Grilled Rosemary Steak Kabobs

Grilled Rosemary Steak Kabobs are tender beef sirloin simply marinated with garlic and red wine then grilled to perfection on rosemary skewers. 

Disclosure: I was financially compensated for this post. As a former beef farmer’s daughter I’ve got my own opinions about Canadian Beef and I am pleased to be able to share them with you.

Thank you Canadian Beef for sponsoring this post, for bringing our family together one more time, and for supporting our Canadian beef farmers.

Celebrate summer grilling season with a wide range of easy recipes here on the blog. Do you love sweet and savoury Teriyaki marinated beef or fiery Thai Style Chicken Satay? Both make excellent summer dinners your family will love al fresco style.

Grilled Rosemary Steak Kabobs

Looking for a low effort full flavour beef kabobs recipe? These Rosemary Steak Kabobs combine top quality sirloin steaks with simple marinade ingredients. The result is a mouthwatering tender, juicy steak accented with just a hint of rosemary.

Best of all, you don’t have to have any special grilling equipment (like metal skewers). The marinated steak is threaded right onto hardy branches of rosemary before it is grilled. The branches make great skewers while also imparting a lovely herb flavour to the steak as it grills.

How to Choose Beef for Steak Kabobs

Alberta is spoiled for choice when it comes to beef. Local ranches take pride in how they raise beef for our consumption. As a general rule, cattle from small producers are raised on sprawling grasslands, then finished on grain.

I bought the baseball cut top sirloin steak from a local butcher. Buying direct from a local butcher ensures that you know exactly where and how the beef was raised.

So, which cuts of steak make the best beef kabobs? The most common cut used for kabobs is from the sirloin. Whether it’s top sirloin or not, it’s popular because it’s budget friendly and doesn’t need a lot of marinating time.

Other cuts that work well are the Flat Iron (cut from the top blade area), New York Strip Steak, or Tenderloin. All of these cuts can shine simply seasoned with salt and pepper, or with a light marinade.

What is a Baseball Cut Steak?

Baseball Cut Sirloin or Baseball Steak is a cut of meat that comes from the top portion of the top sirloin. It is round and looks a little like a filet mignon, though it is much larger in size.

Typically a Baseball Cut steak has a round shape and is at least two inches in thickness with bulging sides. The side bulge tends to become more pronounced as it is grilled, so much so that it resembles a baseball.

How to Make Rosemary Steak Kabobs

The Marinade

The marinade is so unbelievably simple: just red wine and garlic with a bit of salt and pepper. It really is the easiest marinade ever and I use it to marinate less expensive cuts of steak all the time.

Since top sirloin doesn’t need a lot of marinating time in order to be juicy and tender, this marinade acts as mainly a flavour enhancer.

To begin, cut the steak into uniform 1 – 1 1/2 inch pieces. Mix the finely chopped garlic and wine together in a large bowl, then add the beef. Ensure the beef is covered with marinade.

Cover and marinate in the fridge for 4-5 hours.

Assembling Steak Kabobs

Try to select sturdy rosemary branches to use for the steak skewers. They must be pliable enough to thread the steak on easily while also holding up to high heat during grilling.

To make threading the meat onto the branch easier, I suggest you use a metal or wooden skewer to create a small hole first. Then, begin to thread the beef onto the cut end.

Place 4-5 pieces of beef on each skewer then place on a waiting baking sheet. If you like steak and veggies, feel free to thread on some peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes, or red bell peppers. Be sure to cut the meat and veggies the same size for even cooking.

How to Grill Rosemary Steak Kabobs

Preheat the grill to medium-high, around 400 F. Place the kabobs on the hot grill and allow them to sit for 5 minutes before turning. If you have a hot spot you may have to move them around earlier.

Turn the kabobs and grill for another 5 minutes (for 1 inch pieces of meat) or longer for larger cuts. The steak is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 F.

Remove the steak kabobs from the grill and place them on the serving platter. Allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

How to Serve Rosemary Beef Kabobs

As you can probably tell from the photos, these kabobs were a great hit at our family barbecue. We served them with a splash of grilled lemon juice, some salty olives, duck fat and rosemary roasted potatoes, and a classic Greek Horiatiki Salad.

Sometimes it’s nice just to have meat and veggies, so I suggest the following salads to complete your meal:

• Carrot Salad with Sesame Maple Vinaigrette
• Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad
• Shaved Asparagus Salad with Burrata
• Mushroom Barley Salad
• Smoked Cherry Grilled Radicchio Salad

The leftovers will keep for a few days in the fridge and they make great steak sandwiches or the perfect topping for a steak salad.

I love to slice them up and have them on top of Chilaquiles or in a delicious Steak and Egg Taco.