Beef Kabob Marinade

Should You Marinate Kabobs Before Grilling?

You don’t have to marinate kabobs, but if you crave tender, juicy, flavorful skewers, you’ll definitely want to! Marinades help tenderize the meat while infusing it with flavor, transforming plain beef into mouthwatering bites!

With this quick and easy beef kabob marinade, you don’t need to wait hours before grilling. Mix everything in a zip bag, let it rest for 15 minutes, and the meat will absorb pure flavor goodness -it’s that fast.

Of course, if there’s no rush and you like to prep ahead, you can soak the beef pieces for a few hours or even overnight before grilling for extra yumminess!

What you need:

• Soy sauce: helps to tenderize the meat without adding salt to the marinade.
• Olive oil: coats the beef for grilling while adding flavor.
• Lemon juice: always fresh! It brightens up all the flavors. You will discard the marinade, so don’t worry too much about the seeds.
• Worcestershire sauce: adds salt, flavor, and tenderizes the beef.
• Garlic cloves: a classic aromatic any grilling marinade needs!
• Dried basil: Italian seasoning or any other dried herb also works!
• Ground white or black pepper: because we want beef kabobs seasoned well.
• Red chili paste: also known as Sriracha, optional for a kick of heat.
• Beef: sirloin is a tender meat that works great for skewers. Flat Iron, Strip Steak, or Tenderloin are great choices too.

You’ll find a printable recipe card below with all the ingredient measurements.

Check the step-by-step:

1. Make the marinade
   In a large bowl or direction in a zip bag, combine the marinade ingredients.
2. Add the beef
   Place the even cubed beef pieces in a zip bag with the marinade for 15 to 45 minutes, or up to overnight. You can also use a marinating tray to marinate the skewers already assembled.
3. Prep the skewers
   Tip: while the beef marinades, this is a great time to soak your skewers.
4. Assemble 
   Thread the cubes of meat onto the skewers, alternating with veggies if using.

Watch this quick video to learn more tips!

How Long to Marinate Steak Kabobs

Once the beef kabob marinade is ready and you place the cubed meat in the zip bag, the steak pieces can marinade for as little as 15 minutes. For more flavor, let the marinade do its magic for 45 minutes and as long as overnight if you like to prep ahead.

Do You Need to Tenderize the Beef Before Making Kabobs?

Marinades that contain acids from citrus or vinegar will tenderize the beef by breaking down the meat fibers, so you don’t need to tenderize the meat manually. The Worcestershire sauce is highly concentrated in vinegar and does the job perfectly in this recipe!

What Cut of Beef is Best for Skewers?

When making skewers, you want cuts of beef that are naturally tender when cooked for a short period. Sirloin is used most often, but you can also make kabobs with Flat Iron, Strip Steak, or Tenderloin.

Do You Cut the Steak Before or After Marinating?

Since you’ll want all of your meat pieces to absorb the flavors of your marinade, you’ll want to cut the beef into even pieces before marinating. This will ensure that every piece of beef in the kabobs is flavorful, tender, and juicy!

Do You Marinate the Vegetables too?

Marinades make everything tastier, including veggies! You can use this marinade recipe to soak the vegetables in a separate bag or make this Simple Vegetable Marinade recipe. Veggies should not soak in any marinade for longer than 4 hours.