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“Quick & Easy Kabobs - Thrilling Grilling”

Grilling season lasts all year long, but there’s something about summertime that has us turning to this cooking technique more often. Not only does the grill serve as an outdoor kitchen, it becomes the prime tool for entertaining and enjoying life in the outdoors.

IN THIS ISSUE, we’re firing up the grill for a delicious start to the summer. Kabobs are quick to prepare, inexpensive, and totally delicious thanks to mouth-watering marinades. You’ll find three kabob recipes and many great tips for skewering up some tasty summer suppers on the grill.

On A Stick - Kabob, Kabab, Kebab

However it’s spelled, we know it’s going to be delicious! The more accurate name for “grilled food on a stick” would be shish kabob. With ancient origins in the Near East, “kabob” refers to small chunks of meat generally, while “shish” stems from the Turkish word for skewer. Traditionally, lesser cuts of meat were marinated into tenderness with added herbs and spices masking any inferiority. Folklore tells us of warriors on the move cooking pieces of game on their swords over an open fire. Today’s ready charcoal fires or instant ignition grills on decorated decks replicate the technique for fire-flavored, food-on-a-stick.

We're Your Grilling Central

Here at the store, we’re ready to help you expand and develop your grilling skills. Whether you’re a novice with an open fire or an expert at outdoor cooking, we have the essentials and the extras for the grilling season. From the latest grilling tools, wood chips, to wonderful marinades and rubs, we’re ready to make you a successful outdoor cook!

RECIPE: Steak with Garlic, Oregano and Cumin

Starting with slightly marbled sirloin tips, the strongly spiced marinade added its own personality. We paired the beef with tiny sweet bell peppers for a colorful presentation. Grilled over direct heat for 2 minutes per side, the steak kabobs were done to medium-rare perfection. No complaints were heard from the table after this meal!

Recipes from Kabobs, 52 Easy Recipes for Year-Round Grilling by Sally Sampson. Copyright © 2007. Reprinted with permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken NJ. All rights reserved.

Kabob Idea: Search your market for “baby vegetables.” This latest produce trend marries well with kabob making. Tiny sweet peppers, petite zucchini, cherry tomatoes, pearl onion, baby beets – they all fit on a skewer very well.

Skewering Science

Skewering food for the grill makes for a quick and delicious dinner. Here are a few tricks for making your skewers the best:

The Material: The many choices for skewers fall into two categories: metal and wood/plant material:
Metal Skewers: Metal skewers offer the advantage of conducting heat to the middle of the food during grilling helping the food to simultaneously cook from the inside out as well as from the outside in.
Bamboo Skewers: A variety of bamboo skewers serve the purpose well. To minimize burning, soak the sticks in water for 30 minutes just prior to loading on the food pieces.
Other Skewers: Skewers may be improvised from woody-stemmed herbs such as rosemary, or appropriate hardwoods. Avoid soft woods such as pine or other resinous varieties.

The Shape: The design of a skewer has a direct impact on handling and the outcome of your kabobs:
Round Skewers: Whether metal or plant material, round skewers are probably the most common, yet the most challenging. As food cooks, the food shrinks enlarging the skewer hole. The food begins to spin on the skewer making turning difficult. Round bamboo or wood skewer surfaces grab food better than metal and tend to spin less.
Flat Skewers: Again, whether metal or plant material, flat skewers keep the food pieces in place, make for trouble-free turning, and yet easily come off the skewer when done.
Curved and Wire Skewers: A 12-inch straight skewer may not fit efficiently on the grill or on a dinner plate. A curved or flexible wire skewer solves both problems.

Skewers:
FireWire – A clever design with stainless steel wire – super-flexible, safe in marinades
Metal Skewers – Great for meat; conducts heat to cook from the inside.
Bamboo Skewers –Easy and available, these skewers are always handy stand-bys.

The Non-Skewer –
A kabob or grill basket is a good alternative to skewers. Cut and prepare kabob pieces, as you normally would, then grill over direct heat in a kabob basket that safely holds the smaller pieces while allowing the high heat to quickly grill the items.

