Sweet-Sour Kabobs
Sweet-sour meatball kabobs with ground beef, pineapple, green peppers, cherry tomatoes, and green onions. Marinated in a pineapple-soy-vinegar sauce, then broiled with a glossy glaze.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
4 minCOOK
30 minREADY
4 hrsThese kabobs thread soy-seasoned ground beef meatballs onto skewers with pineapple quarters, green pepper chunks, cherry tomatoes, and green onion pieces. The sweet-sour sauce does triple duty: it marinates the meatballs, glazes them during broiling, and thickens into a basting sauce with cornstarch.
The meatballs soak in a marinade of pineapple syrup (from the can), brown sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce for at least 3 hours. That long soak flavors the meat all the way through and tenderizes the surface. When you’re ready to cook, the marinade gets cooked down with cornstarch into a thick, glossy sauce for basting.
Six meatballs per skewer, alternated with fruit and vegetables, gives you a colorful, balanced kebab. Broil about 4 inches from the heat and use a fork to gently turn them. Brush with sauce a few times during cooking for a lacquered finish.
Kitchen Tips
- Shape the meatballs firmly. Loose meatballs fall apart on the skewer, especially during turning.
- Don’t crowd the skewer. Leave small gaps between pieces so heat circulates and everything cooks evenly.
- Use metal skewers, not wooden ones. The high broiler heat can char wooden skewers even when soaked.
Variations
- Use ground turkey or ground pork for a different flavor profile.
- Add red bell pepper chunks alongside the green for more color.
- Grill these over charcoal instead of broiling for a smokier finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut the green onions into 2-inch pieces.
Cut the green pepper into 1-inch pieces after seeding.
Drain the pineapple slices and reserve the syrup for later use in the recipe.
Mix the meat and the 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Shape the mixture into 36 meatballs. Place the meatballs in a glass bowl or plastic bag. Mix the reserved pineapple syrup, the brown sugar, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce until the sugar is dissolved. Pour over the meatballs and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Drain the marinade from the meatballs into a small saucepan, stir in the cornstarch. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir for 1 minute. Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside. Cut the pineapple slices into quarters. On each of 6 12-inch metal skewers alternate 6 meatballs with pineapple and vegetables. Brush the kabobs with part of the sauce. Set the oven control at broil and/or 550 degrees F. Broil kabobs 4-inches from the heat to the desired doneness, about 15 to 20 minutes. Brush occasionally with the sauce and gently push with a fork to turn.
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