The Secret to Perfect Shish Kabobs
~ Grilled kabobs are so much better with this easy trick! Whether you grill steak, chicken, veggies, or any other kabobs … here’s all you need to know! ~
Ok, all you backyard cookout masters … we hope you won’t hate us for what we’re about to say. But it’s true …
You know the classic grilled combo – steak or chicken with peppers, onions, mushrooms, summer squash and tomatoes? Yeah, well it just never should’ve been shoved all together onto a skewer. *Gasp!*
But wait. Let us explain.
Sure, those flavors are delicious together. And a kabob with grill-marked meat and colorful veggies is picnic eye candy. We get all that.
But, attempting to thread so many different foods onto one skewer – all with entirely different cook times – it’s just not a great plan. What do you end up with? Perfectly done meat (hopefully!). But also undercooked peppers, nearly raw onions, rubbery mushrooms, and utterly overcooked tomatoes that burst into a pile of mush as soon as they hit the plate. Yum? No, not so much.
We finally gave up on the dream of multi-ingredient shish kabobs. There just had to be a better way.
And there is!
So, here’s the secret: Simply thread each skewer with all the same type of ingredient! Some skewers have only meat, some have only peppers, others have only squash … you get the idea. You can grill each skewer for exactly the amount of time it needs. Brilliant!
Just picture it: your beef and chicken are seared and juicy, your onions are cooked to the point of sweetness yet are still a little firm, your peppers have some great grill marks and just a bit of crunch, and those pesky tomatoes are gently warmed without turning mushy. Mmmmmmm … now that’s what you really wanted to eat when you decided to grill shish kabobs, right?
We know – you’ve probably got mixed emotions about this idea. It sounds so delicious, yet you love the way traditional shish kabobs look – each skewer with its pretty variety of colors. But dinner should be delicious … and everything should be cooked just the right way!
For parties and cookouts, try a new vision for presenting impressive, perfectly cooked kabobs. Remove everything from the skewers and mound them onto a serving platter so guests can choose the meat and veggies they’d like.
And really, if you’re just cooking a casual meal for your family – make life easier and simply take the skewers to the table. Everyone can remove what they want from the kabobs. It’s not as showy as a bountiful serving platter, but it’s quick and easy and still tastes fantastic!
Bonus: pickier eaters won’t waste food because they’re not stuck with skewers that include stuff they don’t like. (No, your three-year-old doesn’t have to eat a mushroom today!) Everyone can select exactly the meal they really want to eat. Now that’s a beautiful dinner!
Here are a few more tips to ensure the most miraculous shish kabobs ever:
- Make sure you cut your ingredients to consistent sizes so they cook uniformly. Have you ever seen kabobs (like the disappointing example below, from a local grocery store) that are threaded with completely uneven sizes? Some of the chunks are huge enough to feed a dinosaur, and others are so small they’ll be incinerated in a flash. What was the plan here?
Needless to say, it didn’t turn out well.
- Leave a little space between each piece on the skewer. Don’t jam them too tightly together or they won’t cook in the middle. They need some room!
- You know how some foods twirl loosely on the skewer when you try to flip them while grilling? No problem! Just thread them onto two skewers!
So, how long should you cook everything? Well, that depends on how powerful your grill is, how done you like your meat, and how crunchy you like your peppers and onions. The whole point is – you’re in charge of your own shish kabob destiny! In general, though:
- Mushrooms require a surprisingly long cook time, and you’ll probably want to put them on the grill even before you add the meat.
- Unless you like raw onions, they need to cook longer, too, but avoid really high heat or they will char before they start to turn soft and sweet.
- Tomatoes need just a minute or two. Turn the skewers a couple of times to snag a few grill marks and allow the tomatoes to get a tiny bit warm. Take them off long before the dreaded mush stage!
And there you have it! The secret (plus lots of bonus tips – yay!) for grilling perfect shish kabobs! Happy Labor Day, friends! Be safe and eat REALLY well this holiday weekend!
Looking for More Easy Grilling Ideas?
We’ve got lots of grilling recipes, for every part of your meal –from appetizers to dessert!
