Juicy Grilled Beef Kebabs

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make grilled beef kebabs? For juicy, tender kebabs, you need the right cut. Tenderloin, top round, or a cut from the loin are ideal, and it's important that the beef comes from a young animal. Gather all the ingredients from the list.

2. Step 2:

   

   Use smallish onions. Peel them and rinse under cold water. Get your dry spices ready for marinating the beef. Which spices, and how much? Use whatever blend suits your taste. For beef, I usually go with a ground pepper blend, a little coriander, and dried herbes de Provence. The amount of salt is up to you, too.

3. Step 3:

   

   Rinse the beef and pat it dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Trim off any sinew and silverskin. Cut the meat into serving-sized pieces.

4. Step 4:

   

   Don't cut the pieces too big or too small. Large chunks take a long time to cook and won't sear well, while tiny ones risk drying out. Aim for pieces about the size of a large walnut.

5. Step 5:

   

   Cut each onion into two or four pieces and drop them into a blender.

6. Step 6:

   

   Blend until smooth. You could also use a meat grinder for this step.

7. Step 7:

   

   Put the onion pulp in cheesecloth or a fine sieve to strain out the juice. You'll need about half a cup of juice, which is enough to marinate 1.5 kg (about 3.3 lb) of beef. Save the strained-out onion pulp for dumpling, manti, or meatball fillings.

8. Step 8:

   

   Add the spices and salt to the cut-up beef. At this point you can also toss in chopped fresh basil, parsley, or cilantro.

9. Step 9:

   

   Pour in the onion juice.

10. Step 10:

    

    Mix everything thoroughly, cover with plastic wrap or a lid, and refrigerate for at least two hours. Don't leave beef in an onion marinade too long — two or three hours is plenty.

11. Step 11:

    

    Light a fire in the grill.

12. Step 12:

    

    While the wood burns down, take the meat out of the fridge.

13. Step 13:

    

    Thread the beef onto the skewers.

14. Step 14:

    

    Once the wood has burned down to coals, you're ready for the next step. If the coals are too big, break them up into smaller pieces with a poker or something similar.

15. Step 15:

    

    Set the kebabs over the grill.

16. Step 16:

    

    Grill the meat, turning each skewer now and then.

17. Step 17:

    

    Cook the kebabs through. The timing depends on the size of the pieces, the heat of the coals, and the quality of the meat. Cut into a piece with a knife — if the juices run clear, the kebabs are done!

18. Step 18:

    

    Serve while the meat is still hot.

19. Step 19:

    

    Serve the kebabs with fresh vegetables, young greens, and an assortment of sauces.