Skewered Ground Meat Recipes

MOROCCAN GROUND BEEF KEBAB / SKEWERS

Steps:

• Combine the beef, onion, parsley, cilantro, & spices in a large bowl, refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Wash your hands but don't dry them. Gently pack small amounts of the meat mixture around the skewers, forming a 4-inch long sausage shape on each skewer.
• Grill over charcoal, turning the kebab time to time so not to burn. Cook throughly. Serve with Recipe #260654 or some other dense bread.

BEEF KOFTAS (GROUND BEEF ON SKEWERS)

Steps:

• If using bamboo skewers, soak in water for at least 1 hour.
• If you can, run the beef and onions through a food grinder twice. If you don't have a grinder, pulse the onion in a food processor until chopped finely and then add the beef and pulse until it reaches quite a fine consistency. Place in a bowl.
• Soak bread in milk and add to meat together with the seasonings.
• Mix well and form into football shaped meatballs 2-3 inch in diameter. About 2 or 3 meatballs should fit on each skewer. You can shape them right on the skewers.
• Grill on skewers until cooked through.

GROUND MEAT KEBAB

Steps:

• Put all the ingredients together in a bowl. Mix well and work with your hands into a soft paste. Wash your hands and rub them with oil. Take lumps of paste the size of a tangerine and roll them into sausage shapes about 3/4 inch thick, then press them around flat wooden skewers. Alternatively, shape the meat into burgers.
• Place the keftas on a heat-proof serving dish or on a piece of foil on a baking tray and cook under the preheated broiler for about 10 minutes, turning them over once, until browned on the outside but still pink inside.
• Serve hot with good bread and a salad of cucumber, tomato, and red onion, dressed with lemon juice and olive oil.

SPICED GROUND MEAT SKEWERS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the meat, onion, garlic, cilantro, cumin, sumac, salt, Urfa pepper, black pepper, and cinnamon, if using.
• With your hands, thoroughly knead and massage the meat to incorporate the ingredients, about 4 minutes. Breaking down the meat will create a sticky, cohesive mixture that results in a pleasing springy texture. You can also combine everything in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, in which case it will take only about 2 minutes. Chill the mixture for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
• Wet your hands with cold water, then divide meat into 6 equal portions and mold each around a metal or soaked bamboo skewer (see Tip). Transfer skewers to a large plate or baking sheet. You can grill them right away at this point, or cover and refrigerate them while preparing the grill (up to 4 hours).
• Heat the grill to high. When the grill is hot, lightly brush the grates with oil, and add the skewers. Cook, rotating them carefully every few minutes, until evenly browned and slightly charred in places, about 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let rest for a few minutes. Garnish with more herbs, sumac and flaky sea salt, and serve.

GREEK SOUZOUKAKLIA

Steps:

• Preheat grill for high heat.
• In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, onion, raisins, and parsley. Season with cayenne pepper, cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, sugar, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Form into 6 flat sausages around skewers. Lightly brush sausages with oil; this prevents sticking to the grill.
• Arrange skewers on hot grill grate. Cook for approximately 15 minutes, turning occasionally to brown evenly, until well done.

SUCCULENT BEEF SKEWERS

Steps:

• In a shallow dish, combine the first 9 ingredients; add beef and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight, turning occasionally. , Drain and discard marinade. Thread beef onto six metal or soaked wooden skewers. Lightly oil the grill rack., Grill steak, covered, over medium-hot heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 8-10 minutes or until beef reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135°; medium, 140°; medium-well, 145°), turning occasionally.

SKEWERED GREEK MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Make the dipping sauce: Mix together yogurt, cucumber, mint, lemon zest and juice, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl; season with pepper.
• Make the meatballs: Gently mix together meat, feta, oregano, and red-pepper flakes in a bowl; do not overmix. Form mixture into thirty 1 1/4-inch meatballs. (You may need to oil your hands to prevent mixture from sticking.) Slide 5 meatballs onto each of 6 metal skewers.
• Preheat broiler, with rack in top third of oven. Lightly brush a rimmed baking sheet with oil. Broil skewers on baking sheet until just cooked through and deep golden brown, about 8 minutes. Serve with dipping sauce.