Bourbon Peach Beef Skewers with Cracked Black Pepper
Peach and bourbon give these beef skewers a mellow, warming glaze, while cracked black pepper stops the sweetness from drifting too far. They’re ideal for a more relaxed barbecue supper with crisp salad, grilled flatbreads or charred sweetcorn.
Ingredients
- 700 g beef sirloin or rump cut into 3cm cubes
- 2 ripe but firm peaches cut into wedges
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 8 metal skewers or 4 large skewers
For the bourbon peach marinade
- 3 tbsp peach jam
- 2 tbsp bourbon
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves finely grated
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
To finish
- 1 tsp extra cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- pinch of flaky sea salt
Instructions
Make the bourbon peach marinade
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the peach jam, bourbon, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, garlic, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, cracked black pepper, sea salt and cider vinegar until smooth.
Marinate the beef
- Add the beef cubes and turn until they’re evenly coated. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours. Remove from the fridge about 20 minutes before grilling.
Heat the barbecue
- Prepare the BBQ with one hot direct zone and one gentler area for control. Clean and oil the grill grates lightly so the glaze is less likely to stick.
Thread the skewers
- Thread the beef onto skewers, adding peach wedges between some of the pieces if you like. Leave small gaps so the heat can move around the meat and help the edges colour evenly.
Grill and turn steadily
- Place the skewers over direct heat and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning regularly. Grill any extra peach wedges alongside until lightly charred and softened.
Finish gently if needed
- Move the skewers to the gentler side of the barbecue if the glaze is darkening too quickly. Cook until the beef reaches your preferred doneness and the outside is lightly lacquered.
Rest and season
- Rest the skewers for 5 minutes. Finish with the extra cracked black pepper, chopped parsley, lemon juice and a pinch of flaky sea salt before serving.
Notes
Firm peaches are much easier to work with than very soft ones. You want fruit that can hold its shape on the skewer and take a bit of heat without collapsing into mush. If peaches are very ripe, I often keep them off the skewers and grill them separately for a shorter time. Peach jam gives the marinade body and helps the fruit flavour travel through the beef without needing loads of sugar.
Bourbon doesn’t need to be expensive here. A decent, straightforward bottle is absolutely fine, because the grill and the other ingredients do plenty of the work. What matters is that it brings warmth and a slightly woody edge. Cracked black pepper should be coarse rather than finely ground. Bigger fragments give a more interesting finish and stop the pepper from getting lost once the glaze caramelises.
Nutrition
Calories: 434kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 34gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 782mgPotassium: 640mgFiber: 1.5gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 470IUCalcium: 35mgIron: 3.9mg
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