Kabobs are a popular grilled dish that can be made with a variety of meats and vegetables. But when it comes to beef kabobs, choosing the right cut of beef is key to ensuring tender and flavorful results. In this complete guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to select the best beef for kabobs.
Overview of Beef Cuts for Kabobs
When selecting beef for kabobs, you want to choose cuts that are both tender and flavorful. Here are some of the most common cuts used
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Tenderloin: The tenderloin is the most tender cut of beef and is very popular for kabobs. It’s lean with little connective tissue. Filet mignon comes from the tenderloin.
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Sirloin Sirloin comes from the hip/rump region and offers great beefy flavor. Look for sirloin tips or cubes for kabobs.
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Ribeye Ribeye contains good marbling which keeps it tender and juicy during quick grilling, Well-marbled ribeye chunks work great,
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Flank steak: Flank steak has tons of flavor but can be a bit chewy. Cutting it across the grain and marinating helps.
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Chuck/Shoulder: Chuck offers great value but requires marinating to tenderize. Look for chuck shoulder cubes or stew meat.
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Skirt steak: Skirt steak has a loose texture but rich flavor. Slicing thinly across the grain and marinating helps.
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Ground beef: Ground beef kabobs lack texture but pick up lots of flavor from marinades. Use 80/20 or 85/15 ground beef.
Top Recommendations for Beef Kabobs
Based on tenderness, flavor, and budget-friendliness, here are my top recommendations for the best cuts of beef for kabobs:
1. Sirloin Tips
Sirloin tips from the top sirloin are my number one choice for beef kabobs. They offer great beefy flavor and tenderness at a reasonable cost. The meat has little fat or gristle which makes it easy to cut into uniform cubes. Marinating sirloin tips for a few hours helps enhance juiciness and flavor. This is an extremely versatile and foolproof cut for kabobs.
2. Tenderloin
For the most tender and indulgent beef kabobs, you can’t beat tenderloin. Files mignon, Chateaubriand, and other tenderloin cuts have texture like butter. Thanks to the lack of connective tissue, tenderloin stays tender even when grilled quickly over high heat. The only downside is the high cost. Save tenderloin for special occasions and marinating is optional.
3. Ribeye
Well-marbled ribeye steak has phenomenal rich flavor and a tender texture. Cut ribeye into 1-inch chunks removing any large pieces of fat first. The marbling provides moisture and beefy flavor. Ribeye kabobs don’t require much marinating but a quick soak in something acidic brightens up the flavor. This cut provides a luxurious beefiness at a better value than tenderloin.
4. Chuck Shoulder
For a budget-friendly option, choose chuck shoulder which offers great beef flavor. The key is cutting across the grain into small cubes and marinating overnight to help tenderize the meat. Chuck shoulder cubes require longer marinating but reward you with tender beef flavor at a fraction of the cost of premium cuts like ribeye or tenderloin.
5. Ground Beef
Don’t overlook ground beef for kabobs on a budget. While it lacks the texture of solid meat cubes, ground beef picks up lots of flavor from marinades. Use an 80/20 or 85/15 blend which provides enough fat to keep it juicy while grilling over high heat. Shape ground beef onto skewers and let marinate for a few hours for flavor and juiciness.
Tips for Cooking the Best Beef Kabobs
Follow these tips to ensure perfectly grilled beef kabobs every time:
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Cut beef into 1-1.5 inch cubes for uniform cooking. Remove any large pieces of fat first.
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Marinate beef for 2-12 hours to maximize tenderness and flavor. Acidic marinades work best.
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Use metal skewers or soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes before grilling to prevent burning.
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Grill kabobs over medium-high heat for about 12-15 minutes total, turning occasionally.
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Let kabobs rest for 5 minutes after grilling before serving to allow juices to redistribute.
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Slice off any charred or overcooked pieces before serving for best texture.
Best Marinade Options for Beef Kabobs
The right marinade makes beef kabobs even more delicious. Here are some of my favorite marinade ideas:
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Greek marinade – lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano
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Teriyaki marinade – soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic
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Southwest marinade – lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic
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Rosemary balsamic marinade – balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, rosemary
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Jerk marinade – jerk seasoning, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic
Top Kabob Beef Cuts by Price
To recap, here are my recommendations for the best beef for kabobs organized by budget:
Splurge Cuts ($15+ per pound)
- Filet mignon
- Ribeye steak
- Strip steak
Mid-Range Cuts ($8-12 per pound)
- Sirloin tips
- Tri-tip roast
- Chuck shoulder cubes
Budget-Friendly Cuts ($5-7 per pound)
- Flank steak
- Skirt steak
- Chuck arm roast
- Ground beef (80/20 blend)
FAQs
What is the most tender cut of beef for kabobs?