Marinating Kabobs

Marinating meat serves two purposes, it tenderizes and adds flavor. Heat usually has a tenderizing effect, but because kabobs are grilled over direct heat at a higher temperature, there isn’t much time for heat to work its magic.

ACIDIC LIQUID + OIL + SPICES = MARINADE

Liquid in nature, marinades have an acidic component (vinegar, citrus juice or wine), oil, and added spices. The acids in the marinades begin the process of breaking down the proteins in the meat, while the oil keeps the meat from drying out during grilling. Also, liquid is absorbed at the cellular level, “plumping up” the food before grilling. The overall result is very tender meat once grilled.

When marinating any type of food, use a non-reactive container such as glass, or stainless steel, and refrigerate during the standing process. Periodically turn the meat in the marinade, or baste with excess marinade.

Tip: Check out the many gourmet marinades in our store – they’re the recipe for instant grilling success.

Tip: For kabob cuts of meat, it’s hard to beat a zipper-type resealable plastic bag; turn and knead the bag occasionally while marinating.

Safety Note #1: Marinade that has contacted raw meat should be discarded after marinating is complete. Do not store contaminated marinade or use again.

Safety Note #2: Always refrigerate marinating foods. Warm summer temperatures can inspire bacterial growth in a short amount of time.

Preparing Kabobs for the Grilling

1. Cut meat for kabobs in 1-to 1-1/2 inch cubes or pieces prior to marinating. Too large and the inside will not cook while on the grill; too small and the pieces will quickly become overdone. Marinate pieces for tenderness and flavors.

2. Thread the food pieces onto the skewer through the center of each piece. Allow a small amount of space between foods so that the heat can reach the inner spaces. Place on a baking sheet or platter for carrying to the grill.

3. Place prepared kabobs over direct heat on a medium-high grill. Grill 1-2 minutes on each of the four sides of the kabob. Turn the kabobs using grill tongs or by hand with grill gloves on. Baste the each kabob side with an oiled brush prior to turning to that side; this will help prevent sticking to the grill.

Food Safety Tip: To avoid cross contamination of raw meats with cooked meats, use one platter for carrying uncooked foods to the grill, and a different one for taking cooked kabobs from the grill to the table. Similarly, be mindful of uncooked foods and juices on your utensils when managing the cooked grilled foods. Wash cutting boards, platters, and utensils that have been in contact with raw meats in hot, soapy water.

RECIPE: Spicy Pork with Orange and Chipotles

Smoky chipotles in adobo sauce gave this pork kabob some personality! Sweet, fresh orange juice started the tenderizing process, and a small amount of brown sugar added to the flavor-inducing caramelization when grilled. The addition of pineapple and bell pepper matched the cooking time of the pork very well. Served with cous cous, it was a delicious meal.

Recipes from Kabobs, 52 Easy Recipes for Year-Round Grilling by Sally Sampson. Copyright © 2007. Reprinted with permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken NJ. All rights reserved.

Grilling Essentials
Everyday grilling is easy when the proper tools are in hand. Position yourself for success by refreshing some of your grilling essentials. Good grilling tools include long handles, tolerance to high temperatures, and outdoor durability.

Tongs – place, turn and manage the grate with silicone tipped tongs that grip; safe to 600°F
Grill Basting Brush – Oils and basting sauces may be applied easily with a long-handled brush
Grill Cleaning Brush – Keep last week’s fish off today’s burger! Clean the grill with every use.
Turner – Remove foods safely from the grill with a long-handled spatula
Thermometer – A probe-sensing thermometer by CDN allows monitoring without opening the lid
Grill Light – Flexible light illuminates the grill for later grilling occasions.

Helpful Tips - Skewering 101:

Choose kabob components whose cooking times match well. For example, bell peppers and onions match beef and pork. More delicate vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, match the shorter cooking times applied to fish.

Mixed skewers vs. Single-subject skewers: For even cooking, consider putting only one type of food on a skewer – an all beef, all mushrooms, all zucchini, etc. This alleviates the problem of different foods cooking at different rates. The grilling of each type of skewer can be custom-managed during grilling.

