Beef Kabobs

Tender cubes of beef tenderloin threaded onto skewers with mushrooms, zucchini, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and sweet red pepper, all marinated for two hours in red wine spiked with rosemary, oregano, parsley, garlic, and olive oil. Eight minutes on a hot grill and dinner is served.

The red wine marinade does more than flavor the meat. The acid in the wine breaks down surface proteins, helping the herbs and garlic penetrate deeper into the beef. Two hours is the sweet spot: long enough to absorb real flavor, short enough that the acid doesn’t turn the outside of the meat mushy.

Cutting everything to the same one-inch size isn’t just about looks. Uniform pieces cook at the same rate, so you don’t end up with charred tomatoes and raw onion on the same skewer. The cherry tomatoes are the exception: leave them whole since they’re already small and will burst if cut.

Pro Tips

• Use metal skewers or soak wooden ones for 30 minutes. Dry wooden skewers catch fire on the grill and can snap.
• Don’t push pieces too tightly together. Leave a small gap between items so heat circulates and everything cooks evenly.
• Baste with leftover marinade only in the first few minutes. The wine-and-raw-meat liquid needs grill heat to cook off any bacteria. Stop basting halfway through.
• Let the beef rest on the skewer for 2 minutes after pulling off the grill. Slicing immediately loses all the juices.

Variations

• Swap red wine for balsamic vinegar in the marinade for a sweeter, more intense flavor.
• Use sirloin instead of tenderloin for a more budget-friendly option with good beefy flavor.
• Add chunks of pineapple between the vegetables for a sweet, caramelized contrast.