Description
Succulent Kabob Koobideh emerges as a Persian culinary masterpiece, blending ground beef with aromatic spices in a traditional grilling style. Sizzling with Middle Eastern flavors, this kebab promises a delightful journey through Iran’s rich gastronomic heritage that pulls you into its irresistible charm.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 lbs (907 grams) lean ground beef
- 1 large onion, grated
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Spices and Seasonings:
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons sumac
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 pinch saffron threads (less than 1/4 teaspoon)
Cooking Fats:
- 3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
Side Vegetables:
- Pearl onions
- Roma tomatoes
- Sweet and hot peppers
Garnish:
- Sumac
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Thoroughly drain grated onion using a fine mesh sieve or by squeezing out moisture with a clean kitchen towel to remove excess liquid.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef with drained onion, garlic, and spices. Blend ingredients meticulously, ensuring even distribution. Create a small test patty to verify seasoning. Refrigerate mixture for 2 hours to enhance texture and ease of shaping.
- Crush saffron threads in a small bowl, then add melting ice cubes to create a vibrant infusion.
- Gently melt butter in a small pan, incorporating the saffron liquid. Reserve the golden-hued mixture for later basting.
- Mold meat mixture around flat skewers, carefully pressing thumb and index finger to create traditional textured indentations. For those without specialized skewers, shape into elongated cylindrical forms by hand.
- Grill kebabs over intense heat, whether charcoal or gas, rotating to achieve uniform charring and thorough cooking (approximately 8-10 minutes).
- During final cooking moments, generously brush kebabs with saffron-infused butter to intensify flavor profile.
- Simultaneously grill accompanying vegetables – pearl onions, tomatoes, and peppers – lightly coated in olive oil until they reach perfect caramelization.
- Present kebabs on a warm platter accompanied by fragrant saffron rice and charred vegetables. Enhance with a sprinkle of sumac and fresh parsley garnish.
Notes
- Squeeze onions completely to prevent watery meat mixture, ensuring kebabs hold shape perfectly during grilling.
- Use high-fat ground beef (80/20 ratio) for juicier, more tender kebabs that won’t dry out easily.
- Chilling meat mixture helps develop deeper flavors and makes shaping kebabs much smoother and more consistent.
- For gluten-free version, confirm all spices are certified gluten-free and serve with alternative grains like quinoa or cauliflower rice.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Persian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg