How to grill kabobs perfectly {from beef to veggies!}
Marinate or season your skewers with this simple recipe plus these tips and you'll be grilling perfect kabobs every time!
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Kebabs, kabobs, skewers… anyway you look at it, it’s food on a stick. However, getting your skewers to be “perfect” isn’t that easy. I’ve eaten plenty of dry and burned skewered things in my lifetime.
So what’s the trick? In this post I’m sharing everything you need to know to make perfect skewers. All of these tips are gathered from numerous trips to the butcher whom I used to nag every time my skewers didn’t turn out good. I. kid. you. not.
It’s summer, which means a lot of outdoor cooking and barbecues for my family. Because cooking “heats up the house,” as my husband puts it. Grilling makes everything taste epic (I think!), and this post focuses on juicy grilled meat kabobs and veggie kabobs.
Looking for how to help with a specific type of kabob? Click on one of the following for in-depth posts on beef skewers, chicken skewers, and veggie kabobs.
How to Grill Kabobs
Whether you are making beef or chicken kabobs, here are important tips to help you grill perfectly tender meat with those iconic cross-hatch marks:
- Cut the meats and veggies into similar shapes and sizes so they cook evenly.
- Cut the meat and veggies slightly bigger than the space between the grill grates.
- Grilling consistently over medium heat is better than using high heat. You’ll get tough, burned, or scorched pieces above 400F.
- Cooking times: meats, such as chicken and beef, need 12-15 minutes total. Fish and vegetables require about 10 minutes.
- Cooking to temperature will always yield the best results: 165F for chicken and 145F for beef and fish.
Watch the video in the recipe card for more details. It is FULL of tips for perfectly grilled skewers!
Preparing Kabobs
If using wooden skewers, make sure to submerge them in water and soak them for 30 minutes before threading them with the ingredients and grilling. Otherwise, you’ll risk the entire kabob catching fire. Keep in mind that this step is only necessary if using wooden skewers.
Preparing the Kabob seasoning
Rubs are a blend of seasonings and spices with no liquid. It’s “rubbed” into the meat to adhere to the surface and create a delicious, flavorful crust. This method works with any protein (meat).
Here’s how to prepare and use a kabob seasoning:
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup paprika
- 3 tablespoons black pepper
- 3 tablespoons coarse salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Preparing a marinade for the kabobs
Marinades combine spices and oil with an acidic liquid such as vinegar or citrus juice. The acid helps to tenderize whatever meat you are cooking while giving it ample flavor.
Here’s how to prepare a quick kabob marinade:
- 3 tablespoons kabob seasoning
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Print my flavorful beef kabob marinade recipe here.
How to Grill Kabobs
Once the skewers are prepped and assembled, it’s time to cook! Here are step-by-step directions on how to grill the juiciest kabobs:
Preheat the grill to a constant temperature before placing your skewers on it. Somewhere around 375 is great.
Brush your kebab pieces with olive oil before placing them on the grill.
Place the skewers onto the grill and cook for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through. For the cross-hatch grill marks, wait until the grate leaves a set of lines before rotating the skewers 90 degrees.
Once the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165F for chicken or 145F for beef, remove the kabobs from the grill onto a tray or pan. Cover with foil if you’re still grilling other items.
Serve with corn on the cob baked in foil!
Do You Grill with the Lid Open or Closed?
When you place your kabobs on the grill, keep the lid open to sear the food, usually for a few minutes. After that, lower the lid and close the bbq to keep the heat inside and continue cooking.
Halfway through cooking, you’ll want to flip the food you’re grilling, whether it’s kabobs, chicken, or hamburgers. At this point, you’ll open the lid, flip, allow the flames to give the other side a sear, and close the lid to finish cooking.
If your grill has a vent and you’re using charcoal, you might want to keep it open to let some air in and keep your charcoal flames lit.
What Else Goes Good on Kabobs
Grilled meat and veggies are perfect together, and while some are obvious combinations, below are other terrific combinations that skewer great and taste delicious on a kabob.
Must try on a kabob:
- Eggplant: cut the eggplant lengthwise into 1 ½-inch wedge. Brush them with olive oil and place them on the grill, cut side down. Grill over medium-high heat for about 6 minutes, flipping them halfway through until they are golden.
- Bell peppers: grill the whole bell pepper over high heat, turning occasionally. It’s ok if the skins get charred in certain spots. Medium to large bell peppers will take about 15 minutes. After grilling, remove the seeds and stems.
- Portobello mushrooms: marinate the mushrooms or brush them with olive oil before grilling. Grill mushrooms gill sides up over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, flip, and grill for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Asparagus: if you don’t have one of those veggie mesh cages, you can thread the asparagus onto a wooden or metal skewer to prevent them from falling through the grates. Poke them through the top and bottom ends, and grill for 9 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Onions: cut the onion in ½ to ⅜-inch thick slices. Poke each sliced through with a skewer and grill for about 15 minutes before flipping and cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Zucchini & squash: cut each squash into 4 long strips, brush with olive oil, season, and grill for 6-8 minutes.
- Potatoes: did you know you have to cook potatoes before grilling? Otherwise, they can take up to one hour to cook on the grill! You’ll have to partially cook them (about 10 minutes of boiling water) or steam them in the microwave. Once cooked, thread them onto skewers, brush them with olive oil, and grill for about 10 minutes.
How to Keep Ingredients From Falling Off
To prevent meat and veggies from falling off the skewers while cooking, cut them slightly larger than the spaces between the grill grates, about ½ to 1 inch thick. Make sure to thread each piece right through the center. To avoid the tragedy of an entire kabob falling into the coals, place it across the grill grates.
Essentials for Grilling
Firing up the grill is an easy way to give ordinary protein and veggies an upgrade in flavor. Whether you are entertaining or bringing dinner outdoors, you’ll need the right tools. You can check out my top skewers for grilling (tested) here.
Here are my grilling essentials:
How to Grill Kabobs Perfectly
Marinate or season your skewers with this simple recipe plus these tips and you'll be grilling perfect kabobs every time!
from votes
Servings 8
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
Kabob seasoning:
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup paprika, sweet or smoked
- 3 tablespoons black pepper
- 3 tablespoons salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
For the Marinade or basting wet rub:
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons kabob seasoning or, favorite seasoning*
- 1 lemon, juiced
For the Kabobs:
- 2 lbs chicken breast or beef, cubed
- 1 red onion, cut into pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 pint mushrooms
- Wooden or metal skewers
Instructions
Make the dry seasoning:
Make the kabob marinade or basting mixture:
In a medium bowl or direcly in a zip bag, measure out 3 tablespoons of the dry kebab seasoning, add the olive oil and lemon juice to form a wet rub or made.
You can baste the mixture directly onto the threaded kebabs, toss the meat in the bowl to coat, or in a zip bag and let it marinate for 20 minutes while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
Assemble the skewers:
Grill:
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, about 375F to 400F on a grill. Once hot, brush oil on the metal grates.
Place the kabobs on the grill, with the lid open for a few minutes to sear the meat, close the lid and cook for about 7 minutes on the first side. Open the grill, flip the kabobs, anc close the lid to continue cooking for an additional 5 to 7 mintues on the second side, until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165F or the beef to 140-145F. Total cooking time will vary depending on the thicknes of the meat.
Remove the kabobs from the grill on a tray and cover with foil to keep warm while you finish grilling.
Equipment
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 243kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 27gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 142mgPotassium: 771mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 363IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 2mg
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