Nothing makes your mouth water quite like the delicious aromas that come from sizzling Shish Kabobs. The combination of seasoned meats and vegetables skewered on a hot grill will make anyone want to belly up to the bar.

Whether you load your skewers with beef, fowl, seafood, wild game or just produce, Shish Kabobs can be cooked successfully in just a few steps.

We here at Bradley Smoker are big fans of Kabobs and would like to help you make this great-tasting cooking method a new secret weapon in your barbecue arsenal.

Grilling Tips for Shish Kabobs

1. Skewers

   There’s no need to buy a fancy set of skewers. The food will do all the talking. You can use anything from flat wooden sticks to metal baskets. The least expensive option is the long, round skewers made of wood. The best part about these is throwing them away when you’re done. We recommend soaking wooden skewers for 30 minutes prior to loading and grilling.

2. Veggies

   Buy fresh ingredients either from the grocery store or a local farmer’s market. Summer Squash and Zucchini happen to be in season and are amazing on skewers. Other veggies to consider include white onions, mushrooms, bell peppers and tomatoes. Certain fruits like apple and pineapple can help take your Kabobs to a new level.

3. Beef

   Choose cuts of beef that are traditionally good for grilling – steak meat. Use a sharp knife to cube them uniformly so that they cook evenly. This applies to all meats, especially chicken and pork.

4. Marinating

   Choose one or two meats to marinate in either sweet & sour, lemon garlic or your favorite BBQ sauce for added flavour. While some baste the entire skewer, this can cause the different foods to taste too similar. Shish Kabobs give you the unique opportunity of serving a variety of food. The more you can do to accentuate each food’s flavour, the more rich and savory your Kabob! After all, isn’t this notion what Shish Kabobs are all about?

5. Loading

   When loading your skewers, alternate vegetables and meats so that the flavours complement one another. Be sure to leave a small gap in between each piece to allow the food to cook evenly throughout.

6. Cooking

   Cook Shish Kabobs on Medium-High heat for approximately 10 minutes. Rotate the skewers every 2.5 minutes using tongs so that all four sides cook face-down. You may wish to segregate certain foods such as tomatoes onto one skewer to avoid overcooking them.

When skewers are done, serve immediately with a side of mashed potatoes, green salad and fresh fruit!

We hope these ideas will help you create even better tasting Kabobs. Have any special techniques or suggestions you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments!

CC image courtesy of Glen Edelson at Flickr