Grilling Time! Aussie Grassfed Beef and Bread Skewers!
Fire up that GRILL! Summertime is Aussie Grassfed Beef Skewer Time!
Let’s start out with getting the name right! Do you call that skewered meat dish a kabob, kebap, kabab, kebob??? Surely you have heard of a doner kebab, kafta kebab, seekh kebabkabob, or the classic shish kebab! Well maybe not! But now that I have your head spinning, breathe deep, how you spell and pronounce those tasty morsels of meat and veggies on a skewer depends on the country where you reside. In the USA, we officially use the term kabob while kebab is British. If we fly over to Australia we will find that when most Australians think kebab, they think of thin slices of beef or lamb shaved from a vertical rotating grill. Think: Doner Kebab, Shawarma, and Gyros!
Growing up in Northern California, my dad grilled meat and veggie packed skewers that we called “shish kebabs”.
No matter what your family calls this dish, summertime is definitely a great time to serve kebabs; the festive colors always look like a ParTy! Plus, with produce at its peak there are lots of nutritious veggie to choose from for your Aussie Grassfed Beef Skewer.
PREPARE a KEBAB BAR! Let your guests build their own kebabs! Simply set out an array of cut veggies along with chunks of different cuts of Aussie Grassfed Beef. Oh Yum-Fun!
TIPS FOR GRILLING SCRUMPTIOUS BEEF SKEWERS
1. Choose the Best Beef!
Aussie Grassfed Beef, of course! Here are a few of my favorite Aussie Grassfed Beef cuts that are ideal for kabobs:
Sirloin: Lean yet tender enough to skewer! Friendly on the pocket book!
Ribeye: Super juicy and the flavor is delicious with just enough fat!
Tenderloin: Superb in tenderness and flavor; careful no to over cook!
2. Minimum Marinate Please!
Aussie Grassfed Beef Sirloin, Ribeye, and Tenderloin do not need marinade to break down muscle fibers for tenderness, however, if you want a specific flavor then marinade for 15-40 minutes. I think rubs on kabobs infuse the beef cubes with a scrumptious flavor!
3. Think before you cut and skewer!
I cut beef cubes in about 1 1/2-inch chunks! I feel it is better to have pink meat inside rather than dry brown meat! If I plan to cook these large chunks of beef for 10-12 minutes I must cut and prepare all veggies to finish cooking in 10-12 minutes. For example, golden mini potatoes are steamed in the microwave before grilling. On occasions, I will grill all of the peppers on one skewer and all the zucchini on another skewer. If an ingredient can’t handle cooking for 10-12 minutes don’t place it on the same skewer as the beef.
4. Leave Space Between Beef, Bread and Veggies!
Leave a little cooking room around each piece of beef, bread or veggies so that each element has room to char a little versus steam! A small amount of space between each ingredient (1/8-inch or so), will allow circulation of heat thus cooking the food evenly.
5. Direct Heat is Great!
Skewered Aussie Grassfed Beef can be grilled over direct 400°F heat if watched carefully. Rotate the kabobs while grilling, and if needed lower or create indirect heat the last few minutes if the beef cubes are browning too much. For medium-rare kabobs, the internal temperature should be 145°F after you’ve completed cooking.
6. What about leftovers?
I had great success reheating grilled beef cubes under the broiler. Lower your broiler rack to at least 6-inches below the heat element. Place a piece of aluminum foil on a rimmed baking sheet. Remove meat and veggies from skewer and spread out on prepared baking sheet. Broil for about 10 minutes, turning meat once. Keep a watchful eye! This method worked great for me but perhaps you have cooked you meat more or your broiler is super powerful and mine is not! I served the loose beef chunks veggies on a bed of greens. Delicious summer salad!
I did toast all of my bread cubes that remained after placing some on the skewers. To toast: Brush bread cubes with oil and sprinkle with garlic salt. Place in a 450°F oven for 10 minutes, turning once. The bread cubes work okay on the skewer just don’t let them touch the marinade.
Aussie Grassfed Beef, Bread, and Veggie Skewers
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil cup olive oil
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons stone ground mustard
1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoon agave syrup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 pounds Aussie Grassfed sirloin steak or ribeye steak, cut in 1-inch to 1 1/2 inch cubes
1-2 cups large cherry tomatoes
1 (10-15oz) Sourdough Bread Loaf, cut into cubes, brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with garlic salt
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut in 1-inch pieces
14-18 (10 to 12-inches) soaked bamboo skewers or skewer of choice
Basil for garnish
Method
In a medium bowl, whisk olive oil, balsamic, mustard, lime juice, agave, Worcestershire, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper. Add the cubed beef to marinade and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate for 20-30 minutes.
Once the meat has marinated, thread it onto the skewers alternating with pieces of bread, potatoes, red bell pepper, and tomatoes. Grill beef skewers on a 375°- 400°F. greased grill top turning often, about 8 to 12 minutes
Serves: 4-6
For delicious summer recipes check out True Aussie's #BACKTOPOOL featured recipes.
For information on where to buy Aussie Grassfed Beef near you visit True Aussie Locator. In Southern California I purchase Aussie Grassfed Beef at Aldi's, Von's, and Safeway.
