Skewers on the grill

Skewers are the heart of the Israeli mangal, the backyard grill: chicken cubes in a marinade, beef and lamb kebab pressed onto a flat skewer, and chicken livers seared fast over blazing coals. The secret is not only the marinade but the fire: coals gone white, two heat zones, and skewers left alone until they brown.

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Dairy freeGluten freeMeat

Updated

SkewersIllustration
Time1 h 35 minCook 45 min · + Soak 2 h
Amount8 portions2.1 kg
Per portion612 kcal45.8 g protein · a 260 g portion
Cost of the pot₪116for the pot, about ₪15 a bowl

The story of Skewers

Grilling meat on a skewer over embers is one of the oldest ways to cook meat, and in Turkey, Iran and Central Asia it became an art. The Turkish word şiş, skewer, gave shish kebab, and Russian borrowed shashlik from the Tatars. Every region has its own skewer: Persian koobideh of minced meat on a wide skewer, fiery Turkish Adana, the lamb shashlik of Bukhara and Uzbekistan, and Iraqi tikka of meat cubes.

In Israel skewers are part of the identity: the Independence Day barbecue in the parks, the smell of charcoal in every neighbourhood on Friday afternoon, and Mizrahi skewer houses that cover the table with little salads, hot pitas and hummus before the meat arrives. Immigrants from Iraq, Kurdistan, Bukhara and Iran each brought their own skewer, and next to chicken and kebab the Israeli grill took in chicken livers, hearts and boneless thighs.

What makes Skewers itself

The Israeli skewer is a spread, not a single dish. On one grill you cook chicken, which needs medium heat and time; kebab, which needs high heat and a flat skewer to hold it; and liver, which needs blazing heat and a few minutes. So you work with two zones: dense coals on one side for searing and a thin layer on the other for finishing. In a kosher kitchen the liver has a special role too: it can only be koshered by broiling over an open flame, so the grill is its natural home.

Skewers for any number of people

Change the number of people and the portion size, and every ingredient updates in grams, with the cost, calories and protein per portion.

Portion size
Units
2.1kg of food
3Pot to use, litres
₪116Cost of the pot
₪15per portion
612kcal per portion
45.8g protein per portion
IngredientAmountCost
Chicken skewers
Boneless chicken thighs, in 3 cm cubes1.2 kg · 12 pcs₪42
Olive oil40 g₪2.1
Fresh lemon juice30 g₪0.6
Onion, grated100 g · 1 pcs₪0.6
Garlic cloves, crushed12 g · 4 pcs₪0.4
Sweet paprika6 g₪0.5
Ground cumin3 g₪0.3
Salt8 g₪0.0
Ground black pepper2 g₪0.3
Kebab skewers
Ground beef, about 20% fat600 g₪27
Ground lamb200 g₪22
Onion, grated and squeezed dry120 g · 1 pcs₪0.7
Parsley, finely chopped30 g₪1.5
Garlic cloves, crushed8 g · 2 pcs₪0.3
Baharat4 g₪0.5
Ground cumin2 g₪0.2
Salt8 g₪0.0
Ground black pepper2 g₪0.3
Liver skewers
Chicken livers, trimmed500 g₪15
Red onion, quartered150 g · 1 pcs₪1.2
Olive oil, for brushing10 g₪0.5
Coarse salt6 g₪0.0
Ground black pepper1 g₪0.1
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Shelf prices at a large Israeli chain and specialty shops, October 2026. Nutrition from the ingredients in grams, before cooking.

How many calories in Skewers? Nutrition facts and calorie calculator

Change the amount of any ingredient, drop one, or pick a lighter version, and the numbers per serving update at once: calories, fat, carbs, protein, sodium and fibre.

Skewers has 235 calories per 100 g. A 260 g serving made with our recipe has 612 calories: 45.8 g protein, 43.3 g fat and 6.2 g carbohydrates.

