Kebabs deserve a prominent spot on your summer cooking repertoire for several compelling reasons. Firstly, they are essentially flavorful, charred sticks of meat – what’s not to love? More importantly, they offer a fantastic balance between minimal effort and maximum flavor, making them ideal for home cooks. This makes them a perfect weeknight meal, especially during the warm summer months.
From grilled lamb to chicken with a chipotle glaze, kebabs offer a diverse range of flavors and cooking methods. We’ll explore a basic kebab blueprint, then demonstrate its versatility with different meat and flavor combinations. We’ll even show you how to make them indoors, for those without a grill or those days when grilling just isn’t an option.
Kebabs, at their core, consist of meat cooked on a skewer. Beyond this simple definition lies incredible culinary diversity. Originating in the Arab world, kebabs have spread across continents, adapting to local ingredients and preferences. Think of the famed Adana kebab from Turkey, Sikh kebabs from India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, or Japanese yakitori.
Despite their differences, these variations share five core elements: meat, salt, fresh herbs and vegetables, dried spices, and sauces or glazes. Each element evolves based on the specific cuisine. Let’s examine a classic example: spiced lamb with harissa. Ground lamb provides the meat, seasoned with 1.5% salt by weight. Grated onion adds freshness, while cumin, red pepper flakes, and harissa contribute depth and spice.
Creating these kebabs is remarkably simple. Combine all ingredients, thread onto skewers, and grill. A few key techniques enhance the final result. Opt for meat with sufficient fat content – around 20% for ground meat. Accurate salt measurement is crucial, and thoroughly mixing the ground meat creates a lighter, bouncier texture.
Lamb kebab on skewers with pita bread
For ground meat kebabs, mix until slightly pasty and sticky. A splash of water can help achieve this consistency. Once mixed, the meat can be chilled in bulk overnight. Alternatively, thread onto skewers before refrigerating. This prevents sticking and streamlines the grilling process.
When using wooden or metal skewers, avoid overloading them. Too much meat can cause the kebabs to fall apart or cook unevenly. Shape the meat into a rectangular form on the skewers to maximize surface area for crisping.
Close-up of lamb kebab cooking on a grill
Refrigerate the skewers for a few hours or overnight to allow the flavors to meld and the exterior to dry slightly, promoting a crispier result. When ready to cook, preheat the grill to high heat. A light coating of oil on the grates or kebabs prevents sticking.
Grilling these kebabs is quick due to their thin profile. The melting fat drips onto the coals, creating flavorful smoke that infuses the meat. For a delicious side, toss pita bread onto the grill alongside the kebabs to steam and char.
Serve the kebabs with pita, yogurt mixed with harissa, parsley, pickled cucumbers, and feta cheese. This ground lamb kebab serves as an excellent introduction to the world of kebab making. Its simplicity makes it a frequent choice, but the possibilities extend far beyond this basic version.
Let’s explore an indoor alternative, inspired by Japanese yakitori with a Mexican twist. Chicken thighs, dry-brined overnight, form the base. Yakitori traditionally features simply salted meat, enhanced by a tare sauce during grilling. Teriyaki sauce, a popular example, balances sweet, sour, and salty flavors.
Chicken skewers cooking on a griddle pan
Our Mexican-inspired tare combines garlic, Mexican oregano, chipotle adobo sauce, honey, and lime juice. Simmer these ingredients together, then set aside. Cut the dry-brined chicken into strips and thread onto skewers.
Heat a griddle pan over high heat with oil. Sear the chicken skewers on all sides until crispy. Once browned and cooked through, reduce the heat and brush with the chipotle tare. The sugars in the tare caramelize quickly, so avoid burning.
Finished chicken skewers on a tortilla with toppings
Serve the chicken skewers on flour tortillas with sour cream, shredded lettuce, pickled onion, and tomato. This simple dish delivers surprisingly complex flavors. One of the greatest advantages of making kebabs is the delicious leftovers. They far surpass leftover burgers or hot dogs in terms of versatility and flavor.
Use leftover kebabs in one-pot pasta dishes, pita pizzas, or chimichurri salads. Make a large batch to maximize enjoyment or freeze for future meals. These recipes offer a starting point for your own kebab creations. Experiment with different meats, spices, and sauces to discover your personal favorites.
