I’ve always been afraid of using the grill. This meant that the only time we used it was on weekends when my husband was home to cook dinner. So this summer, I finally ripped the bandaid off. And y’all, with a gas grill, it’s as easy as using a gas stove, cooks faster than the oven, and opens up a whole new set of simple BBQ ideas perfect for weeknight dinners and weekend cookouts alike.

BBQ for Weeknight Dinners

There are few tricks for easier dinner clean-up than cooking (and eating) outside. And with 3 kids under 5, I need all the help I can get. So this summer, I finally decided I was going to conquer my fear of the grill. And now, I can’t believe I waited so long to do it.

Build Your Own Shish Kabobs

One of my favorite simple BBQ ideas is making Build Your Own Shish Kabobs. It makes it easy to please everyone – whether cooking a weeknight dinner for your family of picky eaters or preparing a quick and easy meal for a larger dinner party with a variety of dietary restrictions this Labor Day Weekend.

To set up a Build Your Own Kabobs dinner, round up the current fresh produce of the season. At the end of summer, your options are limitless. Add peppers, onions, tomatoes, and even fruit. Pick a meat (or two). Tender cuts, in 1 – 1 1/2 inch cubes are best, so your vegetables don’t overcook. Marinate your meat, cut up your veggies in 1-2″ chunks, and soak your bamboo skewers in water.

Lay it all out on a tray, serve up some glasses of JaM Cellars Cabernet, and let everyone create their own kabob!

Build Your Own Venison Blackberry Kabobs

JaM Cabernet is a great, everyday wine at a sub $20 price point, while it’s rich, berry flavors make it great for entertaining too. Those flavors inspired my ingredient choices for this Build Your Own Kabob, featuring venison loin chops, marinated in blackberries, balsamic vinegar and fresh herbs. This marinade enhances the natural game flavors of venison, but would also pair well with beef. Get the printable version of the recipe at the end of this post, and find JaM Cabernet at a store near you.

Ingredients

1 lb Venison loin chops
1 pint blackberries
2 bell peppers – assorted varieties
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 red onion
1/4 cup olive oil
2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
1 cup water
1 TBSP fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
1 TBSP fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Bamboo skewers

Directions

Cut venison loin chops into 1-1 1/2 inch cubes. Cut red onion in half. Dice one half for use in marinade. Quarter 1 cup of blackberries for use in marinade as well.

Combine diced onion, cut berries, olive oil, vinegar, water, herbs and salt and pepper in a gallon storage bag. Add venison. Seal bag, squeezing out as much air as possible. Massage until marinade is well mixed, and meat is well covered. Place bag in refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or as long as overnight.

Soak bamboo skewers in a glass of water for at least 20 minutes. Start grill and heat to 425 degrees. Cut remaining onion and bell peppers into 1-1 1/2 inch squares. I found some fun purple and flame bell peppers which gave great flavor and color to our kabobs.

Lay out cut onions, peppers, cherry tomatoes, and berries on a tray along with your kabob skewers and marinated venison. Allow guests to direct the assembly of their personal kabob or assemble it themselves!

Grill kabobs 3-5 minutes on each side, or until meat is cooked to taste.

Serve over brown rice, or a fresh summer garden salad with a balsamic vinaigrette for a low carb option. Pair with a glass of JaM Cabernet for the perfect velvety, dark berry finish.

Boost Your Labor Day with More Simple BBQ Ideas and JaM Cabernet

JaM Cabernet makes a great addition to all simple BBQ ideas. At less than $20 a bottle, it’s affordable enough to serve with quick and easy weeknight dinners, while it’s bold dark berry and plum flavors make it a great choice for larger dinner parties and end of summer Labor Day celebrations. To throw the perfect Labor Day gathering, get more end of summer fun ideas, and download the perfect Labor Day playlist from JaM Cellars.

In addition to JaM Cab, JaM Cellars also makes two other everyday California wines: Butter Chardonnay and Toast Sparkling. Second-generation Napa Valley vintners, John and Michele are the “J” and the “M” in JaM Cellars. They make wines they love, designed to be enjoyed with their friends and family any day of the week. Learn more about JaM Cellars, and follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for awesome, daily wine-inspired ideas. Use the JaM Cellars store finder, to find JaM Cabernet at a store near you.

Print

Yum

Build Your Own Venison Blackberry Kabobs

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 8-10 kabobs

Serving Size: 2 kabobs

Pair the rich, dark berry and plum flavors of JaM Cabernet with our marinated, Venison Blackberry Kabobs - a simple BBQ idea for your end of summer festivities.

Ingredients

1 lb Venison loin chops

1 pint blackberries

2 bell peppers - assorted varieties

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 red onion

1/4 cup olive oil

2 TBSP balsamic vinegar

1 cup water

1 TBSP fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)

1 TBSP fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Bamboo skewers

Instructions

Cut venison loin chops into 1-1 1/2 inch cubes. Cut red onion in half. Dice one half for use in marinade. Quarter 1 cup of blackberries for use in marinade as well.

Combine diced onion, cut berries, olive oil, vinegar, water, herbs and salt and pepper in a gallon storage bag. Add venison. Seal bag, squeezing out as much air as possible. Massage until marinade is well mixed, and meat is well covered. Place bag in refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or as long as overnight.

Soak bamboo skewers in a glass of water for at least 20 minutes. Start grill and heat to 425 degrees. Cut remaining onion and bell peppers into 1-1 1/2 inch squares. I found some fun purple and flame bell peppers which gave great flavor and color to our kabobs.

Lay out cut onions, peppers, cherry tomatoes, and berries on a tray along with your kabob skewers and marinated venison. Allow guests to direct the assembly of their personal kabob or assemble it themselves!

Grill kabobs 3-5 minutes on each side, or until meat is cooked to taste.

Serve over brown rice, or a fresh summer garden salad with a balsamic vinaigrette for a low carb option. Pair with a glass of JaM Cabernet for the perfect velvety, dark berry finish.

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For more quick and easy weeknight dinner ideas, check out all my Real Mom Meals.  All require minimal prep, with the aim to have dinner on the table in under an hour with as little mess (and stress) as possible.  If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy my favorite dinner party please, King Ranch Chicken Casserole. You can find both of these, and more on my Real Mom Meals board on Pinterest. Be sure to also check out our Hunting Themed Birthday Party for the mighty hunter in your life!

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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.