Bourbon Steak Kabobs
These Bourbon Steak Kabobs feature marinated sirloin steak, mushrooms and red onions on skewers. The grilled flavor of these kabobs is fantastic!
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Throughout the winter months, we usually resort to cooking inside. I mean I’m not beyond shoveling a path through the snow to the smoker outside – but it’s not high on my list. Instead, we go with lots of soups, stews and indoor comfort food.
I pull out the cast iron skillet quite a bit in the colder months, and these Bourbon Marinated Steak Tips are a favorite in our house. So much flavor! However, now that we’re in the summer grilling season, I typically cook our meals on the grill. That’s how these Bourbon Steak Kabobs came to be – the bourbon steak tips, but transformed into kabobs so I can cook ’em on the grill.
Bourbon Steak Kabobs
Those steak tips have a ton of flavor when cooked in the cast iron skillet. However, once you add the smokiness from the grill, these steak tips taste even better!
For the kabobs, I kept it pretty simple. I sliced up a large red onion into thick slices and skewered those along with whole mushrooms. Nothing fancy – just easy and delicious. Just preheat the grill while you assemble the kabobs. Toss those skewers on the grill, wait 10 minutes, and get ready for a delicious meal!
I did add one little twist to this recipe compared to the version I make in the cast iron skillet. This time, I saved ~½ of the marinade and brushed it on the kabobs while they were grilling. To ensure food safety, just divide the marinade into 2 bowls right at the beginning. 1 part is used to marinate the steak tips and the other part is used as a basting sauce. Make sure to discard the portion of the marinade that touched raw meat.
What type of bourbon should you use?
As I’ve noted before, Laura and I are big fans of bourbon, rye and American whiskey in general. Our collection has continued to grow…and grow…and grow. For these Bourbon Steak Kabobs, I don’t recommend reaching for that rare unicorn bottle. I also don’t recommend reaching for the bottom shelf stuff. A solid bourbon like Maker’s Mark, Jack Daniels or Jim Beam would work well in this recipe. And then go pour yourself a glass to sip on while these kabobs are on the grill!
What should you serve with these steak kabobs?
These Bourbon Steak Kabobs can be served straight from the grill – skewers and all! For side dishes, I would recommend a simple salad or roasted veggies. (We served these with some roasted broccoli florets.) This Panzanella Salad would be great next to the skewers. Or if you want to get fancy, whip up a batch of this Grilled Jalapeno Cornbread! If fresh corn is in season, then a batch of these Creamed Corn with Bacon would be a good choice, too.
No matter what side dish you choose, I hope you enjoy these Bourbon Steak Kabobs as much as we do! These have become a staple in our summer grilling routine. Happy grilling!
Did you make a batch of these Bourbon Steak Kabobs at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Bourbon Steak Kabobs
Ingredients
For the Marinade
- ⅓ cup bourbon
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup barbecue sauce
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
For the Kabobs
- 8 wooden skewers
- 2 pounds sirloin steak cut into 1½” cubes
- 10 oz. button mushrooms
- 1 large red onion sliced into 1” pieces
- freshly chopped parsley for garnishing
Instructions
For the Marinade
- Using a large bowl, whisk together all marinade ingredients.
- Place steak tips in a large ziptop plastic bag. Pour half of the marinade into the bag; turning steak tips several times to ensure they are well coated. Close bag, squeezing out all air as you close it. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours.
- Cover remaining half of the marinade and refrigerate. (Note: This will be used to brush on kabobs after grilling.)
For the Kabobs
- Soak wooden skewers in a bowl of water for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat grill to medium-high (~375°F) heat. (Note: Remove the extra marinade from the refrigerator at this point so that it isn’t cold when you brush it on kabobs.)
- Remove steak from bag and discard any excess marinade that touched the raw meat.
- Thread steak, mushrooms and onions onto kabobs. Spray kabobs with nonstick baking spray before placing them on the grill.
- Grill kabobs for 8-10 minutes, rotating occasionally.
