Learning Koobideh Kebab — Chef Saeed’s Way
- lyukum
- Aug 20
- 4 min read
Authentic Persian Koobideh Kebab with Chef Saeed
This summer I was invited to a graduation party for three high school seniors. The table was full of homemade food — and everything tasted wonderful, because nothing beats the comfort of food cooked at home. But what Chef Saeed prepared eclipsed everything else for me. Among his dishes were koobideh kebabs of extraordinary beauty, flavor, and juiciness.
It wasn’t my first encounter with kebabs made from ground meat. I’ve dipped into the topic before, learning little tricks, improving my skills here and there. But I had never tasted — let alone cooked — koobideh like Saeed’s. The moment I tried it, I asked if he would teach me. A couple of weeks later, we were in my kitchen together.
There’s nothing more exciting than learning. And nothing more meaningful than learning a craft from someone who has lived it since childhood. After that, it’s practice, practice, practice.
Whatever we do, however much we know, there is always someone who can do it even better. Which means we can and should keep learning as long as we’re alive, as long as our bodies work. Life has a way of sending us people we’re meant to learn from.
What Is Koobideh?
Koobideh (کوبیده) comes from the Persian word koobidan, meaning “to pound” or “crush”—a nod to the old way of pounding meat on a stone with a mallet. Today, it’s ground meat — beef, lamb, or both — blended with onion, salt, and a touch of spice, shaped onto wide skewers, and grilled until smoky and tender.
Unlike shish kabob (شیش کباب), which uses chunks of meat, koobideh is made from ground meat shaped along wide, flat skewers (sikh). These 2–4 cm skewers help the meat cling and cook evenly, while also creating those shallow ridges (gol) that are the signature of a proper koobideh.
The Meat — Saeed’s Way
Saeed uses halal beef, not only for cultural reasons but because he trusts the quality. In Austin, halal ground beef is easy to find, but when he starts from whole cuts, he grinds the meat three times. If he begins with pre-ground beef, he always puts it through the grinder once more — together with onion — to achieve the perfect texture. And unlike many recipes that insist on draining onion, Saeed prefers red onion, ground directly with the meat, no squeezing, no fuss.
His ratio is simple:
About 160 g (5.5 oz) of meat per skewer (some cooks say 120 g, others 200 g — Saeed likes the middle ground).
Roughly 10% fat to 90% lean for flavor and juiciness.
Salt, about 1% of the meat weight.
A tiny pinch of baking soda.
Baking Soda’s Subtle Miracle. Baking soda slightly raises the pH of meat. This helps proteins hold onto water, keeping koobideh juicy even over high heat, and encourages that irresistible browned crust.
Shaping — An Art of Touch
Saeed’s shaping ritual is steady and graceful. One clean hand holds the skewer, the other presses the meat along its length. He doesn’t weigh portions — he feels them. If it’s too heavy or too light, he adjusts instinctively. A bowl of hot water sits nearby, and he dips his hand in from time to time to keep the meat smooth and stop sticking.
Once the meat is pressed evenly, he gently indents it with his fingers to create gol, those ridges that cook evenly and hold the kabob together. Watching him is like watching years of practice dance into muscle memory. Watch chef Saeed in action.
Cooking with Care
We grilled on propane, though charcoal is traditional. The rule is steady medium-high heat and constant turning. Koobideh doesn’t forgive distraction.
The moment it’s cooked — firm, smoky, browned — Saeed slides it off the skewer immediately. To protect his hands, he wraps a piece of flatbread around the hot kabob, pulling it free in one smooth motion. At weddings and large gatherings, kabobs are stacked between sheets of flatbread, the juices soaking in until the bread is as treasured as the meat itself.
Serving the Meal
That day in my kitchen, we ate koobideh with:
Salad Shirazi — cucumber, tomato, onion, herbs, and citrus dressing.
Mast-o Khiar (White Sauce) — yogurt, cucumber, mint.
Roasted Tomatoes — flavor bomb, Saeed’s own touch.
And a few fresh basil leaves rounded out the meal. “May this meal nourish your soul.”
Tradition in Every Bite. At Persian weddings, grill lines stretch long, skewers turn endlessly, and koobideh is layered with bread to feed hundreds. It’s food as connection, celebration, and memory.
Koobideh Tips Worth Knowing
Some traditional recipes call for grating onion, salting it, resting, and squeezing out much of the juice. Saeed doesn’t — he prefers grinding red onion right into the beef.
Halal beef is ground 3 times. Just like many other cooks, Saeed kneads the mixture until whitish and smooth, chilling it for hours to improve binding.
Flip skewers often over the fire — it keeps koobideh evenly coked and prevents them from falling apart.
Why On Earth Am I So Excited :)
Koobideh is simple — meat, onion, salt — but making it well is an art. Watching Saeed, I understood how much love and skill go into something that seems so humble. It’s not just food. It’s memory, practice, culture, and hospitality pressed into every skewer.
Since my first koobideh with chef Saeed, I've been practicing and practicing! I am still way too slow, but getting more confident every time. I dared to make 100% boneless, skinless chicken thigh koobideh, and they were absolutely lovely!
3 lb chicken thighs, boneless, skinless (ground 3 times)
12 oz sweet onion (ground with chicken meat 3 times)
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp baking soda
And that’s the beauty of it — every attempt teaches me something new. Koobideh isn’t a finished chapter, it’s an ongoing story.
I don’t really have an ending to my koobideh story — because there is no ending. I’ll keep practicing, keep perfecting this new skill, and every time I make this dish, I’ll remember the gift of learning from Chef Saeed.
May your every meal nourish your soul.
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