skewers on the weber go anywhere!!
The Dish:
Meat and/or vegetables skewered and cooked over a flame, in some variation, form part of countless popular dishes worldwide: souvlaki, yakitori, shish kebab, shashlik, etc. – it’s practically everywhere. They’re also deceptively filling, and a fun way to get the kids to enjoy veg a bit more than usual!
The hero of this cook is the Weber Kabob Rack. With metal skewers it is easy to pierce the food and they’re reusable (the skewers are dishwasher safe) – but the big highlight is the fact they guarantee a nice even cook by practically eliminating conduction cooking and using the infrared radiated heat from the fire, which gives a consistent cook, and if you are using a wet marinade (like honey soy, etc) it will stop the sugars burning onto your grill.
The Cooker:
For this cook, it is hard to beat the infrared heat output and fragrance of charcoal. I’m using the Weber Go-Anywhere which is the perfect fit for the Kabob Rack and a super-efficient, compact and portable way to get yourself into grilling with charcoal. If you don’t have one, you’ll get similar results from an infrared burner and a conventional gas grill will also do a decent job without being quite the same.
Direct medium-high heat is the target for this one. It should only be a quick cook, so if you’re going with charcoal no more than half a chimney should be required – if you have any cold spots you can correct this by intermittently shuffling the skewers around on the rack.
The Ingredients:
I’m going to be a bit less prescriptive than usual with this cook, as everyone’s preferences are different. I have used chicken thighs with red capsicums, onions and zucchini – but you can pretty much use anything you like. All meat, all veg, seafood, the options are pretty much endless!
600g Boneless Chicken Thighs
1 Medium Red Onion (~150g)
1 Large Red Capsicum (~150g)
1 Medium Zucchini (~150g)
2-3 TBSP of your favourite rub (I’m using Hardcore Carnivore Red)
2 TBSP of a high temp oil (I like peanut for this)
Salt and pepper to taste
The Method:
Cut the meat and veg into cubes and segments of at least 3cm in diameter (you want them big without creating overlap on the Kabob Rack).
Alternate meat and vegetables on the skewers to your preference, being careful to not prick yourself with the skewer in the process.
Apply some salt and pepper all over and then drizzle the oil over them before applying your rub.
Place the seasoned skewers into a container or ziplock bag and marinate for at least two hours.
Once the BBQ is preheated, slot the skewers on the rack and cook, turning regularly for a consistent finish using an instant read thermometer to verify internal temperature (at least 75°C).
Allow to rest for a couple of minutes before serving – the skewers will be hot!
Serve with rice or chips and salad, enjoy!
Notes:
Chicken thighs are a great cut for this, and allow a bit more leeway without being overcooked and dry. Boneless lamb shoulder is another great alternative, or if you’re a steak fan this is a great use for the outer parts of the eye fillet / tenderloin, or scotch fillet and rump are also great candidates.
To avoid cross contamination, I like to cut my chicken and veg on separate boards. There is no problem with skewering the chicken and vegetables together as long as the chicken is not left out of the fridge for more than an hour (or two, temperature depending).
This recipe was put together by DGR BBQ. Melbourne based and a friend of BBQs & Outdoor, be sure to follow DGR BBQ on Instagram @dgr_bbq, for more Aussie Barbecue Inspo!