- Place kabobs on a plate and brush with the remaining marinade mixture before serving.
- Garnish the top of the kabobs with freshly chopped parsley.
Looking for more tasty kabob recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
cant wait to make this soon for me for the marinade can i use coconut aminos and for the kabobs can i use tofu and skip bourbon as i dont use alcohol i never had bourbon steak kabobs before perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
I can’t speak to the tofu + coconut aminos here, Ramya – but I say give it a try! Even if it’s different than the original recipe, the point of this site is to inspire you to cook delicious meals. Let me know if you try it out!
Those look really good. Great marinade ingredients, except for the bourbon. Just kidding. I just can’t drink that stuff straight!
Haha – I’ll drink your bourbon for you, Mimi. 🙂 But, seriously, bourbon makes for a fantastic marinade + grilling sauce!
I’m not really a Bourbon person (That’s okay, some people like Bourbon, some lavender, right?) unless it’s a part of recipe. So this is absolutely right up my alley, and I am actually wondering why didn’t I think of incorporating some strong spirit in a marinade for our grilled meat. Great idea, and the skewers look terrific. Perfect caramelization and browning!
Haha – this is true, Ben! I get that bourbon is an acquired taste to drink straight. However, I do recommend trying it as a marinade for steak – it’s pretty fantastic! I could see you coming up with some fun ideas using spirits and marinades, too!
This marinade sounds fantastic David! I need to try this on tofu. 😋. Totally with you on keeping kebab veggies simple. Red onion is the one essential in my book. This is the perfect summer grilling recipe!
You really should try it on tofu, Shannon – I bet it would soak in the flavor quite well (especially if you use half of the marinade as a grilling/basting sauce)! Oh, and I do love grilled red onions. A big hunk of red onion on the grill is awesome – I love chopping it up and putting it into a quesadilla!
yep these would go down well right now david.! great flavours.
Thanks, Sherry! Bourbon as a marinade + grilling sauce is pretty fun. 🙂
Nothing better than grilling up something delicious during the hot days of summer. These look so full of flavor. Perfect for dinner!
I hear ya, Kathy – we’ve got the grill unpacked here in Asheville, and we’ve been firing it up every night! (I made these kabobs back in NY before we moved, but I’m planning on making them again soon!)
We love to grill in the summer time and this sounds delicious. Sounds like a good Memorial Day cookout dish!
I hear ya, Deborah! Summer + grilling just go hand-in-hand. 🙂 I love the bourbon marinade here, and using part of that marinade as a grilling/basting sauce really elevates the flavor. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
David! Man, do these kabobs look good. I can only imagine what that bourbon marinade does for them!
SO much flavor in that bourbon, Jeff – and if you add to the meat? It does wonders!
It’s been a while since I’ve had kabobs, so thanks for the reminder! Adding bourbon to the steak marinade sounds amazing!
Kabobs are one of our favorite summer meals! They’re easy to make, and you can have fun with what you thread on ’em. Plus, you can get creative with the marinades for the meats – in this case, bourbon! 🙂
oooh these kabobs look SO juicy and flavorful, David! Love the extra depth of flavor from the bourbon!
That bourbon marinade + basting sauce is truly delicious – give it a try, Marissa! 🙂
Wow! those things look perfectly grilled, looks juicy too. Yum
Thanks so much, Raymund – this recipe truly is great for summer grilling season!
We do occasionally grill in the winter months (and it’s quite an event), but nothing quite like summertime grilling. And I love how easy cleanup is! These bourbon steak kabobs look flavour packed and I’m sure they’d disappear fast. I bet that marinade would make just about anything taste fantastic!!
I hear ya, Dawn – I’ve grilled in the winter before, too, but shoveling a path through a foot of snow to the grill just puts a damper on things! I’m thinking our move to Asheville will allow me to get out there a bit more during those early months of the year. I just have to watch out for hungry bears! Haha. Happy grilling, my friend!