Beef Shish Kebab Recipe

Trim and cube beef

Trim any silver skin and excess fat from the beef tenderloin. Cut into 1 to 1 1/4-inch cubes, yielding evenly sized pieces for even grilling (about 8–12 per person depending on size).

Prepare marinade

In a medium bowl whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, minced garlic (crush or finely mince cloves), brown sugar, smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes until well combined.

Marinate beef

Place beef cubes in a resealable bag or shallow dish. Pour marinade over beef, toss to coat thoroughly, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. Do not exceed 6 hours for tenderloin to avoid textural changes. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling to come toward room temperature.

If using vegetables, cut red bell pepper into 1 1/2-inch pieces, separate onion into wedges, and slice zucchini into 1/2-inch rounds. Toss vegetables with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Thread vegetables and cherry tomatoes alternately onto skewers. Keep vegetables separate from raw beef skewers while cooking to prevent cross-contamination; if using same skewers cook vegetables after beef or use separate skewers.

Rinse rice

Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water until water runs clear to remove excess starch.

Cook rice

In a medium saucepan combine rinsed rice, 3.5 cups water, 1 tablespoon butter or oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently 15–18 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff with fork before serving.

Preheat grill

Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high (about 425–450°F / 220–230°C). Oil the grates lightly to prevent sticking.

Skewer beef

Thread marinated beef cubes onto metal or soaked wooden skewers leaving a little space between pieces for even heat circulation.

Place beef skewers on the hot grill. Grill 2–3 minutes per side, rotating so each side gets a good sear; total cooking time 8–10 minutes for medium-rare to medium (internal temp 125–135°F / 52–57°C). If you prefer vegetables on the same skewer, grill vegetables concurrently and remove when tender and slightly charred (about 6–8 minutes), or grill them after the beef. For medium doneness, cook 10–12 minutes and check temperature. Let skewers rest 5 minutes off the heat before serving.

Plate

Spoon a bed of warm rice onto plates. Place 2–3 beef skewers (or enough cubes) on top of each bed of rice. Add your two chosen sides to the plate.

Chop fresh parsley and sprinkle over the kebabs and rice. Sprinkle a light dusting of ground sumac if using for a lemony tang. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over the beef.

Grilled asparagus

Toss asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat 3–5 minutes, turning, until tender-crisp and charred in spots.

Greek salad

Combine chopped cucumber, tomato, red onion, Kalamata olives and feta. Dress lightly with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and oregano. Serve chilled or room temperature.

Roasted potatoes

Toss 600 g (approx) halved baby potatoes with 1–2 tbs olive oil, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and optional rosemary. Roast at 425°F (220°C) for 25–30 minutes until golden and tender.