Grilled Tex-Mex Marinated Beef Skewers

Sometimes I like to serve meat skewers with a sauce at the table, but other times I don’t think it’s needed. This is one of those times. A flavorful, spicy, savory, and, yes, saucy marinade penetrates tender beef chunks and stands up to the heat of the grill. Here, I went with big Tex-Mex flavor that comes together easily with a few simple ingredients. Marinating time is all it needs.

And at the table? Dig in. No sauce needed. 

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped
• 1 scallion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
• 2 tsp adobo sauce
• 2 tsp fresh lime juice
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling and grilling
• sea salt
• 1-lb beef sirloin steak (about 1-inch thick), cut into 12 equal pieces 
• 8 1-inch wedges of red onion
• 8 1-inch pieces of red bell pepper

Marinade Ingredients

Sirloin Steak

Prepared Onion and Pepper

Preparation

1. Combine the garlic, chipotle, scallion, cilantro, adobo sauce, lime juice, and cumin in a medium bowl. Whisk in 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt.
2. Add the beef chunks to the bowl and turn several times to coat in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate 2-4 hours. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before grilling.
3. Place the red onion and pepper pieces in a small bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and toss to coat.
4. Remove the beef from the marinade and thread 3 pieces onto each of 4 skewers, alternating with pieces of onion and bell pepper.

Marinade

Beef in Marinade

Ready to Grill

1. Light a grill for medium-high heat. Grill the skewers until lightly charred in spots and the beef is medium-rare, 8-9 minutes (or to desired degree of doneness).

Skewers Beginning to Grill

Grilled Skewers

Transfer to a platter and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Grilled Tex-Mex Marinated Beef Skewers

Steak-and-Potato Skewers with Hoisin-Bourbon Sauce

This simple meat and potatoes dish is all about the sauce. Sweet, “chocolaty” hoisin, rich bourbon, and tangy, slightly sweet balsamic vinegar combine for a boldly flavored sauce to complement both the seared beef and the potatoes.

There’s a minimal amount of meat here—only about three ounces per skewer—so this recipe will serve two hearty eaters or four lighter eaters. Pair it with garden salads on the side to make it a not-so-heavy, casual dinner for four.

Note: Cook the skewers on a griddle or grill pan to keep the potatoes from sticking to an open grill rack and falling apart.    

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

For the Sauce

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce  
• 2 tbsp bourbon  
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

For the Steak-and-Potato Skewers

• 1 12-oz rib eye steak, about 1-inch thick, cut into 12 squares
• olive oil, for marinating and brushing
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 8 small red potatoes (1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter)
• coarsely chopped Italian parsley, for garnish

Small Red Potatoes Ready to Boil

Preparation

For the Sauce

1. Heat a saucepan over medium-low heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic and shallot and cook 3 minutes, stirring often, until very fragrant and slightly soft.
2. Add the vinegar, hoisin, bourbon, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce and whisk to combine. Increase the temperature to medium and simmer 2 minutes. Whisk in the beef broth and season with salt and pepper.
3. Reduce the heat to low and cook slowly until the sauce is slightly thickened, 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. (Cover and refrigerate if not using right away. Rewarm gently before using.)

Simmered Hoisin-Bourbon Sauce

Hoisin-Bourbon Sauce

For the Steak-and-Potato Skewers

1. Place the steak in a bowl and toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Let rest at room temperature while the potatoes boil.

Marinated Beef

1. Place the potatoes in a pot and add enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until just beginning to soften, 10-12 minutes, depending on size.
2. Drain the potatoes and let cool until you can easily handle them, about 10 minutes. Cut each in half crosswise and place in a bowl. Drizzle lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Thread 3 pieces of steak and 4 potato halves, alternating, on each of 4 skewers (soak wood skewers 30 minutes before using).

Steak-and-Potato Skewers Ready to Sear

1. Heat a griddle or grill pan over high heat until very hot. Brush with a little oil and sear the skewers on 1 side until the beef and potatoes are slightly charred, about 4 minutes. (If any potatoes are not touching the pan, push down gently with a spatula.)
2. Turn and sear until the beef is just cooked through, but still pink inside (for medium) and the potatoes are charred on the outside and tender inside, about 4 minutes longer.

Seared Steak-and-Potato Skewers

To serve, place the skewers on a large platter and drizzle each with hoisin-bourbon sauce. Scatter parsley on top and pass any remaining sauce at the table.

Argentine-Style Veal Kebabs with Vegetables and Hard-Cooked Eggs

I’m not calling this an authentic Latin dish because it is a “deconstructed” version of ingredients and flavors common in Argentine cooking.

Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Brazil comprise the greatest beef producers (and eaters) in South America. But besides meat, common side dishes and condiments also show up on dinner tables across these countries. Potatoes, bell peppers, onions, and hard-cooked eggs are among the favorites.

The cilantro-garlic sauce in this recipe is a simpler take on chimichurri, a signature marinade and sauce in South American cooking. It clings well to the meat and adds earthy flavor to the overall dish. 

Cilantro-Garlic Marinade for the Veal

Grilling the vegetables along with the meat skewers makes this recipe easy and fast. Give the potatoes a head start in simmering water, then add them to the griddle at the same time as the peppers and onions.

I used a cast-iron griddle on the stovetop, but this dish would be delicious on the grill as well. If you don’t have a griddle for your grill, place the vegetables in a cast-iron skillet and grill the skewers over the open flame.

Feel free to substitute beef for the veal—great flavor either way.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing and drizzling
• 3/4 lb veal meat, cut into 16 1-1/2-inch chunks
• 2 medium baking potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin, 1-inch strips
• 1 small onion, cut into thin, vertical strips
• 4 large hard-cooked eggs
• red pepper flakes

Preparation

1. Combine the garlic, 2 tablespoons of cilantro, soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium bowl. Add the veal and toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. (May also be marinated overnight.)

Marinated Veal

1. Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the potatoes are almost tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron griddle over 2 burners on the stovetop over medium-high heat (or light a grill, leaving room for both the kebabs and a skillet for the vegetables).
3. Remove the veal from the marinade and season with salt and pepper. Thread 4 chunks on each of 4 skewers. (If you’re using wood skewers, soak them in water 30 minutes before using.)

Skewered Veal Ready to Cook

1. Brush one end of the griddle with olive oil and place the kebabs on it above 1 burner. Cook until slightly charred on the outside and juicy, tender, and still pink on the inside, turning every 1 to 2 minutes, for a total of about 8 minutes.

Kebabs on the Griddle

1. After turning the kebabs the first time, brush the other end of the griddle with oil and scatter the peppers, onions, and cooked potatoes over it. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables are slightly browned and tender, about 6 minutes.

Vegetables on the Griddle

1. To serve, place 1 veal kebab on each of 4 plates and divide the vegetables alongside. Slice the hard-cooked eggs in half lengthwise and place 2 halves on each plate. Drizzle the eggs with olive oil, season with salt, and garnish with red pepper flakes and chopped cilantro.