The simple beef kabob marinade has only three ingredients, making these Marinated Beef Kabobs easy and quick to make with tender beef steak and charred vegetables.
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Beef shish kabobs are standard for any home griller to master but are easy for beginners with some simple instructions. Learn how to grill the perfect summer weeknight dinner for the whole family to love.
Most marinade recipes have ten+ ingredients and involve overnight timing. This simple marinade recipe only has 3 ingredients, adds great flavor in 30 minutes, and will tenderize the beef when used longer.
Check out Marinated Steak Kabobs, which is similar but more complex marinade and longer prep time. Or some chicken kabob recipes, like Honey Garlic Chicken Kabobs, BBQ Chicken Kabobs, and Buttermilk Ranch Chicken Kabobs.
🐄Ingredients
- Marinade—Worcestershire sauce. soy sauce, garlic powder
- Beef—top sirloin or other beef
- Oil—vegetable or olive oil for brushing
- Optional ingredients—Bell peppers, red onion, mushrooms, yellow squash, zucchini, cherry tomatoes and fresh pineapple
👨🍳How to Grill Beef Kabobs
- Mix a marinade of Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and garlic powder with some water.
- Trim beef of any fat and cut into about 1-inch cubes. Add to the marinade and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 4 hours.
- Prepare any desired fruit and vegetables.
- Prepare kabobs by alternating ingredients and brush lightly with oil.
- Grill over direct high heat, rotating every few minutes for about 8-10 minutes to an internal temperature of 140°-145°.
This is a summary of the steps and ingredients. See the recipe card or the step-by-step photo instructions below for full instructions.
⏲️How long to grill beef kabobs
Grill for about 8 to 10 minutes over high heat for medium, which most people will prefer.
- Rare—cold red center has an internal temperature of 125°-130° and will probably take only 5-6 minutes. It is hard to get right and may not cook the veggies well. Remember, you can cook a bit longer later, but not you can not uncook meat.
- Medium Rare—warm red center has an internal temperature of 130°-135° and should take 7-8 minutes usually.
- Medium—pink and firm has an internal temperature of 140°-145° and will usually be done in 8-10 minutes. This is good for most people.
- Medium Well—minimal pink has an internal temperature of 150°-155° and should be about 10-12 minutes. This is the most you should usually cook these kabobs.
- Well Done—firm and brown will have an internal temperature of 160°+ and is not recommended.
✔️Tips for perfect beef kabobs every time.
- Marinate for 30 minutes to 4 hours. Most of the flavor will transfer into the meat in about 30 minutes, but 2 to 4 hours will tenderize more—longer is fine (up to 24 hours) but not needed.
- I'm suggesting top sirloin steak, but other steaks, like strip steak or beef tenderloin, may be used. But cuts like chuck roast, stew meat, round steak, or eye of round are not good choices.
- If you use wooden skewers, soak them for 30 minutes. I prefer wood for beef because metal skewers will transfer heat more and cook the center faster, which most people don't want.
- Be sure to give fruit and vegetables a good coat of vegetable or olive oil.
- Root vegetables like potatoes and carrots will not cook in the same time frame and are not good choices.
🍴What to serve with grilled beef kabobs?
This classic grill recipe needs traditional side dishes, like Grilled Corn on the Cob, Simple Spinach Salad, Macaroni Salad, and chips or potato salad. Top it off with some lemonade.
Storage of leftovers
Leftovers should be sealed in an airtight container and refrigerated for 4 days. The meat will store well, but the vegetables will lose some texture and are better freshly grilled. You can also freeze for 3 months.
🐄About Sirloin Steak
The sirloin is behind the short loin, where most of what we usually call "steak" comes—like strip steaks and t-bones. In other parts of the world, what we call the loin area is called the sirloin, and what we call the sirloin is called the rump.
I suggest top sirloin, which is the most tender sirloin version. It will be labeled as top to fetch a higher price. The bottom sirloin, usually labeled sirloin steak, is a bit tougher but an excellent choice with deep flavor. Also, the tri-tip roast comes from the bottom sirloin. Under that will be the sirloin tip roast.