Filet mignon is the most naturally tender cut of beef thanks to its lack of connective tissue. The tenderloin where filet mignon comes from is perfect for grilling quickly over high heat.
Is ribeye good for kabobs?
Yes, ribeye is an excellent choice for kabobs. The generous marbling provides great flavor and moisture so it stays tender on the grill. Remove any large fat pieces before cutting ribeye into cubes.
Should you marinate steak for kabobs?
It’s recommended to marinate most beef cuts for kabobs except for very tender cuts like filet mignon or ribeye. Marinating helps break down collagen to tenderize and adds flavor. Acidic marinades work best.
How long should you marinate beef kabobs?
Most beef cuts should marinate for 2-12 hours for best results when making kabobs. Thinner cuts like flank or skirt steak only need 2-4 hours. Tougher cuts like chuck or shoulder can marinate overnight.
What is the best cut of beef for skewers?
Sirloin tips are my top pick for beef skewers. They offer great tenderness and beefy flavor perfect for skewering and grilling. Other excellent options include tenderloin, ribeye, and well-marbled chuck shoulder.
The Takeaway on Beef Kabobs
For flavorful and tender beef kabobs, select cuts that are both tender and flavorful. Sirloin tips, tenderloin, ribeye, and chuck shoulder offer the best results. Marinating is key for most cuts besides premium tenderloin or ribeye. Follow these tips and you’ll be enjoying restaurant-worthy beef kabobs off your own grill in no time.
Choosing Meat for Kabobs
Meat cubed. To start, youre going to want a meat you can uniformly cube. I stay away from pre-cubbed kabob meats, because you dont always know exactly what they are and cutting your own cubes will make sure youre getting the best and freshest product. I usually cube my kabobs into 1″ cubes, so Im looking for a piece of meat cut at least 1″ tall. Making sure you have uniform size cubes ensures that all pieces of meat on the skewer will be done at the same time.
Dont Lean. If you want the juiciest, most flavorful kebabs, youre looking for the darker and fattier cuts of meat. Lean meat is prone to drying out easily, which is a recipe for easy failure. While fattier cuts are preferred, too much fat can be chewy and unpleasant with high heat cooking, so I usually cut out excess fat and sinew when cubing the meat.
Take them for a bath. Kebabs are often all about the marinade, which creates endless possibilities for flavoring. Marinades also often have a double purpose acting as a brine with enough salt in them—which further aides in ended up with the juiciest final products.
For beef I go with sirloin. Sirloin steaks are usually cut about an inch thick to begin with, have little fat, and have a beefy flavor a little more delicate than other cuts. This allows you to get the full flavor of the marinade with a nice underlying beefiness that isnt over powering.
You wont find a better friend than chicken thighs for kebabs. Sure breast meat cuts more nicely into cubes and is a bit better at picking up the flavor of a marinade, but it also goes from juicy to dry so fast there theres no room for error. Thighs, on the other hand, are way more forgiving, so if all your meat on the stick isnt cooking at the same time, you can rest assured the entire thing isnt a lost cause if you need to grill it a bit longer than expected. Since thighs arent as thick as breasts, you may need to cut longer strips and fold them over the create better sized, and more secure, pieces for skewering.
Like with chicken, you want to look towards the darker and fattier cuts of pork for the best kebabs. I personally like pork butt, which takes a little extra time to cut around all the excess fat and gristle to get proper cubes for skewering, but the works is well worth it when you taste the extra flavor in the final product. Pork loin, while it is lean, does make for good kebabs too, but I recommend undercooking loin meat a bit to avoid it drying out.
Lamb ranges the spectrum from cheap and tough, to expensive and tender, so as an affordable middle ground, I go for the shank end of the leg. There will be some extra removal of sinew and fat from this cut, but the little work is well rewarded with kabobs that have a deep, rich flavor.
Meat Tips: A Meat for Every Kabob
A kabob is only as good as the meat you put into it, and Ive found kabobs are pretty particular with the meats they like. So I have another addition of Meat Tips, and a continuation of the kabob craziness, to help make sure youre buying the right meat to ensure skewer success.