Moroccan Ground Beef Kebabs

Minced Beef Kababs – Middle Eastern Style

These Moroccan ground beef kebabs are as easy as 1-2-3. Combine the ingredients together, skewer them, and grill them to perfection. Minced beef kebabs cook fairly quickly, so these take barely 5 to 6 minutes on the grill. Serve them with flavored rice or pita bread and tahini. Don’t forget to serve some homemade hummus and aromatic salads for that full Middle-Eastern experience.

Grilled meat on skewers in any part of the world is always a wonderful meal. Whether you eat Asian satay chicken, Indian Murg malai kebabs, or middle-eastern kabobs. Perfect for summer BBQs with the family or friends over the weekend.

I learned something interesting recently. Did you know that the kebabs is originally an Arabic word for fried meat, not grilled? Apparently, in medieval times, the Turkish soldiers used their swords to grill meat over the open field fires, and that’s how the kebab as a grilled dish was invented?

Also, did you know that there are so many types of kebabs? Adana kebabs, chicken shish kebabs, Turkish shish kebabs. The list goes on.
Beyti kebab is one I love very much. It is made with lamb or beef. I tried it in Istanbul the first time. Very moist and juicy.

About these ground beef kebabs

This has got to be the easiest kabab recipe and most flavorful you will ever make. The addition of onions, garlic, and ginger, along with aromatic spices, pack these minced beef kababs with tons of flavor. While the fresh herbs and lemon give these the added freshness and zing.
We love to serve these with fresh pita (yes, these are my homemade pita bread) and with a side of tahini and salad.
The whole meal for me comes together in less than half an hour (without pita). Often, on busy days, I will marinate the meat overnight. The tahini takes as little as two minutes to make while the salad another five.

Let’s talk ingredients and substitutes (Save/Pin)

• Beef – Always use good quality beef like sirloin or chuck when making kebabs. These are lean but with just enough fat to keep the kebabs moist and tender.
• Onions – I can never think of meat on the grill without onions. They make a perfect combination. Today I have cut them finely but you can also grate them the Moroccan style.
• Ginger – I love freshly grated ginger, and yet ginger powder works just as well for kebabs.
• Garlic – Adds a nice aromatic flavor and highly recommended when making Indian or Middle-Eastern kebabs.
• Spices – These kebabs are Middle-Eastern style, so of course, we’ve got a good mix of wonderful aromatic spices like smokey cumin and sweet cinnamon along with some hot cayenne or paprika for some heat.
• Fresh herbs – Parsley and mint make a great combination and is very commonly used in the middle-east. And yet, cilantro with mint also works wonderfully together. I also love to add a sprig or two of dill.

Useful Tips and Tools

• You will need a mixing bowl to mix all the ingredients. I highly recommend using stainless steel or glass mixing bowl not aluminum as the acid in the marinade will react with the metal.
• Also, always keep separate cutting boards for meat and veggies.
• And a sharp kitchen knife for cutting veggies is great when you need to cut them finely.
• I like to use a zester to grate my garlic and ginger.
• I use metal skewers when I grill kebabs outside. But I prefer to use wooden skewers when I grill them indoors because my stovetop grill pan is a medium size.

How to make Moroccan Ground Beef Kababs – Minced beef Kebabs

Ingredients can be found below in the recipe card with unit conversions.

Method

Marinate meat

• Chop onions finely, grate the garlic, and ginger.
• Place all marinade ingredients in a bowl.

• Add the ground meat – and combine everything well.
• Do not overwork the meat – mix just enough to combine everything.
• This can be marinated for an hour and up to 12 hours.
• Drain soaked skewers and pat dry.

Form the kebabs

• Keep a bowl of water ready. Dip your hand in the water.
• Take some ground meat in your wet hand, make a ball then a sausage.
• Now thread a skewer thru the sausage. Then press and shape the sausage to secure the meat around the skewer (about 6 o 8 inches long) (See video).
• Continue until all the kebabs are ready.

Grill Skewers

• Heat a grill pan on medium-high heat.
• Place skewers – do not overcrowd the grill.
• Let cook for at least 3 minutes before you try to move it.
• When it’s done on one side it will release from the pan.
• Turn to the other side and cook for 2 more minutes.
• As a guide, each skewer takes 5 to 6 minutes to cook on all sides.
• The char marks can be controlled by raising and lowering the heat under the grill.
• Serve with rice or pita and tahini.

