Nothing says easy summer grilling quite like burgers, brats and hot dogs. But after the 4th of July festivities and the season’s first family cookouts, if you’re like me, you’re ready to think outside the bun. This weekend, we hosted a 2nd birthday party for our son and I hit Heinen’s Fine Foods in search of something different, delicious and simple to grill. One look at the meat counter and the ready-made kabobs had me at hello.
You need look no further than the produce and meat departments at Heinen’s to go kabob crazy this summer. Grab a cart, some skewers and get ready to throw a few marinades into the mix for your next BBQ featuring everything on a stick! Whether you want to pick and prep your own kabob ingredients or would prefer to buy them pre-made, Heinen’s has you covered with seasonal vegetables, tender lean meats, marinades and more that will surprise and delight with every bite.
When we sat down to eat our kabobs this Saturday, they were remarkably delicious for two reasons, the cooking and the quality:
Kabob Cooking
My husband earned some major kabob kudos for his grill mastery, thanks to a tip from Heinen’s Barrington Chef Tim Stadnik who says, when it comes to cooking kabobs, “low and slow” is the secret. “You just want to cook them a little bit lower and a little bit longer than trying to cook them fast because you don’t want to burn the outside and not have the inside cooked, especially with chicken.”
Kabob Quality
You really can taste the difference in the quality of Heinen’s produce and offering the highest quality meats is their legacy.
The company’s roots date back to 1929, when founder Joe Heinen opened a butcher shop that earned a reputation for offering the very best meats in Cleveland, Ohio and beyond.
Today, Tom & Jeff Heinen continue their grandfather’s tradition by offering the very best meats you’ll find at all of the company’s stores.
As a result, serving Heinen’s meats and veggies together on a stick packs a flavorful punch that’s perfectly packaged for easy summer entertaining.
We served a mix of Heinen’s chicken and beef kabobs to our guests on Saturday, but they offer a great selection of kabobs made with seafood and other meats to add variety to any party, like sweet or hot Italian sausage kabobs, pork kabobs and lamb kabobs.
We asked Heinen’s Meat Merchandiser, Eric Besselman, if he has a favorite. “I like the turkey kabob we have that has red peppers, turkey breast and some onions. It’s simple, but it’s fantastic!”
“And you can’t go wrong with our prepared satés. It’s marinated meat that’s woven into a skewer. They are quick to cook and eat right off a stick and so much fun for kids.”
You can take home Heinen’s pre-made satés and meat kabobs with our without marinades.
Their marinades include your choice of teriyaki, sun dried tomato, chili lime, Jamaican jerk or a black bean garlic marinade that I hear is amazing.
The expert in Heinen’s seafood department, Marty Gaul, has a few recommendations of her own for kabob combinations. “A wonderful combo is salmon and scallops on a kabob. the flavors of the two fish really complement each other. Scallops and shrimp also make a great shellfish kabob.”
“You could do a Luau Kabob with swordfish and shrimp or tuna with pineapple, onion, maraschino cherries or other seasonal fruits like stone fruits, peaches or nectarines, which are terrific on the grill because the sweetness of the fruit is a great complement to the fish.”
And if you really want to go kabob crazy, Chef Tim Stadnik shared two fun ideas. “I like to make Chocolate S’mores kabobs with marshmallows that you dip in fondue so you can do whatever you want with the toppings and have fun with a lot of different things.” He also says grilled kabobs prepared with pound cake and/or fruits are a refreshing twist and a simple summer dessert.
If you’d like to throw a kabob party but don’t have time for the prep work, just call the meat department and Heinen’s will prepare your kabobs with the ingredients of your choosing. Now that’s what I call easy!
To read parts 1 and 2 of our 3 part series about Heinen’s Summer Grilling, visit these two links…
2 Foods to Boost Your Backyard BBQ and Dinner in Minutes for Your Family.
Heinen’s Fine Foods is located at the Shops at Flint Creek, 500 N. Hough Street, in Barrington, Illinois. They’re now open from 8:00 a.m. To 8:30 p.m., 7 days a week. Click HERE to follow them on Facebook or find them online at HeinensBarrington.com.
