I Cook My Favorite 4th of July Kebabs on an Electric Grill
This Independence Day weekend, you can be sure that grills will be blazing from sea to shining sea. At least twice, you’ll look down the street and ask, “Is that a fire?” only to realize it’s just your hard-working neighbor’s smoker. (Again.) You might even see me out there this weekend, setting up a chimney on one of the charcoal grills in the community park, getting ready to cook up my favorite grilled food: shish kebabs.
Lately, I’ve been experimenting with ingredient combinations that range from the classic to the adventurous (and a few that don’t deserve to be repeated). Here are three of my current favorites. And electric grill users, you’re included: Electric grills are a huge boon for apartment dwellers (like me), and even for those who cook outdoors but prefer less smoke and cleaner flavor. All of these skewers work great for indoor grilling, too. ( Read about electric grill options here if you’ve been looking.)
How to Experiment with Flavor Combinations on a Skewers
I’ve noticed some patterns in my barbecue research. The best ones balance savory, sweet, and herbaceous or earthy elements. That’s all you really need to succeed. So if you have a base protein like marinated chicken or tofu, you’ve already found the savory element. Consider adding sliced peaches or figs for some sweetness. For an earthy element—an ingredient that borders on bitter, but not too much—you can add halved shallots or a slice of jalapeño. For extra heat, you can always drizzle a vinaigrette after grilling, sprinkle some seasonings, or add some crumbled cheese.
When cooking on a charcoal or gas grill, always follow proper technique and safety guidelines . Don’t poke your hands – poke the food and oil the food, not the grill grate . I use a non-aerosol spray with cooking oil to coat the skewers evenly.
If you use an electric grill, like I did today, you have the added benefit of being able to oil the grill plates if you like. All of these skewers were seared for three to four minutes in the ChefMan Panini Press Grill , a machine I’ve come to love. The top hinged plate is key to pressing taller items evenly.
Without further ado, here are three excellent kebabs that I return to again and again.
Chicken Skewers with Pesto and Ravioli
Obviously, I haven’t made enough ravioli in my life, and I’m guessing you haven’t either. You’ll want to buy the “fresh” type of pasta, which you can find in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. The pasta won’t be dry, but it will be soft and pliable, so all you have to do is unwrap it and skewer it. Personally, I went to Trader Joe’s and bought the cacio e pepe ravioli. No regrets.
You can also buy chicken breasts and chunks of meat packed in marinade to make your life easier. The chicken I used was coated in a pesto marinade. Rather than dicing the meat, I like to slice it thin and thread it onto skewers in a wavy ribbon. I nestled a thick wedge of portobello mushroom among the chicken and ravioli. You might be saying, “Ellie, there’s no sweet element here.” You’re right. In this case, I made the executive decision to leave the savory, herbal, and earthy notes alone.
This skewer smells especially incredible while it’s grilling. After enjoying the aroma of the portobello, I love the way the charred ravioli turns out. The outside of the pasta is tender with thin, crisp sections, and the filling is warm without burning the roof of your mouth.
Pastor-Inspired Shish Kebab
One of my favorite tacos is al pastor. It’s filled with marinated, spit-roasted pork and served with a slice of pineapple. The pork is delicious, with irresistible crispy edges, and the warm, sweet pineapple adds a savory element while also providing a burst of acidity to liven things up. Skewer these ingredients and you’ll hit the heart of al pastor.
To make these al pastor skewers, I thinly sliced some garlic-and-herb-marinated pork loin and threaded it onto a skewer. (This is how my family grills satay, so I prefer the meat sliced rather than diced. But if you must, dice it.) Add the pork, a pineapple chunk, and a wedge of shallot. Repeat until you run out of room on the skewers.
The pork almost plays second fiddle to the sweetness of the fruit and caramelized shallots. (You could substitute some marinated tofu for the pork, and the results would be delicious.) This dish is a definite crowd-pleaser.
Sweet Chicken and Shishito Kebabs
I grabbed a pre-marinated packet of Pollo Asado Autentico from Trader Joe’s for this dish and have no regrets. It’s loaded with paprika, garlic, cayenne, dried onion, and lime juice powder, but you can make your own spicy chicken marinade if you prefer. I skewered thin slices of chicken over slightly underripe nectarine slices. (I’ve found that nectarines don’t turn to mush as quickly on the grill.) A couple of shishito peppers were the perfect earthy partner for this kabobs.
Grilling the nectarine gives it a honey-sweet flavor that balances the chicken’s spices and the pepper’s potential heat. (If you can’t find shishito peppers, try sliced poblanos or jalapeños before reaching for green bell peppers.)
Beyond these three skewers, I encourage you to try other combinations when you grill this summer. There’s something inexplicably fun about eating grilled morsels off a stick, and they’re always a hit with family and friends.