Oven-Baked Beef Koobideh

Ingredients

• 2 lb 80/20 ground beef
• 2 yellow onions (grated or blended, liquid strained out)
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 0.5 tsp red pepper (ground)
• salt (to taste)
• black pepper (to taste)
• 1 pinch saffron (dissolved in a small amount of hot water (optional))
• 4 tomatoes (for broiling)
• 2 jalapeños (for broiling)
• 2 cup basmati rice (cooked, for serving)
• Shirazi salad (mixture of cucumber, tomato, mint, lemon, and salt)
• 2 tbsp butter (melted, for brushing)
• 1 tsp sumac (for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Grate or blend the yellow onions. Place the onion mash into a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible, reserving only the dry pulp.

2. 2

   In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, onion pulp, turmeric, red pepper, salt, pepper, and saffron water. Mix thoroughly by hand until the ingredients are well incorporated and the meat becomes slightly tacky.

3. 3

   Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).

4. 4

   Press the meat mixture into a baking dish in an even, flat layer. Use a butter knife to score the meat into long strips (kabob shapes) and use a spatula or your fingers to make small divots or indentations along the strips.

5. 5

   Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and carefully drain off any excess liquid or fat that has rendered out.

6. 6

   Return the pan to the oven for another 2 minutes. Switch the oven to the broil setting and broil for 1-2 minutes until the top is slightly charred and browned.

7. 7

   While the meat is cooking, place the whole tomatoes and jalapeños on a separate tray and broil them until the skins are charred and the vegetables are softened.

8. 8

   Prepare the Shirazi salad by finely dicing cucumbers and tomatoes, then mixing with dried or fresh mint, lemon juice, and salt.

9. 9

   Remove the kabobs from the oven. Brush the top generously with melted butter and sprinkle with sumac.

10. 10

    Serve the kabob strips alongside steamed basmati rice, the charred vegetables, and the fresh Shirazi salad.

Notes

The author mentions 'bell pepper' in the method description but not the ingredient list; based on traditional Koobideh, this is likely a typo for the red pepper flakes or a suggestion to add finely minced bell pepper for flavor. Draining the liquid at the 10-minute mark is crucial to prevent the meat from boiling in its own juices.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Persian
• Middle Eastern
• beef
• baked
• dinner
• high-protein