Jul 24, 2020
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Fire up the grill and enjoy these marinated beef kabobs. So good, everyone will ask for more!
And with the kabob grilling tips below, you’ll get perfectly seared beef kabobs that are juicy inside.
Grilled Marinated Beef Kabobs
Marinating your beef kabobs is a simple step that will infuse your meal with flavor, and this recipe pairs great with your favorite summer sides.
The marinade below can add flavor to your beef in as little as 15 minutes. For more flavorful beef kabobs, I recommend 45 minutes.
This simple step will also help your grilled beef kabobs achieve that seared outer texture you love.
Ingredients
Infusing your grilled beef kabobs with flavor is a matter of gathering these simple ingredients:
- Beef: for the leanest cut use sirloin. You can also use cubed chuck roast for skewers.
- Soy sauce: for seasoning and to tenderize the meat.
- Olive oil: for flavor, searing your beef, and providing your meat with a non-stick coating.
- Lemon juice: to infuse flavor and the acidity helps tenderize the meat.
- Worcestershire sauce: the classic ingredient that condiments beef perfectly.
- Garlic cloves: for flavor. In a pinch, use powdered garlic.
- Dried basil: a little of this herb adds a little character to the marinade. You can also substitute it with Italian seasoning.
- Black pepper: because beef must be seasoned well.
- Sriracha: a little goes a long way to add a hint of heat.
In the recipe card below you’ll find the ingredient measurements and directions.
What Cut of Meat is Used for Beef Kabobs
The most popular cut of meat for kabobs is Sirloin since it’s relatively tender and it’s also budget-friendly. Other lean cuts of beef include Flat Iron, Strip Steak, or even Tenderloin.
You can also cube a piece of beef that you purchased for a roast and use it to make kabobs.
Even Rib Eye Steaks can be used for beef kabobs by turning them into smaller, juicy, and tender pieces that thread perfectly through skewers.
What Else Can You Put on Beef Skewers
From veggies to shrimp, you can put just about anything onto a beef skewer since beef pairs great with most foods!
The most popular things to pair with beef on a skewer are:
- Mushrooms
- Onion
- Peppers
- Zucchinis
- Cherry tomatoes
- Artichoke hearts
- Eggplant
Prepping the Skewers
If you’re using wooden skewers, you’ll want to do a little prep before skewering your meat to ensure that they don’t burn.
30 minutes before assembling your beef skewers with meat and veggies, soak the wooden skewers, completely submerged, in water. I love using a sheet pan for this, a 13×9 baking dish, or a marinating tray.
After the wood is soaked, you can begin to assemble your beef skewers by threading the meat and veggies through.
Read this post to learn more about the different types of skewers you can use for grilling beef kabobs & see all my top picks.
How to Cut Beef for Kabobs
The most important part of cutting beef for kabobs is making sure each beef cube is about the same size. You can also pair similar-sized beef cubes together in each skewer.
If you’re cutting a large piece of beef, like a roast, cut it into smaller 1-inch thick rounds and then each round into squares. If slicing a thick steak, cut it into even-sized pieces.
Note: the thicker your beef cubes the longer they will take to cook. See the grilling times below for reference.
How to Make Grilled Beef Kabobs
There are a few simple steps for making terrific grilled beef kabobs. The steps below include marinating the beef for added flavor.
- Marinate the beef
Make the marinade for the kabobs and either place the cubed beef pieces in a zip bag with the marinade for 15 to 45 minutes, or up to overnight or assemble the skewers and marinade them assembled. While the beef marinades, this is a great time to soak your skewers. - Assemble the skewers
Alternate threading pieces of beef and large veggie pieces through the kabobs, leaving about an inch on each end. - Fire up the grill
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, about 375F, and once hot, grease your grates by oiling a folded up papertowel on long grilling tongs. - Grill the skewers
Place the beef skewers on the grill in the opposite direction of the grill lines. Grill, for about 5 minutes per side, for a total of 10 to 15 minutes depending on the thickness, until the internal temperature of the meat reaches between 140F and 145F, to your desired doneness. - Serve
Remove the beef skewers from the grill onto a sheet pan or grilling tray and serve. If you’re still grilling other items on the bbq, cover them with foil to keep warm.
