Ingredients
Beef Kofta
- 1 lb ground beef, lean or regular
- ½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 small onion, peeled and grated
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ¼-½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
To Serve
- Tzatziki, or yogurt sauce
- Mediterranean salad, fattoush or greek
Equipment
Method
Mix the Meat
- In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, parsley, onion, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
- Use your hands to work the ingredients and "knead" the aromatics into the meat. Flipping it over itself multiple times and squishing the ingredients between your fingers works the best. Do not overwork – this should only take a minute.
- Cover and set aside to rest for at least 20 minutes or up to overnight. Rest allows the flavours to mingle and the meat to stay on the skewer better.
Form the Kofta Kebabs
- Divide the mixture into 4 and shape into a log 6"/15 cm long. Thread the skewer through the log lengthwise and press all around to conform. Make sure it's nice and centered so it doesn't fall off.
If the beef sticks to your hands, use a bit of oil. The easiest way to form the kebabs is to form the log before adding the skewer. Attempting to adhere the meat to the skewer often doesn't work as well.
Cook the Kofta
- Add the skewers to the pre-heated Traeger. Close the lid and cook for 13 minutes undisturbed.
- After 13 minutes, flip/roll the skewers over, rotating if necessary to ensure even cooking/browning. Cook an additional 10-12 minutes until they reach 165°F on an instant read thermometer.
Rest and Serve
- Remove the kofta from the Traeger onto a platter or plate and let them rest for a couple minutes to cool a bit before digging in.
- Enjoy with warm pita, tzatziki, cucumber tomato salad, pilaf, or a mezze platter.