Smoky Grilled Kabobs
Kabobs are a weeknight dinner that tastes like a weekend one. The marinade does most of the work ahead of time, and the skewers cook in ten minutes flat. Sirloin is the right cut here — it has enough beef flavor to stand up to smoke and enough structure to stay on the skewer.
- Cut
- Top Sirloin
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Prep
- 20 min (plus 2–12 hr marinade)
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Serves
- 4
- Season
- Summer
- Method
- Grill
Ingredients
- 1½ lb Alaron Farms top sirloin, cut into 1½-inch cubes
- ⅓ cup soy sauce or tamari
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp coarse black pepper
- 2 bell peppers, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 1 red onion, cut into wedges and separated
What You'll Need
- Metal or soaked wooden skewers
- Gas or charcoal grill
- Instant-read meat thermometer
- Resealable bag or shallow dish for marinating
Before You Start
- Cut the sirloin into even 1½-inch cubes — uniform size is what keeps them cooking at the same rate.
- Whisk the soy sauce, oil, vinegar, Worcestershire, garlic, mustard, paprika and pepper together, then add the beef and turn to coat.
- Marinate covered in the refrigerator at least 2 hours and up to 12. Longer than that and the texture starts to go.
- If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes so they don't burn through.
Method
- 01
Prepare the grill
Heat the grill to medium-high, roughly 425–450°F. Clean and oil the grates generously — this is what stops the kabobs from sticking and tearing apart when you turn them.
- 02
Build the skewers
Thread beef, pepper and onion alternately, leaving a small gap between pieces so heat can circulate. Don't pack them tight. Leave a couple of inches bare at the handle end.
- 03
Grill the first side
Place the skewers over direct heat and close the lid. Cook 3–4 minutes without moving them so a crust forms.
- 04
Turn and finish
Flip once and cook another 3–4 minutes, until the beef reads 130–135°F for medium-rare. Use the USDA's current minimum internal temperature guidance for food-safety decisions (see Kitchen Notes).
- 05
Rest and serve
Move the skewers to a platter and rest 3–5 minutes. Slide the pieces off onto a serving platter or let everyone take their own skewer.
Kitchen Notes
- Food safety: USDA guidance lists a minimum internal temperature of 145°F for beef steaks, roasts and chops with a 3-minute rest. The 130–135°F target above is a culinary preference for medium-rare, not a food-safety minimum.
- If you're using wooden skewers, keep a water spray bottle nearby in case they catch.
- Add cherry tomatoes or mushrooms in the last few minutes only — they release water and will steam the beef if they go on at the start.
- A marinade is flavor, not a tenderizer. The real tenderness comes from not overcooking the sirloin.
How to Serve It
- Serve over rice, warm flatbread, or a simple couscous with herbs.
- A yogurt-and-lemon sauce or a chimichurri both work well alongside.
- Great as a build-your-own table with flatbread, lettuce and sauce for kids.
Storage & Leftovers
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in a covered container and use within 3–4 days.
- Reheat gently in a covered pan with a splash of water to keep the beef from drying out.
- Discard any marinade that touched raw beef — never reuse it as a sauce.
Using Another Cut?
Flank or Skirt
Slice into strips instead of cubes; cook 2–3 minutes per side.
Tri-Tip
Cut into cubes and extend the grill time slightly — tri-tip is denser.
More recipes with this cut
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One pan, thirty minutes and a sauce that comes together in the same skillet — the weeknight dinner that uses whatever is in the drawer.
Garlic Butter Sirloin
The fastest steak dinner in the Farm Kitchen — a lean sirloin, a hard sear and a garlic butter pan sauce in under twenty minutes.
Top Sirloin, delivered from the farm.
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