How to Cook Kabobs

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: May 3, 2022 Tested

Meat on a stick is always a big hit at barbecues. But kabobs aren't just about the protein -- mixing in some tasty veggies with the steak, chicken, or pork gives you a complete meal, all on one handy skewer. The good news is you don't even have to wait for a barbecue to enjoy kabobs. Grilling is certainly the classic way to cook them, but you can also throw the skewers in the oven under the broiler and wind up with kabobs that are just as delicious.

Ingredients

3 ½ pounds (1.6 kg) protein, such as beef, chicken, pork, or seafood
3 to 4 vegetables, such as onions, bell peppers, zucchini, or mushrooms
Marinade (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Making the Kabobs

1
Cut a protein into cubes. You can use any type of protein that you like for your kabobs, but beef, chicken, pork, lamb, and seafood are the most common options. Use a sharp knife to cut 3 ½ pounds (1.6 kg) of the protein you’re using into approximately 2-inch cubes (5-cm) that you can easily thread on a skewer.^{[1]
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- When it comes to seafood, choose heartier fish, such as salmon, swordfish, or tuna. Shrimp also work well for kabobs.
- If you’re a vegetarian, you can omit the protein or substitute tofu for any type of meat.
2
Marinate the protein for a few hours. To ensure the most flavorful kabobs, you should create a marinade for the protein. Choose a marinade that complements the type of protein that you’re using, and allow the meat sit in it for to 2 to 5 hours.^{[2]
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- A marinade doesn’t really penetrate the meat or protein, so there’s no need to marinate overnight.
- If you don’t want to marinate the protein, you can simply season the protein on all sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Make a basic marinade by mixing 1 cup (237 ml) of vegetable oil, ¾ cup (177 ml) of soy sauce, ½ cup (118 ml) of lemon juice, ¼ cup (59 ml) of Worcestershire sauce, ¼ cup (62 g) of mustard, 2 garlic cloves, and freshly ground black pepper.^{[3]
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- You can also try a pineapple marinade, Jack Daniel’s marinade, Coke marinade, or your personal favorite marinade recipe.
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3
Chop the vegetables. To ensure that the kabobs cook evenly, pair your protein with veggies that have the same cooking time. Onions, bell peppers, zucchini, grape tomatoes, and yellow squash are good options with most proteins. Use 3 to 4 whole vegetables, depending on their size, and cut them into chunks that are the same size as your protein.^{[4]
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- You can also use fruit, such as pineapple, peaches, and mangoes, for your kabobs.
4
Choose metal or wooden skewers. To assemble the kabobs, you’ll need some type of skewer. Metal skewers are reusable, but they can be difficult to clean and are often hot to the touch when they’re done cooking. Wooden skewers are inexpensive so you can throw them away when you’re done and not worry about cleanup. They are prone to charring, though.^{[5]
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- For a good sized portion, choose skewers that are about 12-inches (30-cm) long.
5
Soak wooden skewers for a half hour. Because wooden skewers can burn easily, you should soak them in water before you cook your kabobs. Place the skewers in a shallow dish, and cover them with water. Allow them to sit for about 30 minutes.^{[6]
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6
Space the ingredients on the skewers. When your protein is finished marinating, you can assemble the kabobs. Thread the protein and vegetable pieces onto the skewers, pushing the items so they’re close together without actually touching. Make sure there’s some space at the end of the skewer to avoid overcrowding -- 2 -inches (5-cm) is usually enough. ^{[7]
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- You can thread the protein and vegetables on the skewers however you like. Alternating them is usually the most common method.
- If you’re not sure if the cooking time of the protein and veggies matches up, you’re better off making separate kabobs for the protein and vegetables.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Grilling the Kabobs

1
Preheat the grill to medium-high. It’s best to grill kabobs over direct medium-high heat. Allow it to preheat at medium-high for 10 minutes with a gas grill and 20 to 25 minutes with a charcoal grill.^{[8]
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- For a gas grill, you can just set the temperature gauge to medium-high for preheating.
- With a charcoal grill, you can tell that it’s reached the right temperature by holding your hand 4 to 5 inches (10- to 13-cm) above the cooking grate. When you can only keep your hand there for 4 to 5 seconds before the heat is too much, it’s at medium-high heat.
- You can also use a grill pan on your stove to cook the kabobs.
2
Grill the skewers on the first side for several minutes. When the grill is preheated, arrange the kabobs in a single layer on the cooking grate. Let them cook for several minutes on the first side depending on what type of protein you’re using:
- Grill steak for 4 to 6 minutes per side.
- Grill chicken for 6 to 8 minute per side.
- Grill pork for 6 to 8 minutes per side.
- Grill lamb for 4 to 6 minutes per side.
- Grill shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Grill salmon, tuna, or swordfish for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Grill tofu for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
3
Flip the kebabs over and cook for another few minutes. When the kabobs are finished grill on the first side, use a pair of tongs to turn them over. Cook them on the second side for the same amount of time that you did the first.^{[9]
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- The kabobs are done grilling when the veggies are tender and all of the protein and vegetable pieces are browned on all sides.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Broiling the Kabobs

1
Preheat your broiler. Place your oven rack so it’s approximately 4-inches (10-cm) from the broiler element. Turn the broiler up to high, and allow it to preheat for about 10 minutes.^{[10]
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- Be sure to follow your oven’s instructions for proper use of the broiler.
2
Place a baking rack on top of a baking sheet. To keep the kabobs from steaming in the liquid they release, it’s important to keep them elevated. Set a baking rack on top of a large baking sheet so the liquid can drip below while they broil.^{[11]
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3
Arrange the kebabs on the rack. With the baking rack on the baking sheet, set the kabobs on top of the rack.Set them in a single layer so they’ll cook evenly.^{[12]
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4
Broil the kebabs for a few of minutes. Place the baking sheet under the preheated broiler. Allow the kababs to broil for several minutes depending on what type of protein you’re using:^{[13]
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- Broil steak for 4 to 6 minutes per side.
- Broil chicken for 6 to 8 minute per side.
- Broil pork for 6 to 8 minutes per side.
- Broil lamb for 4 to 6 minutes per side.
- Broil shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Broil salmon, tuna, or swordfish for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Broil tofu for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
5
Turn the kebabs over and cook for another few minutes. When the kabobs are finished broiling on the first side, use a pair of tongs to turn them over to the other side. Let them broil on the second side for the same amount of time that they broiled on the first side.^{[14]
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- You can tell that the kabobs are done broiling when all of the sides are browned and the vegetables are tender.
6
Finished.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I cook my kebob in a frying pan?

Community Answer

Yes, you can. Just make sure that the pan has low sides so that the sides of the kebob can touch the hot bottom of the pan.