Ground Beef Kebabs

500 g ground beef
1 cup onion, finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves, finely minced
8 cm fresh ginger, grated
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp SIDS CRAZY LEMON
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp SIDS SALT & PEPPER to taste
1 cup parsley, coriander, mint (chopped - I used all three but any two works too)
10 bamboo skewers (soaked in water for 30 minutes )
¼ cup rice bran oil (for grilling )

Combine - In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients.
Pro Tip - We combine all the ingredients before processing to prevent over-processing.
Process - Transfer the mixture to the food processor and pulse no more than 8 to 10 times.
Pro Tip - processing in the food processor makes the mixture slightly sticky by distributing the fat. This helps the meat and marinade hold together.
Marinate - Transfer the meat back to the bow and leave to marinate for 15 minutes on the counter or up to overnight in the fridge.
Pro Tip - Alternatively, you can thread the meat on the skewers and leave in the fridge until ready to grill.
Thread/shape kebabs - shaping these can be tricky so pay attention.
- Take about ⅓ cup amount of beef mixture and make a ball then shape it into a long sausage.
- Thread the skewer through the sausage.
- Now using your fingers press them around the meat as if you are making a fist pressing the meat to the skewer.
- Be gentle not to break the sausage but firm enough so it adheres to the skewers
Pro Tip - dipping your hands in water will make the meat less sticky. Gloves do not help much.
Hot grill - Heat a grill or cast-iron frypan on medium-high heat. Brush the grill with cooking oil.
Pro tip - The grill must be very hot but not smoking hot otherwise the meat will stick to the grill.
Grill - Place the skewers on the grill to cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Brush them with oil to keep them moist. The char marks can be controlled by raising and lowing the heat under the grill.
Pro tip - do not try to move the kebabs for the first 3 minutes as they will be stuck to the grill. otherwise, you will break them. After 3 minutes they should release on their own.
Serve immediately with rice or pita topped with tahini sauce or yoghurt sauce and a side salad.
Oven Bake Kebabs:
To bake these in the oven instead of the grill.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and brush with oil to prevent sticking.
- Place the skewers on the tray and brush with oil.
- Bake in the oven on the top rack for 10-13 minutes until the internal temperature of the meat on an instant-read meat thermometer reaches 65°C for medium doneness.
Pro Tip - these will continue to cook on the hot tray even after you take them out of the oven so do not over-cook in the oven.
Recipe Notes & Tips -
Always use good quality ground meat with a good fat of at least 25%. This fat later helps bind the meat together when kneading.
When buying beef for kebabs use either sirloin (75%) or chuck which is 80% lean. Any leaner than that means there is no fat to hold the meat together.
If possible use metal skewers as this cook the meat from the inside as well. But, you can use bamboo skewers too.
Soak the bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes. When soaked the wet wood prevents them from burning.
Knead the meat well so the mixture sticks to each other (like glue) this holds the meat together during grilling.
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.
Reheat the Kebabs - 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.