If you’ve been watching my videos on YouTube, you know I love trying out new cooking gadgets. I even have a playlist dedicated to them—check it out here. When I came across the Easy Kabob, a gun-like meat molder, a wave of childhood nostalgia washed over me.
When my brother and I were little, we had a babysitter named Simi. We would stay at her house until our dad finished work, and on several occasions, she made kabob koobideh, a popular Persian minced meat kabob. The aroma was heavenly when she cooked it, and I vividly remember how she would squeeze the meat onto skewers, which I imagined to be swords at the time.
I’ve always wanted to try making kabobs myself, so when I saw the Easy Kabob, I knew I had to get it.
To make the kabobs themselves, I adapted Persian Mama’s recipe. As for equipment, I used my Iwatani slim burner with a smokeless grill top (pictured above) — and the kabobs turned out great! 😋
So here’s how to make them.
Easy Kabobs
Equipment
- 1 Kabob maker — you could also just use your hands to shape the kabobs.
- 1 grill top — or outdoor grill, or even stovetop would be fine.
- 1 pack wooden skewers
- 1 strainer — to drain moisture from onion
- 2 medium-sized bowls one for draining onion, one for mixing meat
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb. ground beef 80% lean 20%fat
- 1 lb. ground lamb
- 1 1/2 medium yellow onion finely grated
- 3 cloves garlic finely grated
- 1 tsp. Kosher salt
- 1 tsp. za'atar
- 1 tsp. ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Grate the onion and transfer it to a strainer placed over a bowl to allow moisture to drain.
- Squeeze any excess moisture from the onion and add it to a large bowl with the meat, grated garlic, egg, and seasonings.
- Mix well with clean hands. Vigorously mix and knead the meat until it reaches a paste-like consistency. This also helps incorporate the spices.
- If you have the gadget, remove the plunger and fill the chamber with the meat mixture. Then, return the plunger to the chamber, place a skewer through the back of the gadget, and press until the meat comes through the nozzle. Once done, push the skewer through, and voila—a kabob! For those who don't have the Easy Kabob, divide the meat into equal portions and evenly press onto the skewers. Continue making kabobs until you've used all the meat.
- Refrigerate to let the meat firm up, making it easier to handle during cooking.
- Meanwhile, heat the grill.
- Once the grill is nice and hot, lightly oil it to prevent sticking.
- Grill in batches for 8-10 minutes, rotating occasionally, until the meat is nicely seared and no longer pink in the center.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a platter. Let rest briefly, then serve.