Tender steak and bright seasonal veggies tossed in a flavorful brown sugar, soy & garlic marinade. These steak kabobs are grilled to perfection for an easy-to-serve supper solution, ideal for backyard barbecues and balmy evenings. Includes step by step instructions and tips for making the absolute best kabobs of your life!
The men in my house love steak night. Is there anything better than the smell of steak wafting from the grill? Needless to say, these steak kabobs are always a big hit.
First, there’s the marinade. A tangy blend of Worcestershire, lemon juice, soy and garlic which is tempered with the sweetness of brown sugar. It’s a knock-your-socks-off flavor profile. The longer the steak marinades, the more tender and flavorful it becomes.
The veggies add color and texture to round out the dish. I like to choose a seasonal selection. Sometimes I add veggies picked straight from our garden.
Then there’s the fun factor. Food on a stick is reminiscent of carnivals, amusement parks and a general good time. Make it a family affair! Allow budding chefs to assemble the kabobs by choosing a pattern and skewering the ingredients. Your sous chef will thoroughly enjoy their interactive dining experience.
Best Cuts of Beef For Kabobs?
- Ribeye
- Top Sirloin
- Strip Steak
- Top Loin Steak
Top sirloin is generally my go to for overall value, even though ribeye is my favorite steak cut for everything else. Both are relatively tender with good marbling that soaks in the marinade flavor.
Beef Marinade Ingredients and Notes
Below is an overview of what you will need to make this marinade and any notes on where to find ingredients or substitutions.
Stone Ground Mustard: Stone ground mustard is sometimes known as whole grain mustard, so you may see it labeled either way. In this dish, I prefer the zesty punch of stone ground, while not being too spicy. You can substitute other mustards such as Dijon (spicier), Brown Mustard (much spicier), or yellow mustard (less intense mustard flavor and less spicy, but also adds a more vinegar flavor).
Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice or bottled is fine.
Worcestershire: While I definitely recommend staying the Worcestershire, in a pinch you could try a beef marinade base like Better than Bouillon or even Allegro. However, I have not tried these as substitutes.
Brown Sugar: I use light brown sugar, but dark brown is completely fine if that is what you have one hand.
Vegetable Oil: Oils with a high fire point are best for grilling. Vegetable, Canola, or Avocado oil are some of my favorites.
Minced Garlic: I often buy mince garlic in a jar, but you can use fresh as well without changing the ratios.
Soy Sauce: Regular and lower sodium soy sauce work great.
How To Make Steak Kabobs
For steak kabobs, cut the meat and vegetables between 1.5-2 inches thick. Uniform thickness is key for even cooking. You want the pieces to be like a larger bite size or even two bites.
I love a colorful mixture of veggies Peppers, onions, mushrooms and zucchini are classic options, and easy to skewer. The veggies are like the sprinkles to the cake. Colorful, appealing, and so fun! Some of our favorites are:
- Red Peppers
- Green Peppers
- Mini Sweet Pepper mix
- Zucchini
- Yellow Squash
- Mushrooms
- Red or White Onions
- Yellow or Orange Peppers
- Cherry Tomatoes
I pack ours tightly on the kabob skewers. This keeps the moisture in while the outside is crispy with fire roasted goodness.
Tip: Most of the time I grill the steak ALL on one skewer and grill the veggies on their own skewers (i.e. a pepper skewer, mushroom skewer, etc.) While the skewers are much prettier when alternating, separating allows everyone to choose how well done they want their steak and because different vegetables have different cooking times. Bonus: Everyone can pick what they like!
Cut Everything on the Larger Side
You want everything cooked as a large bite size, maybe 2 bites. Larger pieces will cook more evenly and still remain moist at the center. I cut the steak and vegetables at the same size – roughly 1.5 inches square.
Soak Your Wooden Skewers
I use metal skewers like these and loooove them! They work great for kabobs, roasting marshmallows, hot dogs over a fire, and even stirring large pitchers. However, the ends get very hot and can easily burn your hands.
