Memorial Day is the perfect time to gather and enjoy a great meal. This year, why not think outside of the bun? Fire up the grill and cook up delicious shish kebabs from your local Strack & Van Til store.

The Meat & Seafood Department has a wide variety of freshly skewered shish kebabs each with your choice of protein, plus onions and bell peppers. Just add marinade and spices and let your grill do the rest.

“If you want to save time, many of our Strack & Van Til stores have a grill in the Seafood Department and can grill your shish kebabs for you,” says Meat & Seafood Department Director Gary Teachman.

Meat lovers’ favorites include high quality Certified Angus Beef center-cut top butt; hand-trimmed, fresh natural chicken; or succulent Smithfield Prime pork tenderloin shish kebabs. If you favor fish or seafood, try shrimp, farm-raised Atlantic salmon or tuna shish kebabs. You’ll also find pre-marinated or pre-seasoned kebabs in an array of tasty flavors.

Did you know that skewered cheese on the grill makes a mouthwatering appetizer kebab? Simply add a few ingredients such as those in the following recipe and experience cheese nirvana.

Shullsburg Brun-Uusto Cheese is from a small family-owned and operated cheese factory in southwest Wisconsin and is available at your local Strack & Van Til store. Brun-Uusto is a juustoleipa style bread cheese that is perfect on the grill because of its high melting point. Warming the cheese doesn’t melt it; it softens it slightly, turning the cheese silky and smooth.

Grilled Smoked Bacon Cheese Skewers

Prep time: 5 minutes    Cooking time: 4 minutes    Additional time: 10 minutes    Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

16 ounces Brun-Uusto (baked cheese with smoked bacon)

2 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

10 metal or bamboo skewers

Directions

If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 10 minutes before threading to prevent them from burning on the grill.

Preheat the grill to medium heat.

Slice cheese into 1-inch wide strips for skewering. Thread cheese into the soaked skewers so the skewer is in the middle of the cheese. Brush the cheese with olive oil and season with pepper and a light amount of salt. Be careful, as grilling cheeses are often salty.

Carefully place the skewers on the grill. Grill the first side until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Then, carefully flip them to grill on the second side, about 1 more minute. Continue turning them until all sides are browned and gently crisped.

Serve immediately with your favorite bread and oil dipping sauce.

Makes 10 servings.

 

Grilled Caprese Kebabs

Prep time: 5 minutes  Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

20 grape tomatoes

Brun-Uusto (pizza-style baked cheese), cut into 20 1×1-inch squares

30 fresh basil leaves

10 metal or bamboo skewers

Olive oil

Kosher salt and black pepper

Balsamic glaze (thick)

 

If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 10 minutes before threading to prevent them from burning on the grill.

Alternately thread 2 tomatoes, 2 pieces of Brun-Uusto pizza-style cheese and 3 basil leaves on each skewer. Drizzle the kebabs with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Set grill to high heat. Place a sheet of tin foil directly on the grill and lay the kebabs on the foil.

Cook each side for about 2 to 3 minutes until tomatoes are softened and slightly charred and the cheese is melting.

Serve kebabs immediately drizzled with balsamic glaze. Serve with your favorite soft bread or on their own.

Makes 6 servings.