Kabob Koobideh (Juicy Skewered Grilled Persian Kabobs)
Every Persian family has their own secret kabob koobideh recipe, and here I am sharing mine. This recipe was created by my Dad, who in my opinion, made the best kabab koobideh ever. A perfect koobideh is juicy and tender, with a lovely smokey flavor from the open flame.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds ground beef 80/20
- 2 pounds ground lamb
- 2 pounds white onion
- 2 large egg yolks (only yokes)
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1 tablespoon pepper
Instructions
Prep the Meat Mixture (15 minutes preparation time)
- Finely mince the onion in a food processor
- Separate the onion pulp from the juice. Put the onion pulp in a large bowl. Mix the onion juice with baking soda and set aside
- Take one pound( or about 1.5 cups) of the the ground meat, and pulse 3-4 times in the food processor until it becomes smooth or starts to resemble paste.
- Combine the processed meat, and both the ground beef and lamb with the remaining onion pulp in the large bowl. Add salt, pepper, and egg yolks. Knead well by hand until the mixture becomes a sticky paste
Shape and Skewer the Kabobs (35 minutes preparation time)
- Aim for about ¾ cup of meat mixture per skewer. Press the mixture firmly around the center of the skewer. Distribute the meat up and down the skewer to form 8-10 inch long kabobs
- To prevent the meat from sticking to your hands, periodically dip them in the onion-baking soda juice. This will also create a better seal for the meat mixture
- Use your thumb and index finger to gently make indentations along the length of the kabob. Seal any gaps in the meat. Reinforce the two ends of the kabab. You can grill now, or store the kabobs in the refrigerator until your charcoal is ready to use
Preparing the Coals (30 minutes preparation time)
- Stack the coals in a pyramid shape, placing fire starters near the bottom. Light the fire starters and let the coals burn until they turn (mostly) gray
- Spread the coals evenly across the grill for consistent heat
- Test the heat by holding your hand a few inches above the coals. If you need to move your hand away within 2-3 seconds, the coals are hot enough and you are ready
Grilling the Kabobs (5 minutes cooking time)
- Place the kabobs on the grill (mangal). As soon as you finish placing the last one, immediately flip the first one over (repeat for all skewers). Aim to turn them before they become dark gray
- Keep an eye on the kabobs and rotate them frequently to avoid hot spots. It's better to turn them often for even cooking, rather than risk burning one side
- Once both sides have nice char marks (with some visibly darker areas), use the grill's slots to cook the edges thoroughly. If your grill does not have slots, then hold for 20 seconds per side
- To remove the kabobs, use a piece of bread (lavash) to gently press down on the top edge, then carefully slide the kabob off the skewer from the bottom. Cover with aluminum foil until ready to eat. Serve with rice and a sprinkle of sumac.