Ground Beef Kefta

We’ve all been there before. Hungry, staring at a pound of ground beef, yet still confused as to what to do with it, knowing that one more burger or one more bowl of chili is one step closer to insanity.  Next time, perhaps consider these Middle Eastern-inspired kefta, which are made with minimal ingredients and effort, but are full of complex flavors.

I know what you’re thinking, “Isn’t food from that part of the world a bit sketchy?” Sure, if by sketchy you mean awesome.  I understand that kebabs suffer from being associated with cheap street vendors and e-coli, or bland chunks of beef with assorted vegetables served at your neighbor’s 4th of July BBQ.  So why should you make kebabs for dinner? Because they are so easy to make and can be so tasty when done right.

This particular recipe, uses ground beef, but you can really use any type of ground meat you prefer… try lamb!  As the spice mixture goes, this can also vary wildly on your personal tastes.  If one particular flavor is too strong, adjust it accordingly next time.  It’s impossible to mess this dish up!

Ingredients:

• 1  pound ground beef
• 1/4  minced white onion 
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Yields 4 servings

Preparation:

The only real preparation for this dish is to chop the parsley and finely mince the onion.  Once you have your ingredients together, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty… or get your spoon dirty if you’re squeamish about touching raw meat.  Toss the parsley and onion into a bowl along with the spices and meat.

Mix the ingredients until just combined. You don’t want to overwork the meat, as the heat from your hands and the friction of mixing can break down those bits of fat that you want to preserve for a juicy result, turning it into a flavorless mush.

To assemble the kebabs form the beef mixture into 8 short sausage shapes and thread 2 onto a metal or bamboo skewer. Tip: soak bamboo skewers in water overnight (to prevent them from burning). If you don’t have skewers, you can also form the beef mixture into patties if you prefer.

The best way to cook your kebabs is (in my opinion) on a proper grill outside; brush with the olive oil and grill, turning frequently, until browned and just cooked through, about 5 minutes.  However, if you are unlucky in that you do not have a grill or weather isn’t cooperating, broiling them also works wonders.

Broil the meat until it’s nice and brown then flip and cook a little longer. You can check the meat by separating two pieces on the skewer and checking in between. When in doubt, err on the side of under done, you can always put it back if you want it cooked more, but you can’t uncook it if it’s over done.

I like to serve kefta over saffron rice or tabbouleh.