If you are using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak them in water to make sure that the skewers don’t burn or dry out. They need to be soaked at least an hour, so I find it easiest to submerge the skewers when I start putting the marinade together.
How Long to Marinate Steak
The flavor is all in the marinade. I always marinade my meat at least two hours, but preferably overnight in the refrigerator. You don’t need to marinate the veggies, but you can use the extra marinade to brush over the kabobs as they cook. Just make sure to either reserve ½ cup marinade or boil it for at least 5 minutes if reusing from the chicken.
How to Make Steak Kabobs In Oven
No grill at home? No problem, you can get the delicious taste by making these in the oven.
- Preheat oven to 450F. Marinade steak 2 hours or up to overnight.
- Place on baking sheets lined with aluminum foil.
- Place marinated steak and veggies on skewers. Brush reserved marinade over veggies.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, flipping the skewers about halfway through and brushing again with the reserved marinade.
- Check to make sure the steak is cooked all the way through. You may need to cook for an additional 5-10 minutes depending on the size of your meat chunks.
- You can broil your kabobs for a few minutes to get a bit of that yummy, charred flavor.
Serving and Storage Suggestions
Serving Ideas: I usually serve over a bed of rice. This is also delicious with Fresh Mexican Street Corn Cobs, our Cucumber Onion Salad, or Crunchy Asian Slaw.
Throwing a summer soiree? Play off the kabob theme and go skewer-crazy! Thread fresh fruit, antipasti and mini dessert bites on skewers. Food on a stick is just so fun!
Store: You can Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container with or without the skewers. Lasts 3-4 days.
Freeze: You can freeze the marinating steak or the cooked kabobs. Allow it to thaw before grilling or baking in the oven. Lasts about 3 months if in an airtight ziplock bag and sealed well.
Video Walk Through
Here is a short video going through all the steps to make these kabobs with an oven if you need.
FAQS
Yes! Reserve ½ cup of the marinade and brush the veggies with the extra marinade juice before cooking. To reuse, marinades are only safe if they are boiled for five minutes according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s website.
Yes! If you want to build the skewers the night before, you can prepare and marinate the skewers in a shallow roasting pan or dish in the refrigerator.
Ribeye, Top Sirloin, Strip Steak, Top Loin Steak are all good for kabobs. Top sirloin is my favorite for its tender yet lean flavor that is better on the budget than a ribeye or strip steak, generally.
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Steak Kabobs
Ingredients
Marinade
- 3 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
- ¼ cup Worcestershire
- ⅓ cup Soy Sauce
- 3 tablespoon Brown Sugar Light or dark is fine
- 2 tablespoon Stone Ground Mustard
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 2 lb Steak 1.5 in cubes, see notes for cuts
Kabobs
- 4 cups Peppers cut into 1.5 inch cubes Green, Red, Yellow, Mini, and Poblano are good options
- 3 cups Vegetables cut into 1.5 inch cubes Mushrooms, Red or White Onions, and Zucchini are good options
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all the marinade ingredients.
- Add the steak in the bowl with the marinade or place both in a large Ziploc bag, making sure the meat is stirred and covered in the marinade. Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour, but it can marinate for up to 8 hours.
- For the most even cooking, thread all of the meat on one skewer and thread the veggies on separate skewers. However, it is prettier to alternate the marinated meat with the veggies on the same skewer and the flavors will meld. Either method will work. Don't push the pieces together tightly, so the centers will cook evenly. Brush the meat and veggies with some of the remaining marinade.
- Heat a gas grill to medium-medium/high.
- Cook skewers 8-10 minutes, turning and basting every few minutes so you cook on all four sides. Amount of time will depend on how well done you like your steak.
- The skewers will be VERY hot, so use tongs to remove the kabobs from the grill and let the meat rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Ribeye
- Top Sirloin
- Strip Steak
- Top Loin Steak
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