Indoor Meat Sticks

No grill, no problem. These skewers bring all the smoky-sweet appeal of beef kebabs to the broiler, so you can make them in the dead of winter without stepping outside.

Cubes of sirloin beef soak for a few hours in a sesame-soy marinade sharpened with lemon, sweetened with brown sugar, and toasted with sesame seeds, a riff on the flavors of Korean bulgogi.

Here’s a tip baked into the recipe itself: thread the meat and vegetables onto separate skewers. Beef and vegetables cook at different rates, so keeping them apart means the mushrooms, zucchini, peppers, and pearl onions don’t turn to mush while the beef gets its char.

Broiling close to the heat and brushing with marinade as you turn the skewers gives you caramelized edges and juicy centers. The beef needs about 10 minutes, the vegetables only 5.

Chef Tips

• Skewer the meat and vegetables separately, as the recipe directs, so each cooks to its ideal doneness.
• Soak wooden skewers in water first so they don’t scorch under the broiler.
• Don’t over-marinate; a few hours is plenty, and the sugary marinade can burn, so watch it closely while broiling.

Variations

• Swap the soy for tamari to keep the kebabs gluten-free, as the recipe notes.
• Add cherry tomatoes, bell pepper chunks, or pineapple to the vegetable skewers.
• Serve over rice with the warmed marinade spooned on, or tuck into pita with a yogurt sauce.