Friday Recipe - Beef Kabobs with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Did you know that May is Beef Month?  Yep!  Time to celebrate and enjoy the high quality, mouth-watering, grain-fed beef that Iowa is known for around the world. And Iowa’s Cattle Industry contributes in excess of  $5.1 billion in business activity to Iowa’s Economy, so there is a lot to celebrate about this vital industry for Iowa's consumers and corn farmers. 

This month in our recipe feature we will be feature some great tasting beef recipes from the Iowa Beef Industry Council.  You can find even more recipes at www.iabeef.org. 

Beef Kabobs with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Marinade time: 30 minutes to 2 hours

Total recipe time: 50 to 55 minutes

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds beef shoulder center (Ranch) steaks, cut 1 inch thick

 Salt and pepper

Marinade:

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 medium jalapeno pepper, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Pineapple Salsa:

1/2 medium pineapple, peeled, cored, cut into 1-1/2 inch chunks (about 3 cups)

1 medium red onion, cut into 12 wedges

1 large red or green bell pepper, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces

2 teaspoons freshly grated lime peel

1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Cut beef steaks into 1-1/4-inch pieces. Combine marinade ingredients in medium bowl. Remove and reserve 2 tablespoons for salsa. Add beef to remaining marinade; toss to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes to 2 hours.
2. Remove beef from marinade; discard marinade. Thread beef pieces onto six 10-inch metal skewers, leaving small space between pieces. Alternately thread fruit and vegetable pieces evenly onto six 10-inch metal skewers.
3. Place fruit and vegetable kabobs on grill over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 12 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender, turning occasionally. Remove; keep warm. Place beef kabobs in center of grid. Grill, covered, 5 to 7 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, 7 to 9 minutes) for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally. 
4. Remove fruit and vegetables from skewers; coarsely chop. Combine with reserved marinade, lime peel and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Season beef with salt and pepper, as desired. Serve with Pineapple Salsa.

Nutritional Information Per Serving

 207 calories; 8 g fat (2 g saturated fat; 5 g monounsaturated fat); 57 mg cholesterol; 259 mg sodium; 9 g carbohydrate; 1.5 g fiber; 24 g protein; 3.4 mg niacin; 0.4 mg vitamin B6; 2.6 mcg vitamin B12; 3.1 mg iron; 25.8 mcg selenium; 5.6 mg zinc.