Izgara Köfte (Turkish Grilled Meatballs)
Small, flat meatballs kneaded hard, rested cold, and charred on a hot grill pan.
Izgara köfte is Turkey's grilled meatball: small, flat, charred outside and juicy inside. In Istanbul's old city, one köfte restaurant has served them with white bean salad for almost a hundred years.
The trick is the opposite of most meatball advice. Knead hard, then rest it cold. Köfte want to be worked.
Why it works
Squeezing the onion
Onion juice makes the mix wet and loose, which is why unsqueezed köfte crumble on the grill.
Kneading
Working the meat makes it tacky, so the köfte hold their shape over high heat.
Watch it made
Step by step
- Step 1
Grate the onion and squeeze out its juice. Skip this and the köfte fall apart.
- Step 2
Combine the meat, egg, onion, crumbs and spices.
- Step 3
Knead until the mix turns firm and tacky.
- Step 4
Cover and chill at least 30 minutes. Chill it 2 hours and you can even leave out the egg.
- Step 5
Pinch off walnut-sized pieces and flatten them into small fingers with wet hands.
- Step 6
Cook on a hot, lightly oiled grill pan, turning, until browned and cooked through. Don't crank the heat all the way: too hot and the outside burns before the middle is done.
Izgara Köfte (Turkish Grilled Meatballs)
Serves 4 · about 24 köfte · 1 hr 15 min total
Köfte
- 1 1/4 lb ground beef and lamb, about 20 to 25% fat
- 1 slice stale bread, made into crumbs
- 1 small onion, grated
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp oil, for the pan
To serve
- Piyaz (white bean and onion salad)
- Grilled peppers and tomatoes
- Flatbread
Method
- Grate the onion and squeeze out its juice. Skip this and the köfte fall apart.
- Combine the meat, egg, onion, crumbs and spices.
- Knead until the mix turns firm and tacky.
- Cover and chill at least 30 minutes. Chill it 2 hours and you can even leave out the egg.
- Pinch off walnut-sized pieces and flatten them into small fingers with wet hands.
- Cook on a hot, lightly oiled grill pan, turning, until browned and cooked through. Don't crank the heat all the way: too hot and the outside burns before the middle is done.
Adapted from Yemek.com's ızgara köfte. Yemek.com. Ingredient list follows the source; the method is in our own words.
Tips
- In İnegöl they add a pinch of baking soda and knead for ten minutes or more, which makes them springy.
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