At your next cookout, resist the urge to serve up your signature charred hot dogs. Instead, make shish kebabs. We grilled barbecue experts on how to make the hottest version ever.
Use twin steel skewers. Two prongs keep the chunks more secure when you turn them on the grill. You can buy skewers in any kitchen store. If you’d rather use wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before grilling.
Pick cubed tenderloin. It’s the juiciest cut of beef, and 3 ounces contains only 11 grams of fat. Chicken breast is even leaner.
Make a fiery marinade. Mix spoonfuls of garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, ground red pepper, and Worcestershire sauce in a zipper-lock bag until it forms a paste. Toss in the meat and shake until it’s well coated.
Be inventive. Between chunks of meat, use garlic cloves, portobello mushrooms, shallots, or large pitted olives. Dried apricots or figs work well with beef.
Sear fresh fruit first. Mangoes, kiwifruit, and bananas work best with chicken, but grill them separately for 2 minutes so they don’t fall apart.
Set it ablaze. The meat is done when a meat thermometer says its core has reached 170F. With chicken, the juices must run clear. Put the shish kebabs in a serving dish, douse them with warm cognac or brandy, and touch a lit match to them. They’ll burn for a few minutes, leaving juicy meat under a crusty coating. Serve stout or porter with beef, and pilsner or lager with chicken or fish.