Use two skewers for each kabob. Insert the skewers about a half-inch apart. This two-prong arrangement will keep the kabob components from spinning around, and will make turning easy and effective.

Add a lemon or lime wedge to your skewer when appropriate to the ingredients. The warm wedge releases its juices and the aromas are mouth-watering.

Go for color when composing your kabobs. Bright colors whet the appetite and just say, “it’s summertime!”

Etiquette for Serving Kabobs: When serving small, appetizer-sized kabobs, it’s ok to eat directly from the skewer. When serving kabobs as the main entrée, you may remove the pieces from the skewer in the kitchen and serve the pieces family style, or you may serve the skewers individually. Diners remove the pieces from the skewer using a fork to pull the food off the skewer. The empty skewer should be placed across the top of the plate. A knife and fork is used to cut each piece into bite-sized pieces.

No Grill? Too Rainy? Kabobs also work well under the oven’s broiler. Prepare kabobs as you would for a grill, place on a broiling pan. Broil the kabobs (500°F) with the oven rack 5 inches from the heating element. Turn kabobs to each side during cooking. Timing will vary based on the type of kabob being broiled.

RECIPE: Swordfish with Dijon Tarragon Mayonnaise

Fish takes much less time to marinate, and this marinade proved a bit different than others – a base of mayonnaise was heavily spiked with Dijon mustard and fresh tarragon. The blend was transformative to the swordfish. All fishiness disappeared, and the just cooked kabobs melted in our mouths. This recipe would work just as well with any firmly fleshed fish such as salmon or tuna steaks. We served these kabobs with grilled sweet red onion and roasted red new potatoes.

Recipes from Kabobs, 52 Easy Recipes for Year-Round Grilling by Sally Sampson. Copyright © 2007. Reprinted with permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken NJ. All rights reserved.

Tarragon Side Note: This herb is one of our favorites. It pairs well with meats of all kinds and plays well with mustard flavors. Fresh tarragon is easy to grow and yields new dimensions compared with dried versions. Prep fresh tarragon by holding the tip of the branch in one hand, and stripping the leaves to the base in one motion with the other hand.

Grilled Fruit Kabobs

Tropical fruits are our favorite for grilling. Try a mix of pineapple, banana, and papaya with a marinade of 2 parts orange juice and one part brown sugar. Stone fruits, (peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, etc.), are equally excellent when grilled!

Kid's Corner - Food-On-A-Stick

Food-on-a-stick is a summertime classic (and a State Fair trademark!). Assembling small skewers is a fun kitchen activity for kids to become involved with.

The Antipasto Skewer: Assemble savory items on a small skewer for easy hors d’oeuvres or a different kind of lunch kabob. No marinade or grilling necessary.

Fruit-on-a-Stick Skewer: Thread any seasonal fresh fruit together; dip in orange juice to prevent browning if necessary. Serve with vanilla yogurt, or a chocolate dipping sauce.

Footnote: Don’t forget that timeless summertime favorite, roasted marshmallows on a stick served up as a s’more, a recipe from a 1927 Girl Scout publication – truly a time-honored treat!

Cookbook Review

Kabobs, 52 Easy Recipes for Year-Round Grilling
by Sally Sampson. Copyright © 2007. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken NJ. All rights reserved.

The premise of this book is a good one – a new kabob to try each week for a year. It would probably take us a few years, however, because so many of the recipes are worth repeating sooner than later. The recipes focus on making delicious kabobs and the various marinade concoctions that make them so. There are 52 home runs presented. Sides and accompaniments are suggested, but the spotlight is on getting the kabob marinating and grilled to perfection. The cookbook spans beef, pork, chicken, lamb, fish, shellfish, tofu, and vegetarian offerings. The full-color photography, liberally included throughout the book, will have your mouth-watering at the possibilities ahead. Instead of one kabob recipe per week, our new plan is three per week which should make for a very nice summer of quick, easy, and delicious grilling.

Set yourself up now for an entire summer of thrilling grilling!