorite side dishes, there’s no rules here.
What is the best cut of meat for shish kebabs?
Beef tenderloin is the best cut for beef shish kabobs, it’s a tender and leaner steak and will not require too much work. But, it is not as robust in flavor as other cuts of meat, that’s why sirloin can also be used as its also a leaner meat.
Can I make kabobs the night before?
Most of the work of making kabobs can be completed the day before like cutting the meat and vegetables, which takes up the most time. Simply prepare the marinade the day before and marinate the meat until next day when ready to grill.
Tips
- If using bamboo or wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least one hour before using. Using flat metal skewers will prevent your meat and vegetables from rotating, and you won’t have to soak them in water like the wooden ones.
- Don’t skip the marinating step. Allow the meat get friendly with the marinade for at least 30 minutes.
- Substitute the beef for another protein of your choice for a change such as chicken or pork.
- Use a thermometer to check doneness for the beef. For rare the internal temperature should read 135°F and for medium rare it should read 145°F.
Leftovers
Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
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Beef Shish Kebab
Video
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar (packed)
- 1 teaspoon cumin (ground)
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (ground)
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup lemon juice
Kebabs
- 3 pounds beef tenderloin (or top sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes)
- 1 large green bell pepper (cut into 1-inch cubes)
- 1 large red bell pepper (cut into 1-inch cubes)
- 1 large yellow bell pepper (cut into 1-inch cubes)
- 1 large red onion (cut into 1-inch pieces)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Mix Marinade and Add Beef: In a large bowl combine all the marinade ingredients together. Transfer ¼ cup of the marinade to a large bowl and another ¼ cup to another smaller bowl. To the first bowl with remaining marinade add the cubed beef and toss it well, making sure it's fully covered. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Marinade Vegetables: Add the bell peppers and onions to the large bowl with ¼ cup of reserved marinade and toss well. Set aside until ready to thread on skewers.
- Preheat Grill: Preheat your grill for 10 minutes on high heat. Lightly oil the grates of the gas grill.
- Make Skewers: Thread the meat, onions, peppers on skewers, alternating until you run out of ingredients. You should get about 8 skewers.
- Grill the Kebabs: Place the shish kebabs on the grill and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally making sure to grill on all sides. While the kebabs are grilling brush the skewers a couple times with the reserved ¼ cup of marinade in the small bowl.
- Serve: Transfer the kebabs to a serving platter and allow 5 minutes to rest before serving.
Notes
- If using bamboo or wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least one hour before using. Using flat metal skewers will prevent your meat and vegetables from rotating, and you won’t have to soak them in water like the wooden ones.
- Don’t skip the marinating step. Allow the meat get friendly with the marinade for at least 30 minutes.
- Substitute the beef for another protein of your choice for a change such as chicken or pork.
- Use a thermometer to check doneness for the beef. For rare the internal temperature should read 135°F and for medium rare it should read 145°F.
- Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Thank you for the fabulous recipe made the kebabs yesterday my family loved them
Hello, would it be okay to use strip loin?
Sure.
This was excellent! I used sirloin and cooked on a charcoal grill and the flavor was perfect and the meat was so tender. I used green, yellow and red bell peppers and whole mushrooms. I’ll definitely make this again. Thank you for this recipe.
My pleasure, glad you liked it!
Love these Beef Shish Kebab’s!
Thanks!