Roasting food on a skewer is a universal tradition with cultural significance dating back to the dawn of human culinary history. Nearly every culture has crafted its own version, from central Asian kebabs and Middle Eastern dishes to Greek souvlaki, Italian spiedini, Japanese yakitori and Southeast Asian satays, highlighting its deep-rooted importance worldwide.
Long before the invention of pottery or cast iron, humankind’s original cooking technique was roasting meat over an open flame using a stick. Early cooks would strip a fresh green branch of its bark and sharpen one end to pierce the meat. This allowed them to suspend their food over a fire, rotating it for even cooking while the dripping fat hit the embers, creating aromatic plumes of wood-scented smoke. Archaeological findings from prehistoric sites around the world, including charred animal bones found near ancient sharpened wooden sticks, indicate that roasting food on a stick is likely the world’s earliest cooking method.
Skewering requires portioning meat and vegetables into small, uniform pieces. This increases the surface-area-to-volume ratio of the food. More of the food’s surface comes into direct contact with the grill’s heat. This maximizes the Maillard reaction – the chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned food its deeply savory, complex flavor. The skewer allows for high-heat, rapid cooking. Because the meat cooks quickly, the interior remains juicy while the exterior achieves a crisp, smoky crust. When fat from a skewer drips directly onto hot charcoal or wood, it vaporizes, rising as a cloud of aromatic smoke that coats the meat with a rich, unmistakable wood-fired flavor that cannot be replicated in a standard frying pan.
Swordfish is ideal for open-flame cooking because of its firm texture and subtle flavor, which pair well with aromatic wood smoke. However, swordfish is not a juicy or oily fish and can be rather dry. To prevent drying out, keep the internal temperature between 130 degrees and 135 degrees, and never let it exceed 140, ensuring a savory, meaty and juicier result.
Zhoug, a Middle Eastern condiment similar to Argentinian chimichurri, is used in this recipe to prevent swordfish from drying out by adding olive oil and a subtle acidity to tenderize it. The oil forms an external barrier that traps the fish’s natural juices during cooking. Simultaneously, the marinade’s mild acids soften tough muscle fibers, helping keep the fish moist even at high heat.
Grilled swordfish kebabs with green chili zhoug
Zhoug, a traditional condiment from Yemen, serves as both a fragrant marinade and a finishing sauce.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 (8 to 10-inch) bamboo or metal skewers
1 ½ pounds swordfish steaks, bloodline (see below) and skin removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
½ cup zhoug (recipe below)
12 cherry tomatoes
1 red onion, cut into 1-inch squares
2 bell peppers, cut into 1-inch squares
Fine sea salt
¼ cup olive oil
1 lemon, halved
Pro Tip: Removing the bloodline – the dark, reddish-brown area rich in fat and myoglobin – is essential for a mild, clean taste, as this section can impart a strong fishy flavor. Use a sharp knife to carve a V-shaped wedge where the white meat meets the dark meat on the swordfish. Removing the dark flesh improves the flavor profile.
Preparation:
Soak the bamboo skewers in warm water for at least 20 minutes.
In a medium bowl, add the swordfish cubes and ½ cup of zhoug, and toss to coat.
Thread the swordfish and vegetable pieces onto the skewers in an alternating pattern, leaving 2 inches of clearance at both ends. Continue this assembly until you have utilized all the prepared ingredients.
Cover a sheet pan with parchment or foil and arrange the skewers on the surface. Coat them with the zhoug, then refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to four hours.
Set up your grill for two-zone cooking. For charcoal, distribute the hot coals over one half of the lower grate, leaving the remaining side vacant. On a gas grill, ignite one side to medium-high and the opposite side to low. This arrangement enables you to achieve a high-heat sear before shifting the fish to the indirect, cooler zone to finish. Before grilling, lubricate the grate with a thin coating of oil applied with a bunched paper towel to ensure the food releases easily.
Transfer the swordfish skewers to the grill and sear them over medium-high heat for three to five minutes while basting with zhoug. Using tongs, turn the kababs and grill for an additional two to three minutes, or until the fish is no longer opaque in the center. If further cooking is required to reach your preferred level of doneness, move the skewers to the cooler, indirect-heat zone of the grill, and continue flipping and rotating them every few minutes to ensure they cook through evenly.
Arrange the kababs on a serving tray and set aside to rest for a couple of minutes.
Meanwhile, place the two lemon halves cut-side down on the grill to char for three minutes. Add the charred lemons to the tray with the kababs.
Green chili zhoug
This recipe yields more than you need for the swordfish. It’s also delicious on grilled vegetables.
Yields 1 cup
Ingredients:
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 bunch parsley, picked and chopped
6 small serrano chile peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
2½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 clove garlic
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup plus 4 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
1 pinch orange zest
Preparation:
Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
Homemade zhoug lasts 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator. Pour a thin layer of olive oil over the sauce in your container. This creates a seal that prevents the fresh herbs from oxidizing and turning brown.
This article appears in July 9-15, 2026.
