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Kefta in the Oven

Juicy, flavorful kefta baked in the oven! Pair it with salad, rice, and tzatziki to make it the perfect meal.
Prep Time35 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef 85/15 or 80/20
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons parsley finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons plain whole milk yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons sumac
  • 2 teaspoons allspice
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cardamom optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • butter, ghee, or oil for brushing

Equipment

  • skewers

Instructions 

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
  2. Place wooden skewers in a water bath to soak for 20 minutes. This prevents them from burning in the oven.
  3. In a large bowl, add the ground beef, minced garlic, parsley, cilantro, yogurt, and all the spices. Mix together very well.
  4. Grab a skewer and shape the spiced ground beef onto it. If you are having trouble keeping it on the skewer, refrigerate the meat for 30 minutes to make it firm and then shape.
  5. Brush a wire rack or tray with ghee, butter or oil. Place the kefta skewers on the rack, brush the tops with more ghee, butter, or oil and pop in the oven to bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F. Do not over-bake or it will be dry.
  6. Once it is out of the oven, tent the meat by covering it loosely with some foil for 5 to 10 minutes. Do not cover it completely. This will help the juices redistribute as the meat rests to keep it extra juicy. Then serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • If you would like to use ground lamb, you can swap it for the ground beef or use half and half.

Did You Make This Recipe?

If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how it turns out. I love hearing from you!