Grilled Asian Steak Kebabs are marinated in a delicious garlic, molasses and soy sauce marinade and loaded with red potatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms and red onion for a flavor packed meal!

Grilled Asian Steak Kebabs are a family favorite recipe for at least the last 15 years, maybe 20. I can't believe that I'm just finally sharing the recipe now! We call this recipe "steak on a stick" and originally found a variation of it in a kid's cookbook many years back. Once my mom made it one time, we couldn't get enough!

Marinated Asian Steak Kebabs

Grilled Asian Steak Kebabs have an ingredient in them that I don't use often but you can't really skip for this recipe: molasses. The first time that I made this marinated steak myself, I had to ask my mom where to get molasses. It really contributes to an amazing flavor! The marinade also has soy sauce, garlic powder, black pepper and MSG for a delicious savory flavor.

When we make these typically, we do not add veggies to the kebabs but just have them on the side. I thought it would be fun to load up the kebabs with everything you need for the meal including red potatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms and red onion. So good! I marinated everything in the marinade for tons of flavor and it turned out so well!

Today, I partnered with the Ajinomoto Group to share some information about MSG and its safety and benefits of use. I am excited to share this information because to be honest, I learned a lot myself!

What is MSG?

MSG stands for monosodium glutamate and is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, one of the most abundant amino acids in our diets. It is an easy way to add umami, which is a meaty, savory flavor into dishes. It has only 1/3 of the sodium as salt making it a good way to reduce sodium intake but still enhance flavor. You can use one part MSG to two parts table salt for a flavor boost while lowering sodium by 25%. I aim to follow a lower sodium diet since I am easily affected by eating too much salt and this is a great way to add less salt to a recipe. Along with adding a bit of MSG to meat, it is also great on plant-based dishes like veggies.

Glutamate, which is the main part of MSG, is naturally found in cheese, meat, tomatoes and mushrooms. MSG is commonly added to soups, plant-based foods such as vegetables, chips and salad dressings. When cooking with MSG, you don't need much- try adding 1/2 teaspoon in a pound of meat or 4-6 servings of vegetables, soup or casseroles. You can find MSG in the spice section of your local grocery store sold as Ac'cent.

Is MSG safe?

MSG has been around for over 100 years and has been used safely as an ingredient in foods. Extensive scientific research has verified MSG’s safety and public health agencies and organizations around the world have deemed it as safe.

Why does MSG often have a bad reputation?

It started when someone in 1968 reported a bad reaction to Chinese food and said that symptoms could be attributed to a variety of ingredients, but this inspired the idea that MSG was associated with these symptoms – something that became known as “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome”. Currently, there are no documented allergies to MSG and though some people report sensitives (as people report sensitivities to gluten and tannins in wine), reactions have not been consistently demonstrated in double-blind, placebo-controlled human trials. The FDA has not been able to confirm that MSG causes any of the generally reported effects. Also, MSG origins are Japanese- it is not only in Chinese food.

Now that we have learned all of the facts about MSG, let's get to this delicious Grilled Asian Steak Kebabs recipe! Visit WhyUseMSG.com and check out @WhyUseMSG on Instagram to learn more.

Grilled Asian Steak Kebabs

Yield: serves 4 Author: Amanda Hernandez