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Krazy For Kabobs
Celebrate Labor Day with Labor-free Grilling
It's ironic that
a summer holiday like Labor Day often means more labor for the family
cook. This year, a meal of easy-to-make kabobs will leave time to
relax and join in the celebration.
From Indonesian
satay to Italian spiedini, kabobs have exploded in
popularity. Why? Maybe it's because the combination of flavorful
spices and grilling appeal to our new way of eating. Maybe it's
because a kabob is bite-size and fun to eat. Or maybe we all just
like eating off a stick!
For your kabob
cookout, treat your family to a change of pace with great-tasting
pork tenderloin. Pork tenderloin is one of the leanest pork cuts
available and is easy to cut into cubes. "Pork tenderloin is
a great choice for a kabob party because it is so tender and versatile,"
says Ceci Snyder, M.S., R.D., Director of Nutrition Communications
for the Pork Information Bureau for the National Pork Board. "It's
easy to cut into bite-size cubes or strips and works well with a
variety of flavors. I like to skewer the kabobs beforehand and let
my guests choose from a variety of marinades and sauces."
Kabob Combinations
Because of its versatility, the pork tenderloin kabob is the backyard
version of "one-pot" cooking. For example, cubes of pork,
chunks of corn on the cob and new potatoes can all be skewered and
grilled. "Kabobs are simple to grill because the food is secured
on a skewer and won't fall through the cooking grate," says
Snyder. "You can use almost anything in the kitchen, mixing
and matching flavors to design kabobs with alternating colors and
types of food."
Snyder suggests
the following combinations to spice up the grill this Labor Day:
Italian
- Create Italian Spiedini skewers with pork tenderloin marinated
in olive oil, lemonjuice and herbs. Red bell pepper and onion
kabobs are the perfect foil for the pork.  Serve
on Italian bread.
Indonesian
- Indonesian satay is a skewer of high repute. Thread strips
of pork tenderloin on bamboo skewers, marinate in peanut sauce
and grill quickly. Rice and a cucumber and yogurt salad complement.
South
American - The Argentine version of pesto is called chimichurri,
which combines flat-leaf parsley, olive oil, garlic and red pepper
flakes. Marinate cubed pork tenderloin in chimichurri for an hour
or two before cooking, then skewer and grill. Vegetable skewers
of precooked sweet potato and poblano pepper chunks complete the
menu with black beans and rice.
Chinese
- Grill pork kabobs marinated in Chinese-style barbecue sauce
alongside kabobs of pineapple, green peppers and scallions; serve
with Asian noodles for a Pacific Rim meal.
Easy Eating
To make kabobs easier to grill and eat, try the following steps:
If using
bamboo skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes to prevent charring
on the grill.
Cut pork
tenderloin into 3/4-to 1-inch cubes for even cooking.
Cook over
direct, medium-hot fire. Watch closely and turn frequently to
prevent burning.
Meat kabobs
may take less time to cook than vegetable and fruit kabobs. Plan
cooking times accordingly. Keep cooked kabobs warm on grill rack
opposite fire.
About the
Author...
For more information
on the basics of grilling pork and for easy-to-prepare recipes,
visit the National Pork Board's web site: TheOtherWhiteMeat.com.
More
Web Sites of Interest:
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Barbecue Recipes
~ Barbecue
Grill Recipes
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