RecipeBlog - Feature - Turkish Lamb Kofta

Turkish Style Lamb Kofta Skewer Recipe

By: Andrea Alden

Just about every culture on earth has a “meat on a stick” type recipe to try. One such that has been gaining popularity is a lamb dish of ground meat on a skewer. These Turkish Style Lamb Kofta Skewers are delicious and fragrant. Served with a delightful tahini and garlic dip, rice or pillowy pita-type bread, you’ll wonder where they’ve been all your life. Using the Rotisserie Shish Kebab Skewer Set makes this dish even more delightful, freeing up your main cooking grids for cooking up vegetables and warming the pita while allowing any drippings to leave the meal. It is up to you if you want to go 100% lamb or beef or to use a 50/50 mixture.

Prep Time
45 min
Cook Time
15 min
Yield
6
Difficulty
Easy

Turkish Style Lamb Kofta Skewer Recipe

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Ingredients

Method

Photos

Ingredients
  • 1½ lb (0.7 kg) ground lamb

  • 1½ lb (0.7 kg) ground beef

  • 1 onion, diced fine

  • 5 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/3 cup (20 g) fresh flat leaf parsley, minced

  • 2 tbsp. (8 g) fresh mint, minced

  • 1 tbsp. (4 g) ground sumac

  • 1 tsp. (2 g) cinnamon

  • 1 tsp. (2 g) ground cardamom

  • ½ tbsp. (3 g) cumin

  • 1 tsp. (2 g) nutmeg

  • 1 tbsp. (18 g) kosher salt

  • ½ tsp. (2 g) ground pepper

To Serve:

  • Tahini dip

  • Za’atar seasoning for garnish

  • Pita or naan style flat breads

  • Rice

  • Grilled vegetables

Tahini Dip:

  • ¾ cup (177 ml) tahini

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 lemons, juiced

  • ½ tsp. (1 g) cumin

  • 5 tbsp. (79 ml) water

Homemade Za’atar Seasoning:

  • 1 tbsp. (1 g) dried thyme, ground

  • 1 tbsp. (6 g) cumin seeds

  • 1 tbsp. (6 g) coriander seeds

  • 1 tbsp. (6 g) sesame seeds

  • 1 tbsp. (4 g) ground sumac

  • 1 tsp. (6 g) kosher salt kosher salt

Method
  1. Keeping the meat as cold as possible without it being frozen, combine your meat with the diced onion, minced garlic, parsley, mint, sumac, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Divide the meat into 6 portions and then thread the portions onto the metal skewers. Once threaded on, press and pull the meat onto the skewer in a tight, slightly flattened cylinder.
    PRO TIP: If you don’t have that accessory, any sort of skewer will do. If you are using wooden skewers, remember to soak them for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking.
  2. Place the skewers onto a tray and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight. This allows the meat to re-cool and stiffen up while the flavors blossom. 
  3. While the meat is resting in the fridge, combine the tahini, garlic, lemon juice and cumin. Whisk the ingredients together, adding the water, a little at a time, until the dip is creamy. Place into the fridge until needed. 
  4. Make the Za’atar seasoning by toasting the cumin, coriander and sesame seeds in a dry pan over low heat until fragrant and then grinding them to powder. Combine everything in a bowl or bottle and stirring or shaking until combined. 
  5. When you are ready to cook, preheat the bottom burners to high. Load the grill and cook the kofta skewers until they begin to char on the outside for about 6 minutes per side. 
  6. Serve your lamb kofta skewers with pillowy pita, rice, tahini dip and don’t forget a sprinkle of homemade Za’atar.

These Turkish Style Lamb Kofta Skewers are a unique and flavorful recipe that will break the routine of burgers on the barbecue. What bright and unique seasonings do you add to your meals to make something usual into something new? Share your favorite recipes – with a twist, your stories of great grilled food, and photos of your favorite meals off the barbecue on our social pages like Facebook and Instagram, using the hashtags #NapoleonEats and #NapoleonGrills.

Happy Grilling!

RecipeBlog - Turkish Lamb Kofta - Ingredients

Combine the ingredients to season the meat

RecipeBlog - Turkish Lamb Kofta - Skewers

Thread and press the meat onto skewers, then chill

RecipeBlog - Turkish Lamb Kofta - grill1

Preheat the grill to high and barbecue the meat over direct heat

RecipeBlog - Turkish Lamb Kofta - grill2

Cook until grill marks form on both sides, be gentle when moving

RecipeBlog - Turkish Lamb Kofta - serve1

Top with the tahini sauce and Za'atar

RecipeBlog - Turkish Lamb Kofta - serve2

Serve with your favorite flatbread and grilled veggies

RecipeBlog - Turkish Lamb Kofta - serve3
AndreaAlden
Andrea Alden

I used to be the Sultana of Sizzle, but you can call me Andrea. I have always been passionate about food. Even though I was majoring in Art and Graphic Design, I would frequently be found cooking for my friends and family.

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RecipeBlog - Turkish Lamb Kofta - Ingredients

Combine the ingredients to season the meat

RecipeBlog - Turkish Lamb Kofta - Skewers

Thread and press the meat onto skewers, then chill

RecipeBlog - Turkish Lamb Kofta - grill1

Preheat the grill to high and barbecue the meat over direct heat

RecipeBlog - Turkish Lamb Kofta - grill2

Cook until grill marks form on both sides, be gentle when moving

RecipeBlog - Turkish Lamb Kofta - serve1

Top with the tahini sauce and Za'atar

RecipeBlog - Turkish Lamb Kofta - serve2

Serve with your favorite flatbread and grilled veggies

RecipeBlog - Turkish Lamb Kofta - serve3