Skewers are such an obvious move for small children: handheld eating, soft and moist meat, endless adaptations. If you’ve mastered every meatball, played out every variation on ground beef possible, and/or are just dying to fire up the grill or broiler to make some meat, we’ve got you–and your skewers–covered with the cheap and easy approach that follows.
But, first, a question: what’s your flavor? Maybe you’re craving Pakistani seekh kabobs, Sichuan street meat, or Indonesian say; your child, though, may not be ready for spice-forward meat sticks. Shish kebab, at least as we know it in America, fits the plain-enough category; the size of the meat pieces, which tend to be thick and pretty cooked through, may make chewing difficult. Our solution? Go Japanese. Tsukune, as meatballs are called in Japan, checks off all the needs and wants: supple, with that characteristically deep but subtle flavor that comes from sesame oil, miso, and scallions; the sauce has a sweet and savory profile that is hard for a kid to stop eating. But, hey, you can also just coat the meatballs in any number of sauces: hoisin, teriyaki, barbecue, etc. See the ‘Adapt’ section for your options.
Let the skewers cool down before serving; otherwise, slide the chicken tube off the skewer and either break into small(er) pieces or spear with a fork so your child can eat the chicken from one end. Side with extra sauce (or another condiment.
If you have neither the time nor interest in making the sauce, you can sub in pretty much anything thick with some sugar in it: hoisin, teriyaki, barbecue sauce, etc. No skewers? No problem: form meat mixture into small and fat meatballs and cook for 2-3 minutes a side; glaze with sauce after the meatballs finish cooking.
Note: metal skewers work best here–they’re reusable and don’t burn–but you’ll need to hold off serving with them until they’ve cooled down. In a pinch, you can use wooden chopsticks, but be sure to soak them in water and wrap in foil so they don’t burn up.
If you’re having trouble turning the skewers over–whether because they’re fragile or because they’re sticking to the grates of your rack–try using a spatula to get underneath the meat and skewer; use your hands to turn the piece over.
Brad (the Dad) is the founder and Chief Recipe Officer of New Dad's Kitchen. His own cooking/feeding journey started humbly during his son's infancy, preparing and managing his son's bottle intake in order to support his wife; it has since blossomed into a full-on passion to feed his child and family delicious and healthy meals that can satisfy both a toddler and his very tired parents.
