Chef Zohra
Boulfaf (بولفاف)
Eid begins at the brazier with sheep liver kissed by coals, wrapped in caul fat, and shared fast with khobz while the house is still busy around the sacrifice.
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Brochettes de Kefta
Created by
Minced lamb and beef kneaded with cumin, paprika, parsley, and coriander, then grilled fast over hot coals. Kefta brochettes are made for bread, salad, and one more chair.
Appetizers & Snacks
Moroccan
BBQ
Outdoor Dining
Picnic
25 min
Active Time
10 min cook•35 min total
Yield4 servings
Kefta lives in the hands before it ever sees the fire. You don't just stir the meat with the spices, you knead it until it turns tacky and holds together, because that is what keeps the brochettes from crumbling on the skewer and drying on the coals.
The fire must be hot and ready. These are not brochettes for a slow, sleepy grill. Shape the meat long and slim around flat skewers, let the outside brown quickly, and turn them before the fat runs away from you. The cumin, paprika, parsley, coriander, and onion are there to perfume the meat, not bury it. Good meat first, honest spices after. La balance est dans les yeux, the scale is in the eyes.
Serve them the way they belong: with round khobz, chopped tomato and onion salad, olives, and mint tea or a cold glass at the side. At a Moroccan table, especially outdoors, kefta is la cuisine du lien (the cooking of connection), everyone reaching, tearing bread, making room. A table is a door you leave open.
Kefta brochettes belong to the grill traditions found across Morocco, from urban butcher stalls in Casablanca and Fez to roadside grills and family courtyards, where minced meat is seasoned and cooked quickly over charcoal. The technique sits at the meeting point of older Maghrebi meat cookery and the wider Islamic-world habit of skewered meats that moved along Mediterranean and trans-Saharan trade routes from the medieval period onward. Regional seasoning varies, with some cooks adding a little cinnamon, hot pepper, or ras el hanout, but cumin, paprika, fresh parsley, fresh coriander, onion, and good meat remain the steady grammar.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
minced lamb
Quantity
350g
15 to 20 percent fat
minced beef
Quantity
350g
15 to 20 percent fat
onion
Quantity
1 small
grated and squeezed dry
fresh parsley
Quantity
3 tbsp
finely chopped
fresh coriander
Quantity
3 tbsp
finely chopped
ground cumin
Quantity
2 tsp
sweet paprika
Quantity
2 tsp
sea salt
Quantity
1 tsp
black pepper
Quantity
1/2 tsp
hot paprika or cayenne (optional)
Quantity
1/4 tsp
ground cinnamon (optional)
Quantity
1/4 tsp
olive oil
Quantity
1 tbsp
for your hands and the grill
round khobz
Quantity
for serving
tomato and onion salad
Quantity
for serving
lemon wedges (optional)
Quantity
for serving
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| minced lamb15 to 20 percent fat | 350g |
| minced beef15 to 20 percent fat | 350g |
| oniongrated and squeezed dry | 1 small |
| fresh parsleyfinely chopped | 3 tbsp |
| fresh corianderfinely chopped | 3 tbsp |
| ground cumin | 2 tsp |
| sweet paprika | 2 tsp |
| sea salt | 1 tsp |
| black pepper | 1/2 tsp |
| hot paprika or cayenne (optional) | 1/4 tsp |
| ground cinnamon (optional) | 1/4 tsp |
| olive oilfor your hands and the grill | 1 tbsp |
| round khobz | for serving |
| tomato and onion salad | for serving |
| lemon wedges (optional) | for serving |
Equipment Needed
- •Flat metal skewers
- •Charcoal grill or grill pan
- •Wide mixing bowl
Instructions
- 1
Season the meat
Put the lamb and beef in a wide bowl. Add the grated onion, parsley, coriander, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, and the optional hot paprika or cinnamon if your table likes them. Work everything through with your hands until the seasoning is spread evenly and the meat begins to feel tacky.
- 2
Knead the kefta
Knead the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes, folding and pressing it against the side of the bowl. This matters: the kneading binds the mince so it grips the skewer and stays juicy instead of falling apart on the grill.
If the meat feels loose, chill it for 20 minutes before shaping. Cold kefta behaves better in the hand. - 3
Shape the skewers
Lightly oil your hands. Divide the kefta into 8 portions and press each one around a flat metal skewer, shaping it into a long, even sausage about 2 cm thick. Pinch the ends closed so the meat grips the skewer from tip to tip.
- 4
Heat the grill
Prepare a charcoal grill until the coals are hot and covered with a light ash. Brush the grate lightly with oil. You want strong heat, because kefta should brown quickly outside while staying moist inside.
- 5
Grill fast
Lay the skewers over the hot coals and grill for 6 to 8 minutes, turning every 2 minutes. The outside should be browned in patches, the herbs darkened against the meat, and the juices still glistening on the surface. Don't press them down. That only gives the fire what belongs to the table.
- 6
Rest and serve
Rest the brochettes for 3 minutes, then slide them onto a communal platter. Serve with khobz, tomato and onion salad, olives, and lemon wedges if you like a little brightness. Tear the bread by hand and let everyone build their own bite.
Chef Tips
- •Ask the butcher for meat with enough fat. Lean mince makes dry kefta, and no spice can rescue that.
- •Grate the onion, then squeeze it dry. Too much onion water loosens the meat and makes the brochettes steam against the skewer instead of browning.
- •Cumin and paprika must smell alive when you open them. If your merchant makes a kefta blend with ras el hanout, buy it from someone who'll tell you what's in it. Avec le ras el hanout, on ne triche pas, with ras el hanout, you don't cheat.
- •Flat metal skewers are easier than round wooden ones because the meat grips them and turns with them. If you use wooden skewers, soak them well and shape the kefta a little shorter.
Advance Preparation
- •The kefta mixture can be seasoned and chilled up to 12 hours ahead. Cover it well, then shape just before grilling.
- •Shaped brochettes can rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour before cooking. Bring them out while the coals heat so they lose their hard chill.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 300g)
Calories
530 calories
Total Fat
27 g
Saturated Fat
10 g
Trans Fat
1 g
Unsaturated Fat
16 g
Cholesterol
115 mg
Sodium
950 mg
Total Carbohydrates
34 g
Dietary Fiber
4 g
Sugars
7 g
Protein
38 g
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