sweet-n-sour sausage kebabs

do you remember being 9 years old?

let me rework that question.. do you remember when your go-to choice from the local chinese takeout place was the sweet-n-sour chicken?

there ya go! now you remember being 9!

these kebabs are kind of a grown up spin on that 9 year old favorite. and by kind of, i mean not really. there’s meat, there’s the exact same trio of veggies + there’s a sticky sweet-n-sour sauce. but i subtracted the flash frying and added a grill, some asparagus + a bit of sriracha because those are like totally adult things.

speaking of adult things, let’s talk warm weather entertaining because this recipe is my bbq go-to! so simple that i pulled it off on a grill made for two which sat on a balcony made for three + managed to feed a party of fourty. dont be fooled, that is not a brag about my grill skills, it’s 100% a testimant to the fail-proof kebab method mixed with the delicious glaze.

the pineapple in the glaze actually came about on accident. my original intent was to skewer the pineapple alongside the other veggies, so i had diced pineapple on my grocery list. well i went to the grocery store with my list in tow, forgot how to read in aisle 6 + confidently came home with crushed pineapple.

ever try to skewer crushed pineapple? well, turns out ya can’t! even my tiny little digits couldn’t make it happen. so plan A now needed a plan B..

a ha! my garlic-loving brain instantly thought that the crushed pineapple looked kinda like a minced garlic’s cheery cousin – they are both soft in texture + small in size yet pack a flavor punch! since minced garlic is a marinade regular in other classic recipes, i just tossed some of that crushed pineapple right in the sweet-n-sour marinade! if garlic can do it, pineapple sure can!

and as most plan B’s do – the little bits of pineapple gold kinda stole the show! the citrus pop that the pineapple gave to every bite became the perfect addition to the sticky sweet-n-sour sausage + veggie coins!

so in the culinary spirit of today, memorial day, i felt it was perfect to share with you this crowd pleasing recipe! it’s friendly for foodies of all ages + kebabs are the perfect make-ahead main for a backyard {or balcony!} bbq! and just like many of your bbq favorites, the char from the grill really adds that ‘heeeeyy! it’s warm out!’ vibe, which puts a smile on any summer face.

happy grilling!

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i have taken a few different sausages for a whirl + my best suggestion for this recipe is a turkey kielbasa. photographed here in this post is a cilantro chicken sausage but it had an overwhelming amount of fennel in it which did not marry well with the marinade! therefore if you want to take a different route than the kielbasa – read your sausage ingredients + steer clear of anything with fennel! another thing to note… i’ve had feedback from a proclaimed kielbasa-hater that this glaze changed them into a kielbasa-lover!

cookting tip! you will only be able to use asparagus on your kebabs if the stalks of the asparagus are thick enough to be skewered through the middle without splitting!

IF THEY ARE CHUBBY ENOUGH: then i suggest to blanch them beforehand because asparagus take longer to cook than the other veggies. here is a video on blanching! IF THEY ARE TOO SKINNY: then i suggest grilling the asparagus on their own, either right on the grill, in a foil pack or in a grill-top basket + serving along side the kebabs!

where my heat lovers at? add 2 teaspoons of sriracha to the marinade ingredients for a nice spice that will balance wonderfully with the sweet-n-sour glaze. {this is my personal must-have!}

one of my favorite ways to serve this as a dinner, we’re talkin plate + fork, is to serve the kebabs over a bed of pineapple quinoa! cook the quinoa according to the package directions + mix in 4oz of the crushed pineapple from your can! it boosts up the protein in the meal + still feels summer-tastic!

these kebabs store wonderfully in a tupperware! grill ’em all up on your day off + you’re set for a few days! another bonus.. everything tastes great at room temperature which also lends to a perfect picnic food or if your office has a fridge on the fritz!