This keto recipe lets you enjoy grilled fare with your friends while sticking to your eating plan. We wanted pieces of beef with a thick char and juicy interior, paired with browned, tender-firm pepper and zucchini. We chose well-marbled steak tips and cut the meat into generous 2-inch cubes. For the marinade, we steered clear of acids like lemon juice; although they weaken collagen, acids only affect the
meat’s surface and, if left on too long, can actually make the meat mushy. Instead we added bright flavor with lemon zest, which we combined with salt, garlic, thyme, pepper, and oil to elevate the fat
content.
Grilling the beef and vegetables on separate skewers over a two-level fire allowed the vegetables to cook at a lower temperature while the beef seared over the hotter center area. Both came out perfectly cooked within minutes of each other. Mixing fresh parsley and lemon juice into the reserved marinade created a bold sauce for the kebabs. Steak tips, also known as flap meat, are sold as whole
steak, cubes, and strips. To ensure evenly sized pieces, we prefer to purchase whole steak tips and cut them ourselves. If you have long, thin pieces of meat, roll or fold them into approximate 2-inch pieces. We prefer these steak tips cooked to medium-rare, but if you prefer them more or less done, see our guidelines on this page. You will need six 12-inch metal skewers for this recipe.
Instructions :
- Whisk oil, garlic, thyme, lemon zest, salt, and pepper together in medium bowl. Combine beef and 2 tablespoons of marinade in 1- gallon zipper-lock bag and toss to coat; press out as much air as possible and seal bag. Toss zucchini and bell pepper with 2 tablespoons of marinade in second bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate beef and vegetables for 1 hour, flipping bag after 30 minutes.
- Stir parsley and lemon juice into remaining marinade and let sit at room temperature while beef and vegetables marinate.
- Remove beef from bag, pat dry with paper towels, and thread tightly onto three 12-inch metal skewers. Thread vegetables onto three 12-inch metal skewers in alternating pattern of zucchini and bell pepper.
4A. For a charcoal grill Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter mounded with charcoal briquettes (7 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over center of grill, leaving 2-inch gap between grill wall and charcoal. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes. 4B. For a gas grill Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn other burner(s) to medium-low. - Clean and oil cooking grate. Place beef kebabs on grill, directly over coals if using charcoal or over hotter side if using gas. Place vegetable kebabs on cooler part(s) of grill (near edge of coals if using charcoal). Cook (covered if using gas), turning kebabs every 3 to 4 minutes, until beef is well browned and registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 12 to 16 minutes. Transfer beef kebabs to serving platter and tent with aluminum foil. Continue to cook vegetable kebabs until tender and lightly charred, about 5 minutes.
- Remove beef and vegetables from skewers using fork. Serve, passing sauce separately.
GRILLED BEEF AND VEGETABLE KEBABS
Ingredients
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- ¾ teaspoon pepper
- 1½ pounds sirloin steak tips trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 zucchini 8 ounces each, halved lengthwise and sliced 1 inch thick
- 1 red bell pepper 8 ounces, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1½-inch pieces
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Whisk oil, garlic, thyme, lemon zest, salt, and pepper together in medium bowl. Combine beef and 2 tablespoons of marinade in 1- gallon zipper-lock bag and toss to coat; press out as much air as possible and seal bag. Toss zucchini and bell pepper with 2 tablespoons of marinade in second bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate beef and vegetables for 1 hour, flipping bag after 30 minutes.
- Stir parsley and lemon juice into remaining marinade and let sit at room temperature while beef and vegetables marinate.
- Remove beef from bag, pat dry with paper towels, and thread tightly onto three 12-inch metal skewers. Thread vegetables onto three 12-inch metal skewers in alternating pattern of zucchini and bell pepper.
- 4A. For a charcoal grill Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter mounded with charcoal briquettes (7 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over center of grill, leaving 2-inch gap between grill wall and charcoal. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes. 4B. For a gas grill Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn other burner(s) to medium-low.
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Place beef kebabs on grill, directly over coals if using charcoal or over hotter side if using gas. Place vegetable kebabs on cooler part(s) of grill (near edge of coals if using charcoal). Cook (covered if using gas), turning kebabs every 3 to 4 minutes, until beef is well browned and registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 12 to 16 minutes. Transfer beef kebabs to serving platter and tent with aluminum foil. Continue to cook vegetable kebabs until tender and lightly charred, about 5 minutes.
- Remove beef and vegetables from skewers using fork. Serve, passing sauce separately.