How to use wooden, metal skewers on the BBQ

Wooden or metal?

When it comes to skewers, you have two main choices – metal and wooden. Metal skewers are usually made from stainless steel and, if properly cared for, will last a lifetime. They are a more environmentally friendly choice, as you don't throw them away at the end of the meal. If you're only making a few skewers, consider investing in a set of metal ones to use at home.

Wooden skewers are usually made from bamboo and need to be soaked for a minimum of 20 minutes before use to stop them from burning on the heat. They are cheap to buy, and are a great option when you're catering for a large number of people, or cooking away from home. However, they must be thrown away after use.

Prepare your food

You can choose either one ingredient – like marinated meats – for your skewers, or you can combine a number of flavours to make a kebab. If you choose to make kebabs, make sure you cut your meat and vegetables so that everything will cook at roughly the same time. It's no good putting on a cherry tomato with a large cube of beef, as the tomato will be charred by the time the beef is cooked.

Thread it on

Thread the food onto the skewers at its thickest part. If you're cooking something wide and flat, like a butterflied prawn, consider using two skewers to stop them from spinning on the skewer. You can also weave long, thin strips of meat back and forward onto the skewer rather than cutting into small cubes.

Fire it up

When you're ready to cook your skewers, preheat the barbecue to medium to medium-low heat, and place the skewers on the heat with the ends hanging over the end. This will stop them charring and will keep the ends cool so that they are easy to grab when they've finished cooking.

Tips

To make the food easier to remove, spray the skewers with a little cooking oil.
You can use rosemary sprigs or lemongrass stalks instead of the skewers. This will not only add a decorative effect, but will significantly boost the flavour.
Once on the heat, try to move the skewers as little as possible to prevent the food from loosening and falling off as they cook.