Lighter

Ingredients, for the whole recipe

  • 12 pcs233 kcal per serving
  • 40 ml41 kcal per serving
  • 30 ml1 kcal per serving
  • 1 pcs5 kcal per serving
  • 4 pcs2 kcal per serving
  • 6 g2 kcal per serving
  • 3 g1 kcal per serving
  • 8 g0 kcal per serving
  • 2 g1 kcal per serving
  • 600 g185 kcal per serving
  • 200 g40 kcal per serving
  • 1 pcs6 kcal per serving
  • 30 g1 kcal per serving
  • 2 pcs1 kcal per serving
  • 4 g0 kcal per serving
  • 2 g1 kcal per serving
  • 8 g0 kcal per serving
  • 2 g1 kcal per serving
  • 500 g73 kcal per serving
  • 1 pcs8 kcal per serving
  • 10 ml10 kcal per serving
  • 6 g0 kcal per serving
  • 1 g0 kcal per serving

What each add-on adds to Skewers

Values for the amount in the row, from the national food database.

Add-onCaloriesProtein, gFat, g
A tablespoon of oil122013.8
Chicken breast, 100 g raw12022.52.6
Chicken thigh, 100 g raw12119.74.1

How to make Skewers

In cook mode the screen stays on, tap a step when it is done, and the timers run next to each step.
  1. Chicken: in a bowl mix the oil, lemon, grated onion, garlic, spices and salt, add the chicken cubes and refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours.
  2. Kebab: squeeze the grated onion in a clean towel until almost dry. Mix with the meat, parsley, garlic, spices and salt and knead for 3 minutes until the mixture is sticky and stretchy. Chill for half an hour.
  3. With wet hands press 80 g of kebab around each flat skewer into a long sausage 2.5 cm thick. You get about 12 skewers; keep them cold until grilling.
  4. Thread 5 to 6 chicken cubes onto each skewer, snug but not packed, about 10 skewers. Thread the livers alternately with red onion quarters, about 6 skewers. Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes first.
  5. Light the charcoal in a chimney starter and wait 20 to 30 minutes, until every piece is covered in white ash. Spread a dense layer over half the grill and a thin layer over the other half, heat the grate for 5 minutes, then clean and oil it.
  6. Check the heat by hand: hold your palm 10 cm above the grate. 2 to 3 seconds is high heat, 4 to 5 seconds is medium.
  7. Liver: brush with oil and grill first, on the hot side, 2 to 3 minutes per side, until brown outside with no pink blood inside. Sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper.
  8. Kebab: 6 to 8 minutes on the hot side, turning every two minutes, and do not touch them for the first minute so the meat sets on the skewer. Take off at 71°C in the centre.
  9. Chicken: 2 minutes per side on the hot side to brown, then 6 to 8 minutes on the medium side, until at least 74°C in the centre of the thickest cube.
  10. Move to a tray, cover with pitas or foil and rest for 3 minutes before serving.

The science of Skewers

Kitchen science

Why skewers need two heat zones

Hot coals radiate intense heat that browns the surface quickly through the Maillard reaction, but heat moves inward slowly, by conduction. A thick chicken cube over high heat alone chars outside before the centre reaches 74°C. Browning on the hot side and finishing on the gentle side gives both a crust and a cooked centre.

Kitchen science

Why kebab stays on the skewer

Salt dissolves some of the muscle protein myosin onto the surface of the minced pieces. Kneading links it into a sticky network that glues the meat together, and with heat the network sets and holds the kebab on the skewer. Warm meat or wet onion weakens the network, which is why you chill and squeeze.

Kitchen science

What a marinade really does

Most marinade ingredients penetrate only a few millimetres into meat. Salt is the exception: it moves deeper with time and improves the proteins' ability to hold water. Lemon acid changes the proteins on the surface, and with too long a soak the surface turns soft and grainy. Hence 2 to 8 hours for chicken, not two days.

Kitchen science

Safe temperatures on the grill

Chicken must reach 74°C in the centre and minced meat such as kebab 71°C, because mincing spreads surface bacteria through the whole mass. Chicken liver is grilled until cooked through. Push the thermometer from the side into the centre of the piece, without touching the hot metal skewer.

Skewers in every kitchen

Israeli skewer house

Chicken, kebab, liver and hearts, with salads, hot pita and onion with parsley and sumac. The skewers come to the table on a board and the pita wraps them.

Persian, koobideh and joojeh

Koobideh is minced meat with grated onion on a wide, flat skewer. Joojeh is chicken marinated in onion, lemon and saffron; the Persian version often adds yogurt, which a kosher kitchen leaves out in favour of olive oil.

