Scrumptious Beef Skewers

Summer time grilling is now upon us!!! Yay! Having grown up in the Philippines, in a tiny island called Marinduque - you can imagine how much I love the sun and the warm sunny weather! :-) The funny thing is that I didn't even realize this truth until I lived here in the USA (Michigan) and in the UK previously.

We Filipinos take for granted sunny warm days - after all we have it practically 300 days out of 365 (and perhaps more!). But once you live abroad, especially in a place where you have the 4 seasons - you don't often see or feel the sun, sadly. Where I am - winter can last up to six months - yes, that long and while there may be sunny days in winter - they are few and far between. :-( In fairness though summer time is glorious in Michigan and, pretty much, you have the sun daily during the summer months! And that always bring a bright smile to my face, naturally. :-) And yes, when I am here I don't hide from the sun or take out my umbrella to avoid it - as we usually do in the Philippines. Armed with some sunscreen, I do bask in its glory!!!

Anyway, on the topic of grilling, I have long been wanting to make this beef skewers which I have tried and enjoyed in some Mediterranean restaurants in our area. I particularly love the Beef and Chicken Skewers from Parsley, a local restaurant in Grand Rapids. I always hoped I'd be able to replicate what they do or at least something close to it. So I finally made them. Even after the first try, I truly loved them and my husband did too - he had about 4! :-) They shrunk during my first attempt so they weren't terribly big so after that I made sure that they are a little longer so they don't become too short after grilling. The photo below shows the second trial, they look much better already. Nonetheless, shrunken or not these beef skewers are moist, tasty and delicious! Enjoy a few these this Memorial Day Weekend!

 

Ingredients

1 lb Fresh Ground Beef* (or Turkey)

1 Medium Onion, finely chopped

3 Tablespoons, fresh Cilantro, chopped

3 Tablespoons, fresh Parsley, chopped 

1 Teaspoon, Chili Powder (mild or spicy)

1 Teaspoon, Ground Coriander

A little oil for brushing

Salt and Pepper, to taste (about 1 teaspoon for salt and 1/2 for ground pepper)

*If using beef, get the one with a little fat so the meat retains its tenderness and moistness while grilling. It won't dry up, if it has some fat.

Procedure 

If you are using wooden skewers, soak them first in water for about 30 minutes to prevent burning while grilling. I used the metallic ones.

Place the ground meat, onion, herbs, spices and seasoning in a large bowl and gently combine.  Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until everything is mixed and cohesive. You may have to do this in batches if you have a small processor.

Preheat a ridged grilled pan (or whichever grill you want to use) over medium to high heat. Brush the grills with a little oil.

Divide the mixture into 10-12 portions. Using wet hands, shape each meat mixture into sausage links around the skewer. The meat may shrink while grilling so adjust the length accordingly.  

Place the skewers on the grill, turning occasionally, for about 10-12 minutes or until nicely browned on all sides and fully cooked through. Serve with rice and some salad greens and cucumber yogurt sauce!  Enjoy! :-)

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