Equipment
Ingredients
Buffalo Kebabs
- 600 g buffalo sirloin, cut into 3cm cubes
Sweet and Sour Plum Marinade
- 150 g plum preserves, smooth or finely chopped
- 60 ml cayenne pepper hot sauce
- 30 ml apple cider vinegar
- 15 ml soy sauce
- 30 ml olive oil
- 3 garlic, minced
Creamy Coleslaw
- 300 g green cabbage, finely shredded
- 150 g red cabbage, finely shredded
- 100 g carrots, peeled and julienned
- 100 g mayonnaise
- 50 g sour cream
- 15 ml apple cider vinegar
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 10 g granulated sugar
- 4 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Serving
- 4 flatbreads
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 922 kcal
- Protein
- 37 g
- Carbohydrates
- 75 g
- Fat
- 53 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 27 g
- Sodium
- 1661 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 15 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 20 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 14 g
- Cholesterol
- 120 mg
- Potassium
- 963 mg
- Calcium
- 164 mg
- Iron
- 6.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 72 mg
- Phosphorus
- 408 mg
- Zinc
- 7.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 250 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 66 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 121 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.8 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.67 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.69 mg
- Niacin
- 10.9 mg
- Folate
- 133 mcg
- Water
- 298 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, 15ml apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until perfectly smooth.
Add the shredded green cabbage, red cabbage, and julienned carrots to the dressing. Mix thoroughly to coat all vegetables, then cover and chill in the refrigerator.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the plum preserves, hot sauce, 30ml apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, minced garlic, and olive oil to create the sweet and spicy marinade.
Reserve 50ml of the plum marinade in a separate container for basting later. Toss the cubed buffalo meat in the remaining marinade until fully coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to tenderize the lean meat.
Thread the marinated buffalo cubes evenly onto the skewers. Leave a small gap at the bottom of each skewer for safe handling.
Preheat the grill or grill pan to medium-high heat, approximately 230C (450F).
Place the skewers on the grill. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning every 2 minutes. In the final 2 minutes, baste the meat with the reserved plum sauce. Buffalo is best cooked to medium-rare, reaching an internal temperature of 55C (130F).
Remove the kebabs from the grill and let them rest on a platter for 5 minutes. This allows the meat fibers to relax and retain their juices.
While the meat rests, briefly toast the flatbreads on the grill for about 1 minute per side until they are warm and pliable.
Serve the rested buffalo kebabs immediately alongside the warm flatbreads and the chilled creamy coleslaw.
Chef's Notes
- Because buffalo is significantly leaner than beef, it requires less time on the heat. Treat it gently and favor medium-rare for the best eating experience.
- If using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes prior to grilling so they do not catch fire.
- Making the coleslaw ahead of time allows the cabbage to soften slightly and the flavors of the dressing to meld together perfectly.
- The sweet and sour profile of the plum glaze pairs brilliantly with the earthy gaminess of the buffalo, while the acidity cuts through the richness of the coleslaw.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store kebabs and coleslaw in separate airtight containers.
Reheating: Reheat kebabs gently in the oven at 150C or briefly in the microwave. Do not reheat the coleslaw.
Troubleshooting
Buffalo meat is tough and dry
Cause: Overcooking. Buffalo is naturally very lean and cooks faster than beef.
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but slicing the cooked meat very thinly across the grain can help improve the texture.
Prevention: Use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature does not exceed 55C (130F) and never skip the resting phase.
Marinade burns on the grill
Cause: The high sugar content in the plum preserves caramelized too quickly over high heat.
Fix: Move the skewers to a cooler zone on the grill to finish cooking indirectly.
Prevention: Only baste with the reserved sweet marinade in the final 1 to 2 minutes of grilling.
Cultural Context
This dish merges the classic American flavor profile of fiery buffalo sauce with the ancient Middle Eastern tradition of cooking skewered meats over an open flame. The addition of a sweet plum glaze brings an Asian-inspired sweet and sour element, resulting in a vibrant, cross-cultural barbecue experience.
