Persian Koobideh Kebab

Look, I've eaten a lot of kebabs in my life and most of them are fine, but Koobideh Kebab is the one that quietly humbles every other ground meat situation you've ever loved. This Persian classic is basically what happens when someone looks at a hamburger and says yeah, but make it elegant. You take ground lamb or beef, mix it with an absurd amount of grated onion until the whole thing turns into a glossy, almost sticky paste, then press it onto a wide flat skewer that looks like it belongs in a medieval armory. Over hot charcoal it does this magic trick where the outside chars into something almost crispy while the inside stays absurdly juicy. Pair it with saffron rice, blistered tomatoes, a heavy dusting of sumac, and a pat of butter that has no business being that good, and you have one of the most underrated grilled dishes on the planet. If you've never had real Koobideh Kebab, especially the kind cooked over live fire by someone who clearly cares about it more than you care about most things in your life, you are missing one of the great quiet wins in the entire world of grilling.

P.S. If you want to make your own Toum (aka Garlic Sauce), check out this video.

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Stuff I Use...

Large Kebab Skewers

Portable Single-burner Stove

Butane Canisters

My Meat Slicer

My Cookware Set

My Dutch Oven

My Induction Burner

Deli Containers

Large Mason Jars (32oz, wide mouth)

Rust-proof Mason Jar Lids

Portable Single-burner Stove

Butane Torch

Coarse Reinforced Strainer

Fine Mesh Reinforced Strainer

Sheet Trays

The BEST Smash Burger Spatula

Cutting Board Scraper

Ice Cream Maker

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Yield: 3-4 Kebabs

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Koobideh Kebab

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion, grated and juice squeezed out
• 1 pound 80/20 ground beef
• 1 pound ground lamb
• salt 1 tsp
• black pepper 1/2 tsp
• ground turmeric 1/2 tsp
• sumac 1 tsp
• saffron water 1 Tbsp (15 mL)
• baking soda (optional, for binding) 1/4 tsp
• Green Chili, for grilling
• Whole Roma Tomato, for grilling
• Yellow Onion, halved for grilling
• Mint, Pickled Red Onion, Radish, for serving
• Dill/Saffron Basmati Rice, for serving

Instructions

1. Grate the onion into a bowl, then squeeze out as much juice as possible. Let the onion rest briefly to reduce sharpness, then keep the grated onion for mixing.
2. Add salt, black pepper, turmeric, red sumac, and saffron water to the onion and mix well.
3. Combine the seasoned onion mixture with ground beef. Knead thoroughly with your hands until the mixture becomes very sticky and uniform.
4. If needed, add baking soda and mix again to improve binding. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours to allow flavors to develop and improve texture.
5. Divide mixture into equal portions and shape each into a tight ball.
6. With wet hands, mold each portion around a flat skewer, shaping into a long, even strip. Press firmly so the meat adheres tightly.
7. Preheat grill to medium-high heat, about 375°F (190°C). Place skewers on the grill and cook, flipping every 30 seconds to seal and prevent falling apart. Grill for 3–4 minutes total until browned and cooked through.
8. Serve immediately off the skewers with rice or flatbread, optionally finishing with melted saffron butter or extra sumac if desired and dill saffron-basmati rice.

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