Broiled Beef Shish Kebabs

These broiled beef shish kebabs are tender, juicy, and packed with bold flavor, cooked quickly under high heat for a perfect char without a grill. It’s an easy, reliable method for making classic kebabs right in your oven.

Kebabs are one of those meals that never get old. It’s easy to throw together, totally weeknight-friendly, and great for meal prep.

This recipe is one I grew up eating. We always grilled them in the summer for that good charcoal flavor, but broiling them in the oven gives you beautifully seared, juicy results year-round with no grill required.

Why This Works

The broiler is one of the most underused tools in a home kitchen, and this recipe is a good example of why it deserves more attention. The key is a combination of a well-marbled cut like top sirloin, a marinade that adds both flavor and tenderness, and patting the meat completely dry before it goes under the heat. That last step is what gives you a proper sear instead of steamed, gray beef. Get those three things right, and the broiler does the rest in under 10 minutes.

Best Beef Cuts For Skewers:

Choosing the right cut of beef for making a tender and delicious beef kabob is the key to a successful outcome. This really makes a difference in taste and texture. For this recipe, I really like to work with a top sirloin steak.

Top sirloin comes from a similar area as the tenderloin. It’s a good quality, lean, tender cut of meat, and cooks well when broiled. When you go to cut the meat into pieces for broiling, you want to make sure to cut opposite the grain.

This helps keep the meat tender when biting into it (because if you’re like me, you have no problem eating it right off the stick). Additionally, look for cuts at your butcher that have thin layers of marbling and trim off any silver skin or large excess pieces of fat, too.

Red Wine Kabab Marinade:

My family has always used a red wine marinade for beef kebabs, and it’s still my go-to method. The wine adds depth and helps tenderize the meat, but if you’d rather skip it, the rest of the ingredients still do a great job on their own.

Here’s what goes in:

• Red wine (whatever you enjoy drinking)
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh parsley
• Large chunks of onion or bell pepper, if using
• Aleppo pepper or your favorite spice blend for a little heat

Combine everything in a large bowl or zip-top bag and let the meat marinate in the fridge for a few hours or overnight if you have the time. Flip or rotate the bag every few hours so everything gets evenly coated.

Important: Before threading the meat, pull it out of the marinade and pat it very dry with paper towels. Dry meat sears. Wet meat steams. This step is the difference between a good crust and a gray, sad piece of beef. Discard any leftover marinade.

How to broil shish kebabs in the oven:

Here are a few key tips and techniques for the best results when using the broiler in your oven for beef kebabs-

• Pre-heat your oven on the highest broiling setting it has. You want your oven piping hot!
• I like to line a baking sheet with foil (for easy clean up) and place a cooking rack over the baking sheet. This helps elevate the steak kebabs and keeps air flow moving through and under the skewers.
• Typically, you need to place wood skewers in water if you’re grilling (because of the high heat). For this recipe, it isn’t really necessary for a good outcome.
• After you pat the steak pieces dry from the marinade, place pieces onto the skewer and keep a small amount of separation between each piece. I like to add the onion pieces between each piece of steak, too, for flavor.
• Place all the skewers onto the cooling rack and under the broiler. Keep the oven rack as close to the broiler as possible as well for the best results.

• Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your steak pieces and the level of doneness you want. I like to cook my skewers for 6-8 minutes total for a doneness of medium rare (I pull them at a temperature of around 130-135 F.).
• I encourage you to broil for 3-4 minutes on the front, then turn the skewers and cook the opposite side for an additional 3-4 minutes. If you prefer your steak cooked through more, continue to cook and rotate as desired.

What to Serve With It

These kebabs are pretty flexible when it comes to sides. My personal go-to is a homemade Armenian-style bulgur pilaf, which soaks up all the juices beautifully, or pile it up in a wrap with this homemade Armenian lavash. Beyond that, a simple cucumber and tomato salad with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon works really well, as does my garlic pita bread, roasted garlic hummus, or even a bowl of herby rice. If you want to keep things light, a big green salad with a lemony vinaigrette rounds out the plate nicely.

Storage and Reheating

Leftover kebabs store well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For reheating, the oven is your best bet to avoid drying the meat out. Place the beef in a baking dish, add a small splash of broth or water, cover tightly with foil, and warm at 300°F until just heated through. You can also slice the leftover beef and tuck it into a pita with some fresh vegetables and a dollop of hummus for an easy next-day lunch.

More Recipes To Try

Arayes (Middle Eastern Stuffed Pitas)

Armenian Tabbouleh Recipe

Armenian Lahmajoun

Chicken Kofta Kebabs