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Skewers

Utensils & kitchen tools · Skewer

Skewers

Long thin sticks of metal or bamboo threaded through food so it can be grilled or roasted in pieces.

Useful to have · No power needed · 33 recipes

Photo: Hans Braxmeier, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0-1.0)

What it is

Thin rods with a pointed end. Bamboo or wooden skewers are disposable and must be soaked to slow burning; metal skewers are reusable, and flat or square ones stop food spinning when turned. Long heavy metal skewers are used in tandoors and for Middle Eastern kebabs. A skewer is also used to test cakes.

What it’s for: Holding pieces of food together for even grilling and easy turning.

How to use it

  1. Soak wooden skewers in water for about 30 minutes.
  2. Cut food into similar-sized pieces so it cooks evenly.
  3. Thread pieces with small gaps between them for heat to reach all sides.
  4. Grill, turning regularly, and use tongs or a cloth on hot metal skewers.

Good to know

Tasks
making kebabs and satay, grilling vegetables and paneer, testing cakes for doneness, roasting marshmallows, securing rolled meat
Cooking methods
Grilled, Barbecued, Roasted, Broiled / grilled under heat
Materials
bamboo, wood, stainless steel
Care and cleaning
Wash metal skewers and dry; discard used wooden ones.
Limitations
Dry wooden skewers char; round metal skewers let food spin.

Safety

  • Metal skewers get very hot over the fire.
  • Points are sharp; keep them away from children.
  • Wooden splinters can break off into food; check before serving.

If you don’t have one

  • Rosemary or lemongrass stalks — Stiff stalks act as edible-flavoured skewers.

Equipment guide

How it works: Skewers hold pieces of food together over direct heat so they can be turned as one. Metal skewers conduct some heat into the centre of the food; flat or square skewers stop food spinning when turned.

MaterialGoodWatch out
Stainless steelDurable, non-reactive, dishwasher-safe, does not hold smells.Can scratch non-stick pans; conducts heat, so all-metal handles get hot.
Bamboo or woodCheap and disposable.Burn unless soaked; splinter; single use.
Iron (tandoor seekh)Long and heavy; carry heat into minced-meat kebabs.Rust unless oiled.
Flat metal skewers
Stop food rotating.
Round metal skewers
Easy to thread; food may spin.
Bamboo skewers
Satay, yakitori.
Tandoor seekh
Long square or flat skewers for tandoors.

Buying guidance

Starting out: A set of flat stainless skewers about 30–35 cm long.

  • Flat or square profile
  • Length suited to grill or tandoor
  • Handles or loops to grip
  • Bamboo: soak 30 minutes before grilling

No brands or prices — check current reviews before buying.

Techniques:GrillingTandoor cookingCharcoal grillingMarinating

Related tools

Recipes that use it

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