Oriental Style Beef Kabobs

These beef kabobs get an overnight soak in a soy-ginger-garlic marinade that penetrates deep into the sirloin and caramelizes into a sticky, savory glaze on the grill.

The marinade is simple but layered: soy sauce for salt and umami, sugar for caramelization, fresh ginger root for heat, and sherry extract for a nutty warmth that rounds everything out. Six to eight hours in the fridge gives the flavors time to really work into the meat. Do not shortcut this. A quick 30-minute soak will only flavor the surface.

Fresh pineapple chunks and green bell pepper go on the skewers between the beef. The pineapple caramelizes on the grill and picks up smoky char marks while the pepper softens just enough to stay slightly crisp.

Chef Tips

• Cut the sirloin into true 1-inch cubes for even cooking. Smaller pieces dry out; larger ones stay raw in the center.
• Boil the used marinade for a full 5 minutes before basting. This is a food safety step since the marinade had raw beef sitting in it overnight.
• Keep the meat 3 to 4 inches from the coals, not directly over the hottest spot. Too close and the sugar in the marinade burns before the beef cooks through.
• Soak wooden skewers for at least 30 minutes before threading, or use metal skewers to avoid burning.

Variations

• Add chunks of red onion between the beef and pineapple for extra sweetness and color.
• Swap the sherry extract for a tablespoon of rice vinegar and a teaspoon of sesame oil for a more distinctly East Asian flavor.
• Thread in whole mushrooms alongside the peppers for a meatier vegetable element.