Beef Kebabs
Recipe: Beef Kebabs
Source: Cook’s Illustrated, May/June 2000
Serves: 4-6
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary, thyme, basil, or oregano (optional)
2 lb. top blade steaks (see note)
1 pineapple (3-1/2 lb.)
1 medium red bell pepper
1 medium yellow bell pepper
1 large red onion (10 oz.)
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
lemon or lime wedges, optional
Combine 1/4 c. olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and herbs if desired in large bowl. Halve each blade steak lengthwise, leaving gristle on one half. Cut away the gristle from that half. Cut strips crosswise into 1 to 1-1/2 inch chunks, then cut each cube almost through at the center until it opens like a book. Add steak cubes to marinade and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
Trim both ends of pineapple and peel. Halve lengthwise and reserve one half for another use. Halve remaining half lengthwise again, remove woody triangular core, then halve each piece lengthwise yet again and cut each piece crosswise into 6 chunks. Trim ends of onion, remove dry outer skin, and halve lengthwise. Peel out and remove inner core (central few layers). Slice each half lengthwise into 4 pieces, then cut each piece crosswise into thirds. For each pepper, cut away 2 wide planks of pepper on opposite sides of core, then cut away 2 remaining smaller sections. Cut large sections into 9 squares, small sections into 3. Put pineapple & peppers in bowl and toss with 1-1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, salt & pepper. Brush onions w/ remaining oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Using eight 12" metal skewers, thread each with a pineapple piece, a cube of onion, a cube of meat (refolded as if it were uncut), one piece of each pepper; repeating sequence a total of 3 times on each skewer.
Grill over hot coals until meat is well-browned and cooked to medium-rare or medium, 7-8 minutes total, turning every 1-3/4 to 2 minutes to brown all sides. Place on serving platter and squeeze lemon or lime wedges over, if desired.
Notes:
Top sirloin steak can substitute for the blade steak, if you can’t find the latter. But blade steak is very good - tender and flavorful - and generally quite reasonably priced; I today paid under $4/lb. for it. It can be hard to find, though. Other cuts of beef are not recommended, either for flavor or toughness reasons.
The vegetables are as recommended in the original recipe. The author, Anne Yamanaka, said that mushrooms and zucchini didn’t cook enough for her taste. I don’t like pineapple so I use a green pepper instead or else mushrooms and/or zucchini. I also separate the onion into individual layers, and put a piece of onion between every other item - otherwise I find the onion isn’t done enough for me. But mushrooms and zucchini cook plenty with chicken kebabs, and I find they’re fine on this too.
I usually double-skewer my chicken kebabs as it’s MUCH easier to turn them, but that’s with bamboo skewers, which are harder to push through beef. Metal skewers are easier to push, but harder to turn on the grill without having all the cubes spin around the skewer.
Source: Cook’s Illustrated, May/June 2000
Serves: 4-6
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary, thyme, basil, or oregano (optional)
2 lb. top blade steaks (see note)
1 pineapple (3-1/2 lb.)
1 medium red bell pepper
1 medium yellow bell pepper
1 large red onion (10 oz.)
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
lemon or lime wedges, optional
Combine 1/4 c. olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and herbs if desired in large bowl. Halve each blade steak lengthwise, leaving gristle on one half. Cut away the gristle from that half. Cut strips crosswise into 1 to 1-1/2 inch chunks, then cut each cube almost through at the center until it opens like a book. Add steak cubes to marinade and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
Trim both ends of pineapple and peel. Halve lengthwise and reserve one half for another use. Halve remaining half lengthwise again, remove woody triangular core, then halve each piece lengthwise yet again and cut each piece crosswise into 6 chunks. Trim ends of onion, remove dry outer skin, and halve lengthwise. Peel out and remove inner core (central few layers). Slice each half lengthwise into 4 pieces, then cut each piece crosswise into thirds. For each pepper, cut away 2 wide planks of pepper on opposite sides of core, then cut away 2 remaining smaller sections. Cut large sections into 9 squares, small sections into 3. Put pineapple & peppers in bowl and toss with 1-1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, salt & pepper. Brush onions w/ remaining oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Using eight 12" metal skewers, thread each with a pineapple piece, a cube of onion, a cube of meat (refolded as if it were uncut), one piece of each pepper; repeating sequence a total of 3 times on each skewer.
Grill over hot coals until meat is well-browned and cooked to medium-rare or medium, 7-8 minutes total, turning every 1-3/4 to 2 minutes to brown all sides. Place on serving platter and squeeze lemon or lime wedges over, if desired.
Notes:
Top sirloin steak can substitute for the blade steak, if you can’t find the latter. But blade steak is very good - tender and flavorful - and generally quite reasonably priced; I today paid under $4/lb. for it. It can be hard to find, though. Other cuts of beef are not recommended, either for flavor or toughness reasons.
The vegetables are as recommended in the original recipe. The author, Anne Yamanaka, said that mushrooms and zucchini didn’t cook enough for her taste. I don’t like pineapple so I use a green pepper instead or else mushrooms and/or zucchini. I also separate the onion into individual layers, and put a piece of onion between every other item - otherwise I find the onion isn’t done enough for me. But mushrooms and zucchini cook plenty with chicken kebabs, and I find they’re fine on this too.
I usually double-skewer my chicken kebabs as it’s MUCH easier to turn them, but that’s with bamboo skewers, which are harder to push through beef. Metal skewers are easier to push, but harder to turn on the grill without having all the cubes spin around the skewer.