Not in a shish kabob mood for dinner tonight? You could go for something like our Easy Grilled Fajita Burgers with Guacamole, Grilled Chicken with Lemon and Garlic, or our Caprese Grilled Fish. Our Grilled Zucchini Flatbread is a perfect appetizer that doubles as a vegetarian main. And what would make a cookout more impressive and memorable than ending the meal with a grilled dessert, too (like our Banana Split Grilled Dessert Nachos or Grilled Tropical Fruit)?
And if you’re planning an entire menu – like for hosting a big backyard cookout party – be sure to check out ALL our recipe options with our Mix-and-Match BBQ Menu Ideas planner! You can choose recipes for grilling every single course, or swap in a few non-grilled recipes that are easy to make ahead (so you can actually relax and enjoy your own party!).
No matter what you choose, grilling success will be yours!
- Canola oil for prepping grill
- Your choice of:
- Marinades or seasonings
- Meats like chicken and beef
- Veggies like peppers, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, and grape or cherry tomatoes
- Cut your meat and vegetables to uniform sizes and marinate ahead of time, if desired.
- Clean your grill if needed. Oil the grates (preferably using a canola-soaked, wadded paper towel).
- Preheat the grill on medium to medium-high.
- Meanwhile, season meat and vegetables as desired and thread them onto skewers, making sure to leave a little room between each item and not crowd them too closely together. Remember to thread all the same type of ingredient onto each skewer, keeping ingredients separate so you can control their cooking.
- Add kabobs to the grill and turn them or move them to cooler/hotter parts of the grill as needed until each item reaches the desired doneness. Remember that tomatoes need just a brief couple of minutes, so you’ll want to reserve them until the end of cooking.
- If any kabobs are done before others, keep them warm on a plate, covered with foil, until all skewers are done cooking.
- To serve, take finished kabobs to the table and let everyone un-skewer the food they would like. Alternately, for a nice presentation, un-skewer all of the cooked items onto a large serving platter and present that at the table for guests to pass and serve themselves as desired.
Love this idea!! Why didn’t I think of it? Brilliant and still a beautiful presentation. Thanks for sharing!!
Hi, Teressa! So glad this helped you out – hope you give it a try next time you’re grilling! ~G&S
Fabulous tips and explanation! So, so glad you mentioned the whole shish kabob conundrum–it is SO true. Unfortunately, as pretty as they look all together, it just simply does not work. Whenever I see them all pre-made at a grocery store, I can’t help but cringe at the thought of people making them at home and ended up with either raw/or completely overcooked components.
Laura, you are so right! When I was shopping at one of our local grocery stores the other day, I noticed their shish kabobs and it was almost as though the store had tried to make them as haphazard and random as possible! All different sized pieces, jammed too tightly together – no matter how yummy the marinade, no way were those going to cook up beautifully! Such a disappointment for someone, and at a ridiculously high price tag. Bummer, right!?!? ~ Shelley
love the two skewer idea, always had trouble keeping them from rolling around
Yep – it’s one of those things that makes you think … “Gee, why didn’t I do this sooner!” 😀 ~G&S
This is definitely dinner tonight! Shish kabobs are my favorite. They make my meat eaters happy and I get all the veggies I want 😀 I totally agree kabobs look very pretty with the meats and veggies mixed together, but they just don’t cook well. A squishy veggie ruins it for me. I skewer separately and serve a on platter like you 😀 My kids think they can be sneaky and skip the mushrooms and peppers. Silly guys don’t realize a Mommy can see everything 😀
Ah, yes! A mommy can see everything! I used to tell my kiddos that when they were born, my eyes got much stronger, and I even have eyes in the back of my head! My youngest looked (more than once!) through all my hair trying to find my ‘extra eyes!’ And I’m sure you’ve heard – “Silence is golden, until you have kids. Then it means trouble!” Those extra mommy eyes (and ears!) sure do come in handy …
Pretty sure squishy vegetables would ruin everyone’s dinner! We love that everything gets cooked to perfection! Bonus – it actually tastes better when it’s done just right! ~Gretchen
I think your tips are outstanding, as is your photography! Great job Shelley (and Gretchen). You have proved that you CAN teach an ole dawg new tricks!!!!
love, Sandy
Ha! Well, Gretchen isn’t so much of a dog person, but I surely am! When it comes to teaching new tricks, I’ll bet you’re waaaaay easier than a strong-willed, feisty terrier (and I won that battle, too!). Seriously, though – so glad you’re enjoying our posts! Thanks a million for stopping by to comment! ~Shelley