Tips for juicy Kebabs

1. Always use good quality ground meat with a good fat of at least 25%. This fat later helps bind the meat together when kneading.
2. Ground meat kebabs are best made with lean meat. The fat tends to melt over the grill and the meat tends to fall apart. I prefer 75% lean meat.
3. When buying beef for kebabs use either lean sirloin (90%) or chuck which is 80% lean.
4. If possible use metal skewers, these when heated cook the meat from the inside as well.
5. Knead the meat well so the mixture sticks to each other (like glue) this keeps the meat together when grilling.
6. Kebabs are always best served fresh off the grill. If you make them early keep them covered in a container to catch all the juices. I prefer to keep them between bread so the bread soaks up all the juices.
7. To reheat the kebabs – I place them on a plate and cover them with a wet paper towel. The moisture created by the steam from the paper towel keeps the kebabs moist.

Frequently asked questions

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Ground Beef Kebabs

Author: Veena Azmanov

5 from 17 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

1 hr

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins

Calories: 282kcal

$30

Adjust Servings Here: 8 Kebabs

Description

These Moroccan ground beef kebabs are as easy as 1-2-3. Combine the ingredients together, skewer them, and grill them to perfection. Minced beef kebabs cook fairly quickly, so these take barely 5 to 6 minutes on the grill. Serve them with flavored rice or pita bread and tahini. Don't forget to serve some homemade hummus and aromatic salads for that full Middle-Eastern experience.

Equipment /Tools

• Mixing Bowl Glass
• Stovetop Grill
• Cutting boards
• Kitchen Knife

Ingredients

Makes 8 to 10 skewers

• 500 grams (1.1 lb) Ground beef
• 1 cup (1 cup) Onion chopped finely
• 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) Garlic grated
• 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) Ginger fresh grated
• 1/4 tsp (1/4 tsp) Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp (1 tsp) Cumin powder
• 1 tsp (1 tsp) Cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp (1 tsp) Paprika or cayenne – hot or mild
• 2 tbsp (2 tbsp) Lemon juice
• 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) Olive oil
• 1 cup (1 cup) Fresh herbs chopped (parsley, cilantro, and mint)
• 1/2 tsp (1/2 tsp) Salt
• 1/2 tsp (1/2 tsp) Pepper

ADJUST SERVINGS HERE – 8 Kebabs

Instructions

MARINATE MEAT

• Chop onions finely, grate the garlic, and ginger.
• Place all marinade ingredients in a bowl.
• Add the ground meat – and combine everything well.
• Do not overwork the meat – mix just enough to combine everything.
• This can be marinated for an hour, and up to 12 hours.
• Drain soaked skewers and pat dry.

FORM THE KEBABS

• Keep a bowl of water ready. Dip your hand in the water.
• Take some ground meat in your wet hand, make a ball then a sausage.
• Now thread a skewer thru the sausage. Then press and shaped the sausage to secure the meat around the skewer (about 6 to 8 inches) (See video).
• Continue until all the kebabs are ready.

GRILL SKEWERS

• Heat a grill pan on medium-high heat.
• Place skewers – do not overcrowd the grill.
• Let cook for at least 3 minutes before you try to move it.
• When it’s done on one side it will release from the pan.
• Turn to the other side and cook for 2 more minutes.
• As a guide, each skewer takes 5 to 6 minutes to cook on all sides.
• The char marks can be controlled by raising and lowing the heat under the grill.
• Serve with rice or pita and tahini.

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Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts

Ground Beef Kebabs

Amount Per Serving

Calories 282 Calories from Fat 189

% Daily Value*

Fat 21g32%

Saturated Fat 5g25%

Cholesterol 44mg15%

Sodium 207mg9%

Potassium 366mg10%

Carbohydrates 9g3%

Fiber 3g12%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 17g34%

Vitamin A 150IU3%

Vitamin C 4.8mg6%

Calcium 80mg8%

Iron 3.5mg19%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you

Keywords – BBQ, beef, grilled, kebabs, Picnics, summer

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