Teriyaki Beef Kabobs

Printable version

There is something awesome about food on a stick. I’m not sure what makes it so awesome – all I know is no matter how old I get, I’m still a sucker for corn dogs and popcycles.

One of my favorite stick foods is kabobs cooked on the grill. I make them differently depending on the meat I’m using. When I opt for chicken or pork, I separate the veggies from the protein so that I can cook the meat all the way through and not over-cook the veggies in the process. I don’t worry about that when I make beef kabobs. I like my steak rare to medium-rare which is the perfect amount of time to make the veggies al denté, or a little bit crunchy.

For this recipe, I use a New York Strip steak for the meat along with red peppers, red onion and mushrooms. I brush on teriyaki sauce for a marinade and season it with salt and pepper. After a nice sear on the grill, the end result is juicy chunks of steak with a nice variety of vegetables – served all together on a stick!

BEHIND THIS BITE

Teriyaki Beef Kabobs

In my 12-plus years living in New York City I devoured a lot of street cart food – it’s as convenient as fast food is in the Midwest. My first apartment was near the 36th Ave. Stop on the N train in Astoria. Right underneath the stop (the N train is elevated in Queens) was a small Irish bar named McGrath's that was in business for more than 80 years, but closed in the summer of 2001.

I used to stop there for beers on my way home before it closed its doors. Every Friday and Saturday night an Eastern European man would set up his Kabob cart just outside the bar near the stairs to the train. He didn’t have much variety. Just an all-beef kabob with a piece of toasted bread, which really hit the spot after a few cold ones.

I’ll never forget being at McGraths one night when I noticed one of the regular patrons facing the corner and crunched over. She was a rather large lady and her body language seem to indicate something was wrong and she didn't want anyone to notice. I approached her to see if everything was ok, when she turned from her hidden spot in the corner I noticed she was chewing a mouthful of something with an empty kabob stick in one hand and a toasted piece of bread in the other. She nodded to indicate everything was ok and seemed a little embarrassed.

I had interrupted her clandestine swaray with a beef kabob from the snack peddler beneath the train stop!

I felt as though I had accidentally walked in on a roomate having sex — Which is comparable to the rush one would get from a grilled beef kabob after a few pints of beer near the 36th street stop in Astoria.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Teriyaki Beef Kabobs

Serves 2; 30 minutes
1 lb New York Strip, steak cut into 1-inch cubes
1 Red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz Baby bella mushrooms
1/2 Red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 C Tyriaki sauce
8 Skewers

Assemble and grill
Alternately place onion, peppers, mushroom and steak on skewers. Brush with teriyaki sauce, season with salt and pepper to taste. Let marinate 20 minutes then cook to desired doneness on a prepared grill. Rest 10 minutes, then serve.

Chicken Kabobs with Spicy Chipotle Ranch

Printable version

Last week, I said right here on this blog that using my stove top grill would be enough to get me through to the warm weather, where I could be outside using my actual grill.

I lied.

It wasn’t enough.

Just as a snow storm rolled through the area last Wednesday, I found myself with the sudden urge to be grilling again. Unable to resist this primal desire, I busted out the stove top grill, put on a t-shirt and cargo shorts and cooked up my dinner.

For this recipe, I make chicken kabobs. Instead of putting everything on the same skewers, I separate the chicken from the vegetables. Chicken must be cooked all of the way through and requires more time. Cooking them separately helps avoid over cooking the vegetables.

I serve these kabobs in a soft taco with ranch dressing that I spice up by adding minced chipotle peppers. This yummy grilled treat has made it much easier to endure the cold as I wait for warmer spring weather.

BEHIND THIS BITE
The irony of this recipe is that another storm (Saturn) rolled through and dropped even more snow in Northern Indiana as it was being published. It was created for the weekly print column, so I made it a week in advance during a completely different weather event. It went to print Tuesday and that night we got hit with the biggest snow of the season. It was enough to have to call in my uncle to plow the driveway - something that hasn’t been needed all winter. I’m hoping it's the last hurrah for old man winter this season.

I’m so ready for warm weather, we’re getting close to mid-March so I know that warm temperatures are just around the corner, but I’m like a kid on Christmas Eve trying to fall asleep. I just can’t wait to be outside with a campfire and charcoal grill, it’s my favorite thing about the summers here in rural Indiana. Until then, I guess I'll just hangout in my kitchen wearing flip-flops, cargo shorts and a t-shirt.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Serves 4; 35 minutes
6 to 8 Bamboo skewers
1 1/4 lb Chicken breast, cut into 1-inch squares
2 Red peppers, cut into1-inch squares
1 Red onion, cut into 1-inch squares
2 Chipotle peppers, minced
1/2 C Ranch dressing
8 Pitas or tortillas
Lettuce, shredded
Tomato, sliced 

Skewer chicken, vegetables
Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least half an hour. Place chicken on one set of skewers. On another place red pepper and onion alternating each one after the other. Brush with olive oil and season to taste. 

Make sauce, grill skewers
Mix together chipotle pepper and ranch dressing. On a hot grill place skewers, cook chicken until cook through 8 to 10 minutes per side. At same time cook vegetables until softened, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Let skewers rest at least 5 minutes. 

Serve
Remove chicken and vegetables from skewers and serve on pitas or tortillas with sauce, lettuce and tomato.