Kabobs

As I have said in the past - “I love to barbecue.” My first cookbook was one on how to barbecue and the first thing I remember barbecuing was Kabobs. Below are a few kabobs recipes that I thought sounded good and I fully intent to try some of these before the summer is over. I hope you have time to try some of them as well.

Fruit Kabobs with Chile Sauce
2 honeydew melons
2 cantaloupes
8 ripe pears, peaches, or apples
18 (6-inch) long bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 20 to 30 minutes
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1/2 cup lime juice
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeds and veins removed and roughly chopped
4 tablespoons red chili powder
Dice the fruit into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Place the fruit on the skewers, alternating fruits for flavor and visual appeal. Place into a non-metallic shallow pan.
Cook the sugar and water together in a saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves (about 5 minutes). Allow the syrup to cool. In a blender, add the sugar syrup, lime juice, jalapeno peppers, and red chili powder. Blend thoroughly, roughly 1 minute.
Pour marinade over fruit kebabs and marinate for at least 1 hour turning kebabs occasionally.
Preheat the grill to low heat and grill the kabobs on both sides until you see brown grill marks and the fruit is warm, roughly 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the fruit kabobs from the grill and brush with the remaining chile sauce for a real fiery fruit kabob finish!

Shrimp Kabobs
Wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
6 shrimp, deveined
1/4 cup favorite seafood seasoning mix
8 ounces Italian dressing
2 ounces Worcestershire sauce
2 ounces honey
Preheat a grill.
On wooden skewers, place deveined, curled shrimp, and season with your favorite seafood seasoning mix.
In bowl, mix Italian dressing, Worcestershire sauce, and honey. Heat lightly in the microwave.
Cook kabobs over medium/hot flame. When shrimp start to turn pink baste with Italian dressing mix and turn. Repeat every 3 to 4 minutes until done.

Beef and Chicken Kabobs
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 pinch ground ginger
2 red bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 large sweet onion, peeled and cut into wedges
1 1/2 cups whole fresh mushrooms
1 pound beef sirloin, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into cubes
skewers
In a large resealable plastic bag, mix the teriyaki sauce, honey, garlic powder, and ginger. Place red bell peppers, onion wedges, mushrooms, beef, and chicken in the bag with the marinade. Seal, and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours.
Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
Discard marinade, and thread the meat and vegetables onto skewers, leaving a small space between each item.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers for 10 minutes, turning as needed, or until meat is cooked through and vegetables are tender.

Thai Kabobs
1 1/2 to 2 pounds of lean beef steak (sirloin is good)
1/2 light soy sauce
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/4 vegetable oil
1 TBS. Habanera Pepper sauce (or to taste)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1/2 cup warm water
12 bamboo skewers
Slice the beef into long thin strips, across the grain. Set aside. Dissolve brown sugar into warm water, then whisk into the peanut butter. Add the remaining ingredients and blend WELL. Divide the mixture into 3/4 and 1/4 portions. Marinate the strips of beef in the 3/4 of mixture, reserving the remaining 1/4 for dipping sauce later. Marinate overnight, or at least 6 hours for the best taste. Skewer the strips, covering as much of the skewer as possible (this prevents the skewer from burning on the grill). Grill over high heat for about 5-7 minutes on each side. Serve with Jasmine rice, a fresh veggie stir-fry, and the dipping sauce.
Notes: For a leaner meal, you can use chicken breast in this recipe and omit the oil. Feel free to add or subtract the pepper sauce to taste for spiciness. DO NOT substitute any other pepper sauce though; it will not have the same results. Habanera peppers have a very distinct flavor.

Grilled Vidalia Bacon Bites
3 Medium Vidalia Onions
12 Strips Bacon
12 Skewers
Marinade:
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup Molasses
1 tsp Canola Oil
Mix brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, molasses and oil until sugar is dissolved. Set aside. Peel and quarter vidalias. Wrap each quarter with a strip of bacon. Place 3 vidalia quarters on each skewer, leaving a space between each one. Place skewers in long casserole dish. Stir marinade again and pour over skewers. Marinate for at least 1 hour before grilling, turning occasionally. Remove skewers from marinade. Reserve leftover marinade. Place skewers on medium-hot grill. Grill about 35 minutes or until onion is tender and bacon is brown and crisp. Turn skewers for even cooking on each side, and baste with marinade frequently up till the last 5 minutes of cooking time.

Pineapple Pepsi Kabobs
1 lb lean beef steak
1 lb lean pork steak or chicken breast
14 oz pineapple juice
10 oz cold Pepsi
4 oz honey BBQ Sauce
4 oz A-1 steak sauce
1 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp white pepper
1 tbsp minced dry onions
1-2 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 fresh pineapple
Cube meats and pineapple into 1 inch squares and set aside. Refrigerate pineapple and meats in an air tight container. Mix the pineapple juice, BBQ and A-1 sauces with all dry ingredients. When sugar is completely dissolved slowly pour in Pepsi. Reserve 1/4 cup marinade, add meats to remainder of sauce cover and refrigerate overnight. Take reserved marinade and add to fresh pineapples and continue to refrigerate. Soak skewers in water, the longer the better (overnight is best). When ready to grill remove meat and pineapple from refrigerator and begin to slide onto skewers. Alternate beef, pineapple, and pork, 5-6 pieces per skewer. Place skewers on hot grill turning every 2-3 minutes, depending on grill heat, to ensure even cooking. Remove from grill and serve as is or with favorite warmed BBQ sauce.
Notes: Fresh apples, pears or nectarines may be substituted for pineapple. The amounts will vary and you would use slices instead of cubes.
Number of Servings: 24 skewers

Moroccan Spiced Beef Kabobs
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup finely minced onion
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 pounds lean beef, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
In a small bowl combine all ingredients except beef cubes; mix well. Place beef cubes on 4-6 metal skewers; heat grill to medium-high heat and place kabobs on grill. Generously brush kabobs with sauce and turn, then continue to turn and baste until beef is cooked to desired doneness, about 10 minutes for medium-rare, 12-14 minutes for medium.
Notes: This wonderful dish combines a variety of spices and citrus flavors to create a unique and exotic taste experience. Perfect for serving with couscous, pita bread and tzatziki sauce.
Number of Servings: 4-6 Print this post