Bukharan and Uzbek shashlik

Lamb cubes, sometimes with pieces of lamb fat between them, marinated in onion, vinegar and spices. Served with onion sliced into vinegar and bread.

Turkish Adana

Knife chopped lamb with hot red pepper, pressed by hand onto a wide skewer. Served on flatbread with onion, sumac and parsley.

Iraqi tikka

Lamb or beef cubes in a simple marinade of onion, salt and pepper, grilled over strong heat and served in pita with amba, onion and sumac.

Salmon skewers in the oven

Salmon cubes with lemon, olive oil and garlic, 10 to 12 minutes in a 220°C oven. Those who keep fish and meat apart cook them separately on a clean rack or tray.

Common Skewers problems and how to fix them

The kebab falls off the skewer

The mixture is too warm, the onion was not squeezed, or the meat was not kneaded enough. Knead until sticky, chill for half an hour, use wide flat skewers, and do not move the kebab during its first minute on the fire.

The chicken skewers came out dry

The meat was breast, the cubes were too small, or they cooked only over fierce heat. Switch to thighs in 3 cm cubes, brown on the hot side and finish on the gentle side, and take them off when the centre hits 74°C.

The skewers stick to the grate

The grate was not hot and clean, or the meat was moved too early. Heat the grate for 5 minutes, brush it, oil it with a paper towel dipped in oil, and wait for the meat to release on its own once browned.

The skewers burned outside and stayed raw inside

The heat was too high for thick pieces, or there was sugar in the marinade. Move them to the gentle side and cover with a lid or an upturned tray for a few minutes so the heat can get in.

The liver came out hard and bitter

It grilled too long or over medium heat. Liver needs blazing heat and a short time: 2 to 3 minutes per side, until no pink blood remains, and no more.

The wooden skewers burned

They were not soaked. Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes before threading, and keep the bare ends over the gentle side of the grill.

Storing, freezing and reheating

3 days for grilled meat

In the fridge

3 months for raw kebab and marinated chicken

In the freezer

2+4

To cool

Bring it from 60 to 21 °C within two hours and down to 5 °C within four more. Split a big pot into shallow boxes.

75 °C

Reheating

Reheat in a 180°C oven covered with foil for 8 to 10 minutes, or in a hot ridged grill pan. Grilled liver is also good at room temperature, chopped with fried onion.

Nutrition of Skewers

From our recipe, per bowl and per 100 g, next to the national food database.

ServingkcalProtein, gFat, gCarbs, gFibre, g
Our recipe, a 260 g portion61245.843.36.21.5
Our recipe, 100 g23517.616.72.40.6
Typical Skewers, 100 g22917.716.51.30.3
Typical Skewers, 100 g (2)15314.39.42.70.4

What the ingredients of Skewers cost

What each ingredient costs in one pot, and where to buy it.

IngredientPriceIn this potWhere to buy
Boneless chicken thighs, in 3 cm cubes₪35 per kg₪42Supermarket
Ground beef, about 20% fat₪46 per kg₪27Supermarket
Ground lamb₪110 per kg₪22Butcher
Chicken livers, trimmed₪30 per kg₪15Butcher
Olive oil₪53 per litre₪2.7Supermarket
Parsley, finely chopped₪4.9 each₪1.5Greengrocer
Onion, grated₪5.9 per kg₪1.3Greengrocer
Red onion, quartered₪7.9 per kg₪1.2Greengrocer
Ground black pepper₪139 per kg₪0.7Supermarket
Garlic cloves, crushed₪34 per kg₪0.7Greengrocer
Fresh lemon juice₪20 per litre₪0.6Supermarket
Sweet paprika₪86 per kg₪0.5Supermarket
Baharat₪119 per kg₪0.5Supermarket
Ground cumin₪86 per kg₪0.4Supermarket
Salt₪2.1 per kg₪0Supermarket

Shelf prices at a large Israeli chain and specialty shops, October 2026, VAT included. Vegetable prices change with the season.

Skewers and its culture

In Israel the mangal is almost a ritual. On Independence Day the parks fill with smoke, whole families arrive with folding grills, cool boxes and bags of pita, and one person, always the same one, stands at the coals with a fan. The ritual returns on Friday afternoon in the yard, at birthdays, on the school trip and at company events, and skewers are what hold it together: easy to grill, easy to share, and everyone finds their own.

