Kabobs for Chicken Beef Shrimp Vegetable Fruit on Skewers Easy Grill

So what 's it all about.

Shish Kabob or Kebab, or also kebap, kabab, kebob, kabob, kibob, kebhav, kephav, qabab is a particular dish which was originally developed in Persian, and is popularly used in many Middle Eastern countries. Those include Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, and Greece. Now we can find Shish Kabob just about everywhere. Today this dish can be found at any cookout or backyard barbecue. For the most part, the idea of shish kabob usually brings the thought of a certain variety of meat with assorted vegetables and usually this is served over a bed of rice.

HOW TO:

The usual meats or proteins that are used for this dish are lamb, beef, chicken, pork, and fish or shrimp. These items are cut in chunks about one and a half inches and then usually marinated in different flavors of seasonings that are desired. Many times there are assorted vegetables also cut in chunks and served with the protein. The basic translation of kebab seems to be "cooked meat in small pieces," from the Arabic, or basically different types of meats cut in chunks and grilled on a stick either for each individual or a large stick and then the meat is sliced and served to all. Of course this dish can be grilled on a charcoal or gas grill or over the fire, or even many times cooked in a broiler in your over, indoors.

Well this is what we usually think of as Shish Kabob, but actually this is only one type of shish kabob! I'm about to tell you about all the fun types of treats you can cook and serve for your family or friends. You are in for a treat! Or perhaps a wonderful great looking, great tasting meal to prepare and serve. The best part is that it it's an easy meal!

THE SKEWERS

The skewers that are usually used are bamboo. These can be bought in quantity. If the type of shish kabob you will be having will be cooked, then be sure to soak them in warm water for 30 minutes before you use them. This is to prevent them from burning as you are grilling. There are many other types of skewers on the market. If you are fond of metal skewers, use stainless steel ones as they are not harmful to your health and can be reusable. But one crucial thing is to spray them with vegetable oil prior to using them.

THE SPICES

Some of the spices you might like to use in the different varieties of meat might be cumin, coriander, paprika, garlic, and vinegar. You also might like to just use a prepared marinade from the grocery store. There are so many great ones available that it is easy to choose one to try. One of our favorites in our family is teriaki.

THE MARINATE

One of the most important preparations to do is to marinate the meat. Prior to marinating, always be certain to completely wash your meat and vegetables or clean your fish or shrimp well. Usually I like to place the food in a bowl with a cover or a plastic bag with your choice of spices and or marinade. Always place your food in the refrigerator to keep your food safe. You will want to marinate your meat or poultry or fish for at least an hour or more. The process of marinating your items before cooking will not only flavor the food, but help to keep it moist.

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Many herb enthusiast's who grow their own herbs, flowers and produce, do so with the intent to enhance their barbecuing experience as well. Many have found that the herbs stem of a rosemary, basil or sage bush are extremely rich in oils, perfect to use as a rub, baste or to even skewer meat. What once was just a backyard pleasure has now kicked it up a notch turning a barbecue experience into a backyard culinary delight!

If you have ever tried your hand at grilled kabob's, you may just want to take a fresh look at shish kabobs skewers produced straight from your very own herb garden plants.

Certain herb bushes have an unusually, long straight stem. The best herbs to grow are rosemary, bay, sage, oregano and tarragon. First of all, they are basically free and second; the wood of the herbs stem contains oils of the herb, which makes it perfect to season your meat on a flavored skewer from the inside out.

When your grilled kabobs are basted with an herb brush, the leaves of the herb sprig become "bruised" when heated. This lets out the natural oils of the plant, therefore it makes it delectably charming to your meats! Essentially you are making herb oil.

You will want to be on the look out for the strong, stiff stems that have hardened enough to hold up under the weight of your BBQ kabobs. To make it easier to puncture your meat or produce, whittle the stiffer end of the herbs stem into a point. A rosemary skewer is particularly great for fast-cooking barbecue vegetables.

A traditional barbecue brush can be costly to replace, it you are constantly barbecuing. Why not use an herb brush you have created from your very own home herb garden instead. However, a word of warning, once you taste the difference of this method of grilling kabobs with an herb brush, your grilling experience will never taste quite the same. You will want to make a new herb brush each time you barbecue, so be sure to leave enough material in your herb garden for future pickings.

Kabobs are a favorite grilling dish and have the advantage that they are easily customized to the individual tastes. If you have kids with picky tastes, provide them with assorted choices and let them build their own kabobs.

Beef.

Beef has become a mainstay of shish kabob, but that's just the beginning. Cooks have experimented with wonderfully surprising flavor combination such as red wine, flavored oils of various kinds and Japanese or Hawaiian teriyaki sauce. Usually a beef shish kabob uses sirloin cuts, because the chunks grill well and hold together with the vegetables on the skewer.

Lamb

Shepherds of the Middle Eastern region probably originated this dish by roasting pieces of lamb on skewers over an open fire. Traditionally the lamb pieces are marinated in olive oil, spices and herbs such as salt, pepper, oregano or mint and garlic. Today's version typically alternates thick chunks of lamb with large mushrooms, green peppers, red or white onions and cherry tomatoes or slices of medium tomatoes. The marinades have changed, however. Regional variations include marinating the lamb in a yogurt-based sauce to produce something similar to Indian tandoori flavors.

Chicken.

Talk about creativity! The mild flavor of white meat chicken becomes an expansive canvas for adventurous cooks when it comes to making shish kabob. Some cooks go for a single intense flavor, such as teriyaki sauce or garlic oil. Other chefs get really creative with imaginative combination such as a spicy "shish taouk" featuring lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, black pepper and cayenne pepper; a Japanese "yakitori" version with soy sauce, sake, molasses and grated onion or a tropical island touch with pineapple juice mixed with dry mustard, brown sugar and soy sauce.

Don't forget about Desert.

You can very easily prepare Fruit Deserts out of many different kinds of fruit cut in chunks.

You can have the kids help make then or your guests.

Then you can either sprinkle with simple syrup and grill lightly, or just eat them fresh off the stick!

They make for a fun simple snack too!

Shrimp. and Seafood

A classic Australian shrimp shish kabob uses no vegetables at all, just plump seafood brushed with oil or other savory seasonings and grilled lightly. Another version marinates a pound of shrimp in olive oil mixed with lemon, pepper, garlic and chopped parsley for two hours. Then the shrimp are grilled for just five minutes. Another variation marinates the shrimp in teriyaki sauce for 30 minutes, and then alternates the shrimp with chunks of yellow squash, sprinkles all with ginger and grills lightly.

Fruit or vegetable kabobs.

A fruit or vegetable shish kabob makes a savory feast for many vegetarians. Those who love vegetable shish kabob simply cut up their favorites, season as desired, thread onto a skewer and grill until the veggies are tender but still crisp. Seasonings can range from teriyaki sauce, soy sauce or pineapple to a flavored oil whisked together with salt, pepper and herbs and spices. The same goes for fruit, especially big sweet chunks of pineapple and other tropical delights.