Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
I Finally Found Flat Blade Kebab Skewers That Stop Meat From Spinning
35
items You know that moment where you flip a skewer and the meat just stays put on one side while the skewer rotates underneath it? I spent three summers fighting that nonsense with round skewers before I overhauled my whole grilling setup. This list is for...
Sections
7
Flat Blade Skewers That Actually Grip the Meat
Skewer Racks That Keep Everything Off the Grate
Meat Prep Tools for Perfect Kebab Cuts
Marinades and Seasoning Mixes Worth Stocking
Grilling Accessories That Made Kebab Night Easier
Side Dish Tools That Complete a Kebab Spread
Flat Blade Skewers That Actually Grip the Meat
Round skewers were the bane of my existence. Every time I flipped, the chicken just spun in place and I'd end up with one charred side and one raw side. Flat blades fixed that problem overnight.
Grab these if you load your skewers heavy. The flat blade locks everything in place and the length means you can fit peppers, onions, and a solid eight chunks of chicken without crowding. Wish I had these three summers ago.
Goutime Kabob Skewers,Stainless Steel BBQ Grilling
Use these for weeknight grilling when you don't need the extra-long ones. They fit perfectly across my standard Weber grate. My neighbor borrowed a set and then ordered his own the next day, which tells you everything.
Flat BBQ Skewers Stainless Steel
Perfect for anyone feeding a crowd on a budget. Twelve skewers means you can prep a full batch without waiting for a second round. The flat edge keeps shrimp from doing that annoying spin move.
Cribun BBQ Stainless Steel Kabob Skewers,15" Reusable
Snag these if you're just dipping your toes in. Four skewers, solid build, no spinning. I started with these before going all-in on bigger sets. They've survived two years of abuse and still look fine.
Mr. Bar-B-Q 17" Inch Spiral Kabob Skewers Set of 4
Toss these in the dishwasher and they come out looking brand new. The width on these is slightly wider than most, which means even cubed lamb stays locked. For anyone who grills lamb, that alone is worth it.
6pcs BBQ Skewers Stainless Stell Barbecue Skewers Flat
Skewer Racks That Keep Everything Off the Grate
Laying skewers directly on the grill meant my veggies fell through and my meat stuck to the grate. A rack changed everything. Now the food only touches the skewer, and I rotate them without losing a single piece.
Keep this in your rotation if you hate cleaning stuck-on food from grill grates. The rack suspends everything above the heat so you get even airflow all around. My kebabs actually cook through evenly now.
UNICOOK Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Barbecue Skewer
Try this one for larger grills. It holds the skewers steady so you can rotate them one-handed while holding a beer in the other. That's not a joke, that's my actual Saturday afternoon.
OULII Smoker Hooks and Skewer Grill Rack Set
Pair this with flat skewers and you'll wonder why you ever grilled kebabs any other way. The rack keeps drippings from causing flare-ups, which means no more charred-outside-raw-inside disasters.
Kebab Skewer Rack Set. Anti Tip Skewer Holder Set. 2
Swap to this if you grill a lot of smaller veggies like cherry tomatoes or mushrooms. The basket catches anything that tries to escape. Before this, I lost at least three mushrooms per cookout to the coals below.
4 Prong Skewers
Get this for its simplicity. No fancy gimmicks, just a solid stainless rack that props skewers up. Folds flat for storage, which matters when your garage is already packed with grilling gear you swore you needed.
Camerons BBQ Non-Stick Skewer Rack Set
Meat Prep Tools for Perfect Kebab Cuts
Uneven chunks meant some pieces were done while others were still raw in the center. Once I started cutting more consistently, the difference was night and day. These tools made that way easier than eyeballing it.
Use this for breaking down larger cuts into even kebab cubes. The weight does most of the work so you're not sawing back and forth. Went from janky uneven pieces to restaurant-looking cubes in one session.
Henckels Statement 6-inch Meat Cleaver
Grab the whole set if your kitchen knives are embarrassing. The serrated utility knife in here is sneaky good for trimming fat off chicken thighs before skewering. Color-coded handles help avoid cross-contamination too.
Cuisinart, Kitchen Knife Set, 12-Piece
Ditch that knife block that collects crumbs and mystery gunk. This magnetic strip keeps everything visible and dry. Mounted mine next to the stove and now prep feels twice as fast because I'm not digging through a drawer.
Premium 10 Inch Stainless Steel Magnetic Knife Holder
Try this board if yours slides around on the counter while you're cutting. The rubber edges grip the surface so it stays put. Sounds small but when you're cubing two pounds of beef, stability matters a lot.
OXO Good Grips Utility Cutting Board
Keep one for raw meat, one for veggies, one for fruit. Color coding saved me from the paranoia of wondering if I just cross-contaminated my bell peppers. For anyone feeding kids at cookouts, this peace of mind is real.
GORILLA GRIP, Cutting Board, Oversized
Marinades and Seasoning Mixes Worth Stocking
Plain salt and pepper kebabs got boring fast. I went through a phase of buying fancy marinades that tasted like sugar water before landing on these. Now I rotate between them and nobody asks for steak instead anymore.
Toss this on beef cubes 30 minutes before grilling and you'll get that steakhouse crust without any effort. The 29-ounce container lasts forever. I've had mine since April and it's barely half gone.
McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning, 29 oz
Sprinkle this on chicken kebabs and watch people ask what restaurant you stole the recipe from. It's got garlic, herbs, and just enough salt. Works on literally everything but I hoard it for grilling season.
