The Step You Should Never Skip When Grilling Kebabs

Kebabs are an excellent way to change up your grill session from traditional options like burgers, hot dogs, or the many cuts of steak. The mix of meat, veggies, and other grillables can provide a delicious and balanced meal for those relaxing summer cookouts. However, many miss one vital step, which can make a huge difference in your final results.

It's as simple as soaking the wooden skewers you'll use. Submerge them in cool water for 20 minutes or more before loading them up. This allows plenty of time for the wood to soak the water deep into its core, which will help prevent the skewers from burning when they hit the grill. Unsoaked skewers are prone to quickly catching fire over the high heat, which can burn your food or cause your kebab to fall apart. In contrast, soaked ones can stand up to the flames longer, allowing you to finish cooking without any unexpected flare-ups.

Naturally, this tip only applies to those using wooden skewers. Those with reusable metal ones won't have to worry about soaking them, though grill chefs should still be careful not to burn themselves when handling them.

If you're looking to incorporate kebabs into your long-term grilling, then metal ones make for a good investment. However, wooden kebabs are cheaper and therefore a better purchase for those experimenting with the dish. Just don't forget to soak them in water. There are some other easy tricks that can also help improve your kebab cooking. It's critical to cut your items to roughly the same size and shape, which allows them to cook evenly on the same skewer. You should also leave a bit of room between pieces to allow hot air to circulate efficiently.

Another of the biggest mistakes you're making when cooking kebabs is putting the meat and vegetables on the same skewer, which can make it challenging to ensure all pieces are done without others being overcooked. Instead, split them up by type to allow you more control over how each piece is cooked. You can even re-skewer the pieces on higher-end decorative skewers if you don't want to lose out on the attractive presentation of veggies and meat paired together. By keeping these simple tips in mind, you'll unlock the secrets to the kind of kebabs that will keep people hanging around the grill for more.