Perfect Chicken Skewers Recipe
Settings for Beef Kabobs on the Grill
When making beef kabobs on a gas grill, the knob on your grill should be set to the medium-high heat range. If your grill has a temperature gauge, cook them between 375F to 400F.
With both settings, the key is to allow your gas grill to heat up with the lid closed before you place the beef kabobs on the grill. This will sear the meat and start to cook the skewers at the right temperature.
Got rained out? You can also make Beef Kabobs in the oven!
Do You Grill Beef Kabobs with the Lid Open or Closed
When you first place the beef skewers on the grill, keep the lid open for a couple of minutes to sear them. Then, lower the lid and close the BBQ to keep the heat inside while the beef continues cooking.
After you flip the kabobs, you’ll once again leave the lid open for a few minutes to get a good sear, before closing the grill and allowing the beef to cook through.
How Long to Grill Beef Kabobs
The total cooking time of beef kabobs will vary by the thickness of your beef pieces and assuming that you let the grill heat up before placing them on the grates.
While it might be tempting to shorten the cooking time by increasing the temperature of your grill (moving the knob to a higher setting), be aware that this might overcook and dry out your kabobs. Try to keep the temperature around medium-high heat, or about 375F.
On average 10 minutes is how long to expect kabobs to take to cook on a grill. When in doubt, use a meat thermometer.
Remember that the meat will continue to cook a little more and gain a few more degrees once you remove the skewers from the grill onto the platter.
Below are approximate total grilling times for beef kabobs on medium-high heat.
| Beef size/thickness | approx total time |
|---|---|
| beef strips: ¼ to ½ in | 6-8 min |
| small cubes: 1 in | 8 min |
| cubes: 1 ½ in | 10-12 min |
How to Flip Steak Kabobs on the Grill
For many, flipping the steak kabobs can seem like the most challenging part of the cooking process, but it doesn’t have to be! To make sure the steak kabob doesn’t get stuck to the grill, make sure not to flip them too early, I usually wait about 6 minutes for the beef to sear and then I flip them.
Use long grilling tongs to grab the kabob from the middle and if I need a little assistance to lift them off the grill, I use a flat metal spatula to lift it from underneath. In one single motion: grab the skewer, lift, flip, and place it back on the grill on the other side.
Sides for Beef Kabobs
While veggie kabobs are beef kabobs’ perfect match, you’ll also want to serve them with one of these healthy side dishes.
Now that you know the basics, you can print this recipe below and start up the grill. If you want to do grilled vegetable skewers or chicken, along with the beef I will walk you through temperatures and tips for grilled veggie and chicken kabobs in this post.
Grilled Beef Kabobs Marinade
Ingredients
For the marinade:
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 6 garlic cloves grated
- 3 tablespoons dried basil grated
- 1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red chili paste optional
For the Kabobs:
- 2 lbs beef sirloin cubed
- 1 red onion cut into pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 pint mushrooms
- Wooden skewers
Instructions
- If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes.
Marinate the beef & assemble:
- Make the marinade for the kabobs and either place the 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. While the beef marinades, this is a great time to soak your skewers.
- Thread the cubes of meat onto the skewers, alternating with vegetables if using.
Grill the Kebabs:
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, about 375F, and once hot, grease your grates by oiling a folded-up paper towel on long grilling tongs.
- Place the beef skewers on the grill in the opposite direction of the grill lines. Grill, for about 5 minutes per side, for a total of 10 to 15 minutes depending on the thickness, until the internal temperature of the meat reaches between 140F and 145F, to your desired doneness.
- Remove the kabobs from the grill on a tray. Cover them with foil if you’re still grilling other items.
Jessica
This marinade made my beef kabobs juicy and really flavorful. Thanks!
kate moses
Thanks for the recipe.
Pls what kind/brand of grill is that.I love the pink color
Laura Fuentes
Kate, that is a Yakatori outdoor grill. I love it! You can check it out here.
Melissa Griffiths
This was so helpful! Using two sticks is such a great idea, the meat didn’t twirl when I tried to turn it. Super moist, will do this again!
Laura Fuentes
I’m so glad this recipe worked well for you, Melissa! The two skewer thing was a great tip I learned as well!
Sandra
This was the best marinade for my grilled beef kabobs. I followed your recipe step by step and they turned amazing. Usually I dry them out. I’m a fan of using a thermometer now.