Persian Koobideh Kebab
Koobideh falls off the skewer for three reasons: too little fat, too short a knead, or warm meat. You need at least 20% fat, 10 minutes of kneading until the meat turns tacky and clings to your hand, and an hour of chilling before skewering.
- Prep
- 90 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 102 min
- Calories
- 380
Koobideh is the most famous Persian kebab, named from 'koobidan' — to pound. Minced meat seasoned with grated onion alone, with no bread and few spices. That simplicity means technique is everything.
Method
-
1
The onion — where people go wrong
Grate the onion fine and squeeze it in muslin until its water is completely gone. That water is the number one cause of kebab falling off.
⏱ 12 min -
2
Knead
Mix the meat with the squeezed onion, salt, pepper and turmeric, and knead by hand for a full 10 minutes until the meat turns tacky, clings to your palm and pulls like chewing gum.
⏱ 12 min -
3
Chill
Cover the meat and refrigerate it for at least an hour. Cold meat grips the skewer; warm meat falls.
⏱ 62 min -
4
Skewer
Wet your hands with cold water, take a ball of meat, wrap it around a wide flat skewer, and press with your fingers in succession to make the characteristic ridges.
⏱ 12 min -
5
Grill
Over a strong charcoal fire, start grilling without the meat touching the grate (the skewer rests on the sides). Turn after a minute and a half, and cook 5 to 7 minutes in total with constant turning.
⏱ 8 min -
6
The tomatoes
Grill the tomatoes on a separate skewer alongside until their skins char.
⏱ 6 min -
7
Serve
Spread lavash on a tray, slide the skewers off using a piece of bread, add the butter and tomatoes, and dust with sumac. Serve with rice or bread.
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Tips that actually matter
- Squeeze the onion water out completely — the first cause of kebab falling off.
- 20% fat minimum. Lean meat can never hold together.
- Knead 10 minutes until it turns tacky — that unwinds the protein that binds the mixture.
- A wide flat skewer, not a thin round one — thin ones spin and the meat drops.
People also ask
My kebab fell off — why?
Usually one of three: the onion water was not squeezed out, the knead was too short, or the meat was warm. All three must be right together.
Can I do it without charcoal?
Yes, on a very hot cast-iron griddle, or in the oven under the grill on a rack. There will be no smoke, but the result is acceptable.
Can I use beef?
Yes, but you must increase the fat — beef is leaner than lamb. Ask your butcher to mince it at 20% fat.
Cook mode
Persian Koobideh Kebab
-
1
The onion — where people go wrong
Grate the onion fine and squeeze it in muslin until its water is completely gone. That water is the number one cause of kebab falling off.
-
2
Knead
Mix the meat with the squeezed onion, salt, pepper and turmeric, and knead by hand for a full 10 minutes until the meat turns tacky, clings to your palm and pulls like chewing gum.
-
3
Chill
Cover the meat and refrigerate it for at least an hour. Cold meat grips the skewer; warm meat falls.
-
4
Skewer
Wet your hands with cold water, take a ball of meat, wrap it around a wide flat skewer, and press with your fingers in succession to make the characteristic ridges.
-
5
Grill
Over a strong charcoal fire, start grilling without the meat touching the grate (the skewer rests on the sides). Turn after a minute and a half, and cook 5 to 7 minutes in total with constant turning.
-
6
The tomatoes
Grill the tomatoes on a separate skewer alongside until their skins char.
-
7
Serve
Spread lavash on a tray, slide the skewers off using a piece of bread, add the butter and tomatoes, and dust with sumac. Serve with rice or bread.
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