The skewer house is an institution of its own: a restaurant where the table fills with little salads before the meat arrives and skewers come off the fire in waves. Abroad the tradition lives on in the Bukharan communities of New York, where shashlik is the star of every celebration, and in Israeli communities everywhere that order skewer platters for bar mitzvahs, weddings and Independence Day at the synagogue.

From the pantry: what Skewers needs

Pantry

Baharat

Price and where to buy

Make Skewers a meal

Shabbat

Ready Shabbat food

Soup, hamin, mains and sides, with a quantity calculator and prices.

Plan Shabbat
Hosting

Hosting trays

9 trays to go with the soup, with a planner by number of guests.

Tray planner
Events

Catering

A whole menu in grams per guest, with a reheating table.

Menus

What to serve with Skewers

Serve on a board with pitas warmed on the grill, hummus and tahini, Israeli salad, roasted eggplant and matbucha, and red onion with parsley and sumac. Kebab also loves amba and zhug.

The cuisine behind Skewers

Persian

Persian cuisine

Grilling meat on a skewer over embers is one of the oldest ways to cook meat, and in Turkey, Iran and Central Asia it became an art. The…

Persian cuisine
Iraqi

Iraqi cuisine

Iraqi cuisine

Skewers in large quantities: events, offices and communities

How much of everything by number of guests, at a 260 g portion. For trays, catering and community kitchens.

Guestskg of food3 kg traysCost of ingredients
256.53₪364
50135₪727
100269₪1,454
2005218₪2,909
50013044₪7,272

Every ingredient for any number of guests is in the calculator above: type the number of people.

Order Skewers

A ready pot for Shabbat, an event or the office, ordered ahead.

  • Cooked to order, for Shabbat, an event or the office.
  • Tell us how many people and when, and we send a quote.
  • Delivery in Tel Aviv from ₪35, free over ₪750.
Ask for a quote for Skewers

Order Skewers for a large event

Large orders in Israel and abroad: events, offices, synagogues, communities and institutions.

  • In Israel: cooked in Tel Aviv and delivered to events in the area, and to large events anywhere in the country on a quote.
  • Abroad: for communities, events and restaurants. Tell us where, how many and when, and we come back with a quote and options.
  • Institutional quantities and a shopping list for any number of guests, in the calculator above.
Ask for a large-order quote

Frequently asked questions

How long do you grill skewers?

Chicken thigh skewers 10 to 12 minutes, kebab skewers 6 to 8 minutes, and liver skewers 4 to 6 minutes. Time depends on piece size and heat, so check with a thermometer: 74°C for chicken and 71°C for kebab.

What is the best marinade for chicken skewers?

Olive oil, lemon juice, grated onion, garlic, paprika, cumin and a little salt. It adds flavour without hiding the meat, and it does not burn over the coals because it has no sugar.

Which meat do you use for kebab skewers?

Ground beef with about 20% fat, and for a deeper taste a quarter ground lamb. Meat that is too lean will not cling to the skewer and comes out dry.

How do I know the coals are ready?

When every coal is covered in white ash and there are no flames, usually 20 to 30 minutes after lighting. A palm held 10 cm above the grate lasts 2 to 3 seconds over high heat.

Can I make skewers in the oven?

Yes. Set them on a rack over a tray at 240°C on the top grill setting and turn halfway. Chicken needs 14 to 16 minutes and kebab 10 to 12. There is no charcoal flavour, but they come out browned and juicy.

How many skewers per person at a barbecue?

When skewers are the main meat, count 300 to 350 g of raw meat per person, about 3 skewers. For 40 guests that is 12 to 14 kg of meat, which needs a big grill and two people grilling, or ready to grill skewers ordered in advance.

Why is liver grilled over fire in a kosher kitchen?

Liver is full of blood, and ordinary salting is not enough to kosher it. Koshering is done by broiling over an open flame. Most kosher liver is sold already koshered, and then grilling is simply cooking.

How many calories are in Skewers?

A 260 g portion of Skewers made with our recipe has about 612 calories and 45.8 g of protein. Per 100 g: 235 calories.

How much does it cost to make Skewers at home?

A tray or pot of 8 portions costs about ₪116 at Israeli shelf prices in October 2026, about ₪15 a portion. The calculator above works it out for any number of people.

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