In Morocco, summer means one thing: Grilled Kefta, Bread and a tall glass of Moroccan Mint Tea. This is the universally loved Moroccan BBQ Recipe of the summer and You will soon find out why.
What is Kefta ?
The words : Kefta, Kofta or Kafta all refer to the same thing: finely minced beef or lamb with a blend of spices, onions, garlic and herbs.
The spice blend varies from one country to another. For instance, in Afghanistan, it is not uncommon to use a spice like sumac which is not used in North-African cuisine. In India, Kofta as it is pronounced there, is also cooked in creamy curries and usually combines a different blend of spices such as garam masala.
On the Moroccan side, Kefta is often cooked in a Tagine in a tomato sauce and occasionally served with a soft-boiled egg. The version I will be sharing with you today is the Street-Style Grilled Kefta recipe.
Grilled kefta is often served in restaurants on the Moroccan country-side. It’s also widely available in cities across the country, however, the best grilled kefta you will ever have is often on the country-side.
The reason behind this is very simple : fresher ingredients, higher quality meat and cleaner air. This combination just makes everything better.
How to Make Moroccan Grilled Kefta
To make fantastic Moroccan Kefta, here is what you will need:
- Ground beef, preferably grass-fed: It’s very important that you use the best quality beef your can afford. It makes a huge difference.
- Onions: are very important to this dish, as they release flavor and moisture into the meat as it is cooking. If you want moist and flavorful Kefta, do not skip onions.
- Garlic
- Spices & condiments: I used paprika, turmeric, cumin, sea salt, black pepper and ground ginger. I find that this blend captures very well the taste of street-style Kefta. However, if you do like your Kefta a little more spicy, add a little cayenne powder.
- Herbs: Coriander, Parsley and mint. This blend of herbs adds a lot of freshness to the Kefta. As you know, red has a very irony taste and fresh herbs add a lot of balance to that.
Instructions
Making very good Moroccan Kefta depends on the quality of the ingredients of course, but also on the technique. Thoroughly blending all ingredients together is crucial and that is why I highly recommend using a food processor.
- Preheat your grill to 350F to 375F.
- To a food processor, add your onion, garlic, spices and herbs. Blend until you get a fine mixture. Add your meat and blend again until you get a homogeneous mixture. Allow your meat to chill, covered, while you preheat your BBQ or oven.
- To grill my Kefta I used a grilling basket (Chouwaya), as it is the iconic way of grilling Kefta in Morocco. Divide your Kefta into 8 equal parts and shape into oval patties. Place each patty in your basket. OPTIONAL STEP: cut 2 large onions into rings and place on top of the patties. The natural fat from the meat will slowly flavor and help the onions cook and caramelize. Plus the onions make an excellent side.
- Place your Kefta on the hot grill and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature of your meat reaches 160F. Your Kefta should look like this:
F.A.Q.
I don’t have a charcoal grill, or a regular BBQ. How do I make this ? You can make Kefta in the oven too using skewers or by simply placing your patties on a cooking sheet. You can also cook your kefta directly on a pan. Kefta is versatile, and is the same one used in Moroccan Kefta Tagine.
Can I make Kefta with Lamb or Chicken ? Yes. You can make a 1 to 1 substitution and just follow the same recipe. For chicken, please note that your patties will a little more tender and they will cook a lot faster. Make sure that you keep an eye on them.
Moroccan Grilled Kefta
In Morocco, summer means one thing: Grilled Kefta, Bread and a tall glass of Moroccan Mint Tea. This is the universally loved Moroccan BBQ Recipe of the summer and You will soon find out why.
Ingredients
- 1 lbs ground beef
- 1 small onion
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup minced coriander
- 1/4 cup minced parsley
- 4-5 leaves fresh mint
Instructions
Preheat your grill to 350F to 375F.
To a food processor, add your onion, garlic, spices and herbs. Blend until you get a fine mixture. Add your meat and blend again until you get a homogeneous mixture. Allow your meat to chill, covered, while you preheat your BBQ or oven.
To grill my Kefta I used a grilling basket (Chouwaya), as it is the iconic way of grilling Kefta in Morocco. Divide your Kefta into 8 equal parts and shape into oval patties. Place each patty in your basket. OPTIONAL STEP: cut 2 large onions into rings and place on top of the patties. The natural fat from the meat will slowly flavor and help the onions cook and caramelize. Plus the onions make an excellent side.
Place your Kefta on the hot grill and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature of your meat reaches 160F.
You can serve this with some French fries and some homemade bread. Enjoy 🙂
Recipe Notes
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