Kinder's, Seasoning, 6.25 oz, Salt Pepper Garlic blend
Pour this over lamb cubes in a ziplock bag overnight. By morning the flavor goes all the way through. Before I found this, my marinades only flavored the surface and the center tasted like nothing.
Lawry's Herb & Garlic With Lemon Marinade, 12 oz
Use this when you want a little heat without making anyone sweat. My wife doesn't do spicy but she eats chicken kebabs with this seasoning without complaint, which is the highest endorsement I can give.
Weber Kick'n Chicken Seasoning, Gluten Free, 5 oz
Swap to this if you want a vinegar-based marinade that tenderizes while it flavors. Cheaper cuts of beef come out way more tender after sitting in this for a few hours. Saved me from buying expensive cuts every time.
Stubb's Marinade Beef, 12 OZ (Pack of 6)
Grilling Accessories That Made Kebab Night Easier
Little things kept annoying me. Couldn't find my tongs, burned my hand reaching over the grill, lost track of which skewers were chicken vs beef. These accessories solved problems I didn't even know I could fix.
Get the 16-inch length so your knuckle hair survives the cookout. The locking mechanism means they actually stay closed in the drawer. My old tongs would spring open and knock everything around every time I opened it.
Oxo, Food Tongs, 12-inch, Locking Handle Stainless Steel
Keep marinated meat organized in the fridge without worrying about leaks. These seal tight enough that I can stack them. Before these, I had ziplock bags leaking marinade all over my fridge shelf. Never again.
Rubbermaid Brilliance 10-Piece Set, Leak-Proof and Clear
Stick this into a kebab chunk and you get a reading in three seconds. No more cutting into meat to check if it's done and losing all the juices. For anyone who's served undercooked chicken at a party, this is your redemption.
TempPro Digital Meat Thermometer TP19HW Waterproof
Wear these when pulling skewer racks off the grill. Regular oven mitts are too bulky and you lose grip. These give you actual finger dexterity so you can grab individual skewers without dropping them into the coals.
Grill Armor Extreme Heat Resistant Waterproof Oven Gloves
Toss your old brush if the bristles are falling out. This three-sided design cleans the grate fast and the bristles are thick enough that they don't shed. Nothing ruins a cookout faster than finding a wire bristle in your food.
Weber 6494 12-Inch 3-Sided Grill Brush
Side Dish Tools That Complete a Kebab Spread
Nobody talks about the sides but they make or break the meal. I used to just throw some store-bought hummus in a bowl and call it done. Now I actually make sides that people remember, and these tools are why.
Blend hummus, tzatziki base, or chimichurri in under a minute. Before this, I was mashing chickpeas with a fork like some kind of caveman. The 9-cup size handles a big batch for parties without needing to do multiple rounds.
Ninja Professional BN601 - Food processor - 9 cup - 850 W
Use this on the grill to warm pita bread with a little butter. Sounds extra but warm buttered pita next to kebabs will make your guests think you went to culinary school. Takes two minutes and the payoff is huge.
Lodge, Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet, 10.25 inch, Black
Prep your sides ahead of time and store them in these. Glass doesn't absorb garlic smell like plastic does. Learned that lesson after my plastic containers permanently smelled like tzatziki for three months straight.
Pyrex Glass Storage Set 10-Piece Tinted Round
Dry your lettuce and herbs fast for tabbouleh or fattoush. Wet herbs dilute the dressing and make everything soggy. Takes 30 seconds and the difference in the final salad is honestly embarrassing compared to how easy it is.
OXO Good Grips Large Salad Spinner - 6.22 Qt., White
Toss your marinades, mix your salads, serve your sides. These bowls do triple duty and nest together so they take up almost no cabinet space. For anyone in an apartment with a tiny kitchen, these are a lifesaver.
Cuisinart CTG-00-SMB Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
Cleanup Gear So You're Not Scrubbing Until Midnight
The worst part of grilling is the aftermath. Greasy grates, sticky marinade bowls, ash everywhere. I used to dread cleanup so much it almost made me stop grilling. These made it fast enough that I actually don't mind anymore.
Spray this on your grill grate after it cools and the baked-on crud loosens up in minutes. Before finding this, I was out there with steel wool for 20 minutes cursing under my breath. Total time saver.
Goo Gone Grill & Grate Cleaner and Degreaser, 24 fl. oz.
Use the firm side on cold marinade bowls and it cuts through dried-on sauce without scratching. These last way longer than regular sponges. I go through maybe one a month even with heavy grilling season use.
Scrub Daddy, Scrub Sponges, Multipurpose, Colorful
Spray this directly on greasy tongs and skewers and let it sit for five minutes. When you come back, everything rinses clean with barely any scrubbing. Whoever invented this deserves a statue in every backyard griller's yard.
Dawn, Powerwash Spray, 16 Fl Oz
Wipe down your outdoor table and prep surfaces after the cookout. Cuts through grease and marinade spills without leaving a chemical smell. Safe enough that I don't worry about it being near food surfaces the next day.
Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner Concentrate 32 fl oz
Ditch paper towels for cleanup. These absorb way more and you just wash them after. Went through half a roll of paper towels every cookout before switching. Twelve in a pack means you always have a clean one ready.
S&T INC., Microfiber Cleaning Cloths, 5 Pack, 12 in. x 12 in.