Tuna Kabobs on the Grill
Cary, NC – Here’s a recipe for tuna kabobs on the grill, a worthy change from burgers, dogs, steak and chicken.
Recipe: Tuna Kabobs on the Grill
Fish falls into two general categories: meaty and flaky.
Meaty fish includes tuna and salmon. They have a strong flavor, texture and color.
Flaky fish include cod, flounder and whitefish. The have a mild flavor and flake into pieces when cooked.
On the grill, only a meaty fish will do. For this recipe, I’ve used thick chunks of fresh tuna.
Ingredients
This recipe for tuna kabobs on the grill is for four adults.
- 1 1/2 pounds tuna steaks (not filets)
- Marinade: Soy sauce, lemon juice, pepper, fresh herbs
Cut the tuna steaks into cubes about 1″ square – slightly smaller than a golf ball. Pop the cubes in a ziplock bag and cover with the marinade. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours.
You can use anything you like for marinade. If you don’t fancy my soy-lemon-herbs mix, use Italian dressing.
Cooking Instructions
Heat up the grill and skewer the fish.
I’m not a fan of mixing different types of items on one skewer (i.e. fish, onions and peppers). They all cook for different amounts of time, so you invariably overcook or undercook something.
I recommend you segregate the fish onto its own skewer. I’ll deal with the side dishes in a moment.
Once the grill is ready, place the tuna kabobs over the heat. Turn the skewers every two or three minutes until the fish is cooked all around.
Don’t allow flare ups – move the fish away from any tongues of open flame.
This recipe for tuna kabobs take about 10-12 minutes to cook. Remember to keep turning and moving the skewers. You can usually see how pink the inside is between the individual pieces of tuna.
When the tuna is cooked, remove it from the skewers and serve on a platter with grilled vegetables.
Grilled Vegetables on the Side
This past weekend, I tried a Grilling Basket for my veggies. I’m a believer.
Cut the veggies into pieces about the size of your tuna kabobs. Use anything fresh from the farmer’s market – red peppers, baby bella mushrooms and zucchini are all good.
Prep the veggies by cutting them into pieces and marinade for 4 hours in the ‘fridge. Don’t marinate in the same ziplock as the fish. Italian dressing works fine or make something up.
When you cook the tuna kabobs, fill the grilling basket with your vegetables and place it on top of the grill. Every few minutes, use a spatula to turn the vegetables in the basket. Safety Note: use oven mitts if you want to grab the grilling basket. It will be hot as all perdition.
The grilled veggies take about the same amount of time as the fish kabobs. Serve it all on the same platter.
Big Pot of Rice
If you want a starch as a side dish, make up a big pot of rice. For decades, Coastal Carolina was the rice basket of the United States.
Keep it local with a cool white wine or a craft brewed summer ale.
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Recipe by Hal Goodtree. Tuna skewers photo by The Bitten Word. Grilling basket photo from Lowe’s. This story was first published on July 11, 2013.
