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Common Mistakes When Grilling Kebabs
Kebabs for years have been very famous, and millions of people across the world enjoy it. Many like it because of its aroma and meaty texture. It’s perceived as the ideal finish to a fun night out. Each year, the second Friday of July is marked as Kebab Day, and grill enthusiasts enjoy it too.
What are the common mistakes are you likely to make when grilling kebabs? Common mistakes include choosing the wrong meats, using dry wooden skewers, not marinating your meat, etc. This post discusses 5 common mistakes rookies and seasoned chefs do when grilling kebabs. It also outlines what you should do instead.
1. Grilling meat and vegetables on the same kebab skewer
Many people make a common mistake to put meat and vegetables on the same kebab skewer. You’re often presented with diced meat and vegetables on the same skewer in a restaurant. Therefore, a significant number of people tend to assimilate the same while grilling kebabs. However, that is a mistake.
Usually, cooking time for meat and vegetables varies. Therefore, having both on the same skewer will affect the ideal cooking time for each. For instance, the cooking time for mushrooms differs from that of pork chops. This is because they also require different cooking temperatures.
What should you do instead?
Separate vegetables, fruits, and meats on different skewers: each skewer should have a single type of food. This technique will allow your skewers to cook evenly and at the same speed.
2. Laying kebabs in the same direction as the grates
Kebabs seem to align excellently and securely between grill grates/grooves. Therefore, most people make the mistake of placing them parallel to the grates because they cook unevenly, and you barely get any nice grill marks on your kebabs.
What should you do instead?
While grilling kebabs, place them perpendicularly or diagonally to the grill grates/ grooves. You should then rotate the kebabs 180 degrees to create beautiful crossed grill marks. This process should be done for both sides of the kebabs.
3. Forgetting to marinate your meat and vegetables before you grill
Foods going to a grill ought to be imparted with an extra flavor. However, often people tend to ignore this step when grilling kebabs. That salt, pepper, or a marinade is significant in enhancing the flavor of your grilled kebabs.
What should you do instead?
Before you put meat pieces or sliced vegetables on a skewer, ensure you marinate them like you would do while grilling a steak or standard vegetable pieces.
4. Choosing the wrong meat/vegetables for kebabs
One of the easiest mistakes you’re likely to make when grilling kebabs is choosing the wrong foods. Kebabs highly demand juicy, flavorful, and tender cuts of meat. For the vegetables, you need sturdy ones that don’t fall apart easily when put on skewers.
What should you do instead?
When choosing meats for your grilled kebabs, consider the following cuts:
- Beef- sirloin steak, filet mignon, or tenderloin steak
- Seafood- shrimps
- Pork- pork shoulder, pork neck, or tenderloin
- Chicken- thighs or breast
When choosing vegetables for grilled kebabs, consider the following (they are sturdy to remain skewered):
- Zucchini
- Onions
- Mushrooms
- Corn
- Tomatoes
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Bell peppers
- Yellow squash
- Eggplant
5. Using dry wooden skewers
Wood is one of the fuels used in grilling. It’s also used as a tool for grilling kebabs. Dry wooden skewers don’t work very well with gas and charcoal grills. They easily catch fire. Soaking them in water before skewing foods is the only proactive measure of minimizing fire risk. However, wooden skewers work well with electric indoor grills because no flames are involved.
Another disadvantage of the wooden skewer is that they lack handles. Therefore, it’s challenging to flip or control them on a grill.
What should you do instead?
Consider using a metal (stainless steel) skewer while making metal skewers. They are designed with handles on one end that gives you a good grip while flipping on the grill. Additionally, metal skewers cannot catch fire compared to dry wooden skewers. Lastly, they are easy to clean.
Another mistake is not allowing enough space between foods pieces on the skewer. It limits heat circulation around skewered foods; thus, it cooks unevenly.
Final Thought
Many grill enthusiasts enjoy grilling kebabs, but they are likely to make a few mistakes regardless of their experience. Above are five common mistakes when grilling kebabs and a solution to each. Avoiding them can help you make great grilled kebabs.
Check out Atgrills indoor electric grills and griddles to cook kebabs on a cookware with natural stone coating.
