These grilled beef kebabs are going to blow your mind, both in terms of flavor and technique. I got the inspiration for this recipe from a Turkish viral video, which wraps ground beef around bamboo skewers. Basically picture beef kebabs in corn dog form and you’ve got it!
You can make the beef kebabs on the smoker, like I did, or in the oven. If you do use a smoker, make sure to use Cowboy Charcoal. Y’all know Cowboy Charcoal is my holy grail of grilling and smoking fuel. It burns incredibly clean and hot, so I have the confidence to use it in everything from smoked butter and smoked chimichurri sauce to…pretty much every chicken, steak, pork, and seafood recipe. Pick up a bag, grab some ground beef out of the freezer and make these grilled beef kebabs for the whole family tonight!
Post sponsored by Cowboy Charcoal
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Beef Kebabs
I love making skewers, so I’m always searching for new, flavorful ways to grill meats this way. The Turkish approach is so freakin’ cool! Based on the success of the technique I used for steak and bacon, garlic Parmesan chicken, pizza steak and French onion steak skewers (thanks to Salvador Mazzocchi for the tip), I couldn’t wait to give these grilled beef kebabs a try.
The ground beef seasoning gets a spicy BBQ twist with my Cowboy Butter Seasoning and diced jalapeño, then we serve over waffle fries! Definitely my favorite base for any skewers recipe. Don’t miss the buttery hot sauce, either. It makes the whole dish so freakin’ delicious. You’ll be a hero serving these at a summer dinner, special occasions and everything in between.
Looking for more recipes with ground beef? Check out Beef Empanadas, Beef Armadillo Eggs, Burger Stuffed Onion Rings or any of The Best Burger Recipes!
Beef Kebabs Ingredients
- Kebabs: For the meat itself, we’ll use ground beef, grated onion, chopped parsley, Cowboy Butter Seasoning, minced garlic, jalapeño and an egg (as a binder).
- Platter: The foundation for our kebabs? Your favorite frozen waffle fries, sliced white onion, cherry tomatoes and chile peppers.
- Sauce: Because you don’t want to mess with perfection, I’ve got a simple sauce here. Just a cup of melted butter and a dash of your favorite hot sauce!
Homemade Fries
If you want to make your own fries, here’s a super simple oven method. Wash 2-3 large Russet potatoes and cut them into your fry shape. Then, soak the potatoes in cold water for about 30 minutes to remove excess starch. This step is key for crispy fries!
When you’re ready to cook, drain the fries, pat them dry with paper towels and toss them with oil, salt and some Cowboy Butter Seasoning to match flavor of the beef kebabs. Spread on a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Serve your golden crispy fries with these beef kebabs, chicken skewers and more!
This method is for regular fries. But, if you have a mandoline with a crinkle cutter blade, you can do the waffle fries easily! If you want to make these in your air fryer, cook at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes.You could also fry these in vegetable oil in a Dutch oven on the grill while you’re making the beef kebabs. Frying will take about 7-8 minutes total (see this recipe for peppercorn herb steak with fries for reference).
How to Make Beef Kebabs
Who’s ready for a new take on shish kebab? Let’s do this!
First, grab a large bowl and mix together ground beef, onion, parsley, Cowboy Butter Rub, minced garlic, jalapeño and 1 fresh egg. Once you’ve mixed the beef together, place a small handful of kebab meat on top of the middle of a plastic bag.
Top with a wooden skewer, then fold the plastic bag over and gently push the meat into a long shape so it fills out the skewer. Repeat until all the wooden skewers are done.
Next, add fries to a large skillet along with the kebabs, cherry tomatoes, sliced onions and 10-12 chile peppers. Then, pour your butter sauce, made by combining melted butter and hot sauce, over the top to finish.
Using your Cowboy Charcoal, preheat your smoker to 350 degrees F. Add the entire skillet to the smoker until the kebabs and fries are fully cooked — total cooking time will be around 20-25 minutes.
When they’re done, pull the skillet off the grill and let it cool. Garnish the whole grilled beef kebab skillet with chopped parsley and enjoy!
What to Serve with Beef Kebabs
We’ve got a whole meal with this beef kebab platter — a cold beer on the side would be a huge hit! If you’re making this again without the fries and tomatoes; then I think pita bread, grilled bell peppers or other colorful vegetables would round out the platter nicely.
Leftovers and Reheating
If you’ve got leftover beef kebabs, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. To reheat, put them back in the skillet, then reheat on your grill or stovetop at medium heat for 5-10 minutes. You can add a splash of water or broth and put a lid on the skillet to keep the meat from drying out.
For More Skewers
FAQs
The heat comes from the jalapeño in the ground beef mixture and the butter sauce. So, you can either reduce or increase the amount of jalapeño, or pick a hot sauce that makes your taste buds happy.
Kabob (or kebab) are terms that originated in the Middle East. Both refer to skewered meat grilled over an open flame. Typically, the “kabob” spelling is used by people from countries like Armenia and Iran. Then, “kebab” (or even “kabab”) is used by people from countries like Lebanon and Syria. “Shish” means skewer or sword in Turkish, and “kebab” means roasted or grilled meat. So, there’s your language lesson for the day!
Easily! I always have a bag on hand at all times. Check the company’s store locator for a hardware store or supermarket that carries it near you. You can also order online.
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Beef Kebabs
Ingredients
Kebabs:
- 1.5 lbs Ground Beef
- ½ cup Grated Onion
- ¼ cup Chopped Parsley
- 2 tbsp Cowboy Butter Rub
- 2 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 Jalapeno diced
- 1 Fresh Egg
Platter:
- 3 cups Frozen Waffle Fries
- 1 White Onion Sliced
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes
- 10-12 Chile Peppers
Sauce:
- 1 cup Melted Butter
- 1.5 tbsp Hot Sauce
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together the ingredients for the kebabs.
- Place a small handful of kebab meat on top of the middle of a plastic bag. Top with a wooden skewer then fold the plastic bag over and gently push the meat into a long shape so it fills out the skewer. Repeat until all skewers are done.
- Add your fries to a large skillet along with the kebabs, tomatoes, slice onion and chile peppers. Pour your butter sauce over the top to finish.
- Preheat your smoker to 350F with Cowboy Charcoal.
- Add the entire skillet to the smoker to cook for 20-25 minutes until the kebabs are done and the potatoes are done. Pull off once done to cool.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and enjoy!
