Kabab Koobideh (Persian Ground Meat Kebab)
Local name: کباب کوبیده
In short: Minced lamb kneaded with grated onion until sticky, pressed onto wide skewers and grilled over hot coals until juicy, charred and fragrant. It takes about 42 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Resting
- 1 h 30 min
- Total
- 42 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 430 kcal
Koobideh is the best-known kebab in Iran and the one most home cooks learn first for summer gatherings. The mixture is just lamb or beef, grated onion, salt and a little pepper and turmeric, kneaded for several minutes until it turns sticky enough to cling to a wide flat skewer. It cooks fast over charcoal and is served on a heap of saffron rice with a grilled tomato, sumac and a few raw onion wedges.
Instructions
- Grate the onions into a bowl, then wrap the pulp in a clean kitchen towel and wring out every drop of liquid. The onion should feel nearly dry, or the mixture will slide off the skewers.
- Put the meat, squeezed onion, salt, pepper and turmeric in a large bowl. Knead firmly with your hands for 8 to 10 minutes, until the mixture turns pale, sticky and elastic and clings to your palm when you lift it.
- Cover and chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight. Meanwhile, light charcoal and let it burn until covered with gray ash, with the grill grate about 10 cm (4 in) above the coals.
- Wet your hands. Press a handful of meat (about 90 g / 3 oz) onto a wide flat skewer, shaping a strip about 20 cm (8 in) long, 3 cm (1 1/4 in) wide and 1.5 cm (1/2 in) thick. Pinch shallow dents along it with your fingertips.
- Grill the skewers for 4 to 5 minutes without moving them, until the underside is browned, then turn and grill 4 minutes more. Put the whole tomatoes on the grill alongside until the skins blister and split.
- The kebabs are done when they feel springy and a thermometer in the center reads 71°C (160°F). Brush with the saffron water in the final minute, then take everything off the heat.
- Slide the meat off the skewers onto rice or flatbread, add the tomatoes and dust everything with sumac. Serve straight away while the kebabs are still juicy.
Tips
- No charcoal grill? Rest the skewers across a baking tray under a broiler set to its highest heat, about 8 cm (3 in) from the element, and cook 5 minutes per side. A very hot ridged grill pan also works.
- Use meat with at least 20% fat and keep the mixture cold. Lean meat gives dry, crumbly kebabs and a warm mixture is hard to mold. Without wide skewers, shape flat oval patties and grill them the same way.
Questions and answers
Why does my koobideh fall off the skewer?
Usually the onion was too wet, the meat was too lean or the mixture was not kneaded long enough. Squeeze the onion dry, use about 20% fat and knead until the paste is very sticky.
How is koobideh different from other minced meat kebabs?
It contains only meat, onion and seasoning, with no breadcrumbs, egg or herbs. Long kneading holds it together, and the flat shape cooks quickly over high heat.
What do you serve with kabab koobideh?
Steamed saffron rice, grilled tomatoes and sumac make the classic plate. A bowl of yogurt, a platter of fresh herbs and radishes, and a glass of doogh round out the meal.
How long does it take to make Kabab Koobideh (Persian Ground Meat Kebab)?
About 42 min in total: 30 min of preparation and 12 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Kabab Koobideh (Persian Ground Meat Kebab)?
About 430 kcal per serving, with 30 g of protein, 12 g of carbohydrates and 29 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 430 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 30 g |
| Carbohydrates | 12 g |
| Fat | 29 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Sodium | 950 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
