May’s warmer weather means outdoor fun is back. Make your meals — especially when you’re grilling outdoors — part of the fun! Making skewers for grilling is a great way for children to begin participating in meal preparation and a nice ice-breaking activity in the early stages of a party. And who doesn’t love food you can pick up on a stick? Let others share in this fun, and the recipes that are already delicious will taste even better.
Vegetable Kebabs
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces button mushrooms
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely diced
- ½ large red onion, peeled and coarsely diced
- 2 medium zucchini or yellow squash, cut into ¼-inch slices
Instructions
- If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water 30 minutes before ready to use. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, vinegar, salt, garlic powder, oregano and black pepper. Add the vegetables to the marinade and gently mix until well-coated.
- Heat grill to medium-high. Thread the vegetables on 6 skewers. If using soaked wooden skewers, first pat them dry. Oil your grill and place the vegetable skewers on the grill. Grill until tender, 4–5 minutes per side. Serve warm.
Apricot Chicken Kebabs
Ingredients
- 1 (10-ounce) jar apricot preserves
- ¼ cup apricot nectar
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut in large cubes
- 2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut in large cubes
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the preserves, nectar, orange juice and butter. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool for 30 minutes.
- Place the chicken in a large resealable zip-top bag. Pour ¾ cup of the cooled marinade over the chicken. Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours. Cover and refrigerate the remaining marinade.
- If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water 30 minutes before ready to use. Remove chicken from the marinade (and discard the marinade), threading chicken and peppers on different skewers. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and set aside. Remove the reserved marinade from the refrigerator.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high. Place the chicken kebabs on the grill for 13–15 minutes. Turn occasionally and baste with the remaining marinade. Add the pepper skewers halfway through the cooking time for the chicken, turning to evenly char. Make sure the juices of the chicken run clear when pierced, or use an instant read thermometer to make sure the chicken is done.
Spicy Peanut Beef Kebabs
Ingredients
- ½ cup roasted peanuts, ground
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 4 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
- 2¼ pounds beef rump, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut in chunks
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut in chunks
- 1 purple onion, peeled and quartered
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the ground peanuts, cayenne, garlic powder, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Stir in the oil to make a paste. Place the beef in a large resealable zip-top bag. Add the spice mixture, seal and massage to evenly coat. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the broiler to high. Alternately skewer the peppers and onions on skewers and the beef on separate skewers. Place on a greased sheet pan and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Broil for 2 minutes, then turn and broil another 2 minutes or until the meat is browned on all sides. If the vegetable skewers char before the meat is done, remove from the oven and continue browning the meat. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving warm.
Ground Meat Kebabs
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds lean ground chicken or beef
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tomato, finely diced
- ½ sweet onion, peeled and finely diced
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Barbecue sauce or aioli of your choice
- Preheat the grill to 400 degrees.
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the meat, parsley, tomato, onions, salt and pepper. Working with your hands, gently mix until well combined.
- Divide the mixture into 10 equal portions, pressing each around a long metal skewer. Place on a waxed paper-lined baking dish. Grill 5 minutes on each side. Test for doneness and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Drizzle with your favorite barbecue sauce or aioli, and serve warm.
Tzatziki Dipped Kebabs
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless chicken, pork tenderloin or leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ½ cup canola oil
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1½ teaspoons fresh oregano
- 1½ teaspoons salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1 small cucumber, peeled, if desired, and finely chopped
- 2 fresh mint leaves, chopped
- ⅔ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 large sweet yellow or purple onion, peeled and quartered
- 12–15 cherry tomatoes
- Fresh parsley for garnishing
Instructions
- Place the meat in a large zip-top bag and set aside. Place the lemon juice, oil, garlic, oregano, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Cover and shake to emulsify. Pour over the meat, seal and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss together the cucumber, mint and yogurt along with the remaining salt and pepper. Stir gently to combine, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Remove meat from the refrigerator for 30 minutes prior to cooking. Preheat grill to 400 degrees. Drain meat and thread onto skewers. Grill 9–10 minutes total, turning halfway through to evenly cook and brown. Thread tomatoes and onion pieces onto skewers. Add to the grill halfway through grilling the meat, turning to evenly brown. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving with Tzatziki sauce and a garnish of fresh parsley.
Mustard Marinated Pork Shoulder Kebabs*
Ingredients
- 1¾ pounds pork shoulder, cut into generous 1-inch cubes
- ⅔ cup canola oil Juice of 1 lemon
- ⅓ cup Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh oregano
- ½ teaspoon onion or garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cubed
Instructions
- Place the pork in a large zip-top bag. Place the oil, lemon juice, mustard, oregano, salt and pepper in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Cover and shake to emulsify. Pour over the pork, seal and massage to evenly coat. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
- Remove from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before grilling. Preheat the grill to 400 degrees. Drain the meat and thread onto skewers. Thread peppers on different skewers. Grill the pork 8–10 minutes total, turning halfway through to evenly cook and brown. Add the peppers halfway through the pork cooking time, turning to evenly char. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving warm.
*Serve with Tzatziki sauce (recipe above), honey mustard dressing or a vinegar-based barbecue sauce.
Ask Chef Tammy
Email your cooking questions to Tammy Algood: [email protected].
Billie has started making bread. “I am hoping you can guide me as to what I am doing wrong because the bread loaves are not browning on all the sides. Could it be my oven?” she asks.
Billie, after thoroughly going over your recipe and a conversation on the phone, I have discovered that this is a pan placement issue.
You are overcrowding the oven with multiple pans crammed next to each other for baking. So from now on, stagger your preparation of multiple loaves, which will give your pans plenty of room in the oven for even browning.
Jerry would like some tips on helping his pizza dough rise. “I use fresh yeast and ingredients and knead it for 5 minutes by hand, but it still doesn’t rise as much as I would like,” he writes.
Jerry, make sure you knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, which will take twice the time you are kneading it now. It needs at least 10 minutes, then it should double in size when left to rise.
