Skip to main content

Quick Sticks

A heavy little cast-iron hibachi is R. B.’s favorite outdoor grill for fast and efficient high-heat cooking. Indoors, that efficiency is called the broiler. Both tools use direct high heat to sear tender cuts of meat hot and fast. It’s just that the broiler heats from above, the grill from below. Even better, the broiler gets burning hot in minutes with the turn of a knob. Quick Sticks are a very loose version of Thai satay—thin cuts of chicken and steak rubbed with curry, threaded onto skewers, and quickly broiled. The dipping sauce is first-class cheating—barbecue sauce with some chopped peanuts thrown in. Icy Q-Cumbers (page 153) are a Quick Sticks must.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 10 to 12 skewers

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Cheater Indian Rub (page 46)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 3) or thighs (about 6)
1 1/2 pounds beef sirloin or rib eye steak, 1/2 inch thick
1 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped peanuts

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    If using wooden skewers, Soak them for at least 30 minutes before assembling the sticks. Heat the broiler.

    Step 2

    BLEND the dry rub and sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

    Step 3

    Using a mallet or heavy saucepan, Pound the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap until it is an even 1/2 inch thick.

    Step 4

    CUT the chicken and steak into strips 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide. Thread the meat lengthwise onto the skewers. Sprinkle with the dry rub mix.

    Step 5

    BROIL the meat 4 inches from the heat source until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. For rare beef, shorten the total broiling time to 7 to 8 minutes.

    Step 6

    COMBINE the barbecue sauce and peanuts and serve at the table as a dipping sauce.

Cheater BBQ
Read More
Khao niaow ma muang, or steamed coconut sticky rice with ripe mango, is a classic in Thai cuisine—and you can make it at home.
With just a handful of ingredients, this old-fashioned egg custard is the little black dress of dinner party desserts—simple and effortlessly chic.
With rich chocolate flavor and easy customization, this hot cocoa recipe is just the one you want to get you through winter.
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.
Crunchy and crowd-pleasing, this salad can be prepared in advance and customized to your heart’s content.
Baking meatballs and green beans on two sides of the same sheet pan streamlines the cooking process for this saucy, savory dinner.
Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.
A garlicky pistachio topping takes this sunny summer pasta from good to great.