❓FAQs
Yes, you can use a 425°-450° oven for about the same time as grilled. Put them on a sheet pan and use a rack if you have one. Give everything a good spray of PAM, then add the kabobs—no need to flip.
As always, you cook to a final internal temperature, not by time alone. Time varies by the oven, the tray, and the size of the beef chunks.
I didn't use any salt and black pepper during the preparation. I felt there was lots of sodium in the Worcestershire and soy sauces. Black pepper can be added later at serving to taste, but there is so much flavor I never do.
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Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes. Metal skewers are OK, but wood is preferred due to the heat transfer of the metal.
Trim beef of any fat and cut it into about 1 to 1 ¼ inch cubes, keeping the pieces about the same size.
Whisk together the marinade of 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons water, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
Pour over meat and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until needed—30 minutes to 4 hours. Most of the taste will transfer in 30 minutes but longer will be more tender.
Preheat the grill to high. Clean and oil the grill grates.
Prepare any desired fruit and vegetables. Cut into chunks about the same size as the meat.
Prepare kabobs by threading on alternating ingredients. Brush lightly with vegetable or olive oil, concentrating on the fruit and veggies.
Grill over direct high heat with the grill lid closed until mild charring on fruits and vegetables and the internal temperature of the beef is to your liking. About 8-10 minutes for 140°-145° usually. Let kabobs rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
📖 Recipe
Easy Marinated Beef Kabobs with Simple Marinade
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs top sirloin - or other beef
- 2 bell peppers
- 1 red onion
- ½ fresh pineapple
Simple Beef Kabob Marinade
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes. Metal skewers are OK, but wood is preferred due to the heat transfer of the metal.
- Trim beef of any fat and cut it into about 1 to 1 ¼ inch cubes, keeping the pieces about the same size.
- Whisk together the marinade of 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons water, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Pour the marinade over meat and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until needed—30 minutes to 4 hours. Most of the taste will transfer in 30 minutes but longer will be more tender.
- Preheat the grill to high. Clean and oil the grill grates.
- Prepare any desired fruit and vegetables. Cut into chunks about the same size as the meat.
- Prepare kabobs by threading on alternating ingredients. Brush lightly with vegetable or olive oil, concentrating on the fruit and veggies.
- Grill over direct high heat with the grill lid closed until mild charring on fruits and vegetables and the internal temperature of the beef is to your liking. About 8-10 minutes for 140°-145° usually. Let kabobs rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Your Own Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- I suggest top sirloin steak here but other sirloin or strip steak would be great.
- I prefer wooden skewers here but not too big of a deal. Metal will cook the interior more.
- Optional ingredients—mushrooms, yellow squash, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes. Things like potatoes and carrots will take too long to cook.
- Try to keep the size of the meat, vegetables, and pineapple about the same size.
- The grill hood can be open or closed. But closed will cook a bit faster and give more control.
- Brush with oil just before going on the grill.
- Cook to the final internal temperature you want. Medium-rare is 130°- 135° and 140° - 145°. The meat temperature will rise a few degrees after removed from heat.
- Be sure to rest the kabobs for 5 minutes before serving.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Originally Published September 13, 2010. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Cathie
OMG !!! Tried this recipe out and loved it !!!!! 😋 it really is a kabob summer look forward to testing and trying more of your home cooked kabobs . Thank you for posting them . Great job !
Miriam Weston
I am going to try this!
Doug Wheeler
I realize this is an old post, but I noticed a comment regarding the use of accent. Whenever I use a less tender cut of meat, I just add vinegar to my marinade. It works well. Your other option is to use tenderloin which will not need a tenderizer. I also use LOTS of black pepper when I make any type of beef kabob. Adds so much flavor.
DrDan
Thanks for the note Doug. I have decided this a Kabob summer so a revision is on the way. I don't think I can ask people to use a nice beef tenderloin for kabobs. I may give some of your suggestions a try.
Thank again for the comment
DrDan
Dr Dan
I love pineapple on the grill. A sweet and sour would be great if you wanted.
Chris
Those look good, pineapple and green bell pepper go great with beef. I bet these would also be great with a sweet and sour sauce too. Nice job Dan.