Pork and Beef Kofta Kabobs

The inspiration behind this recipe comes from my dear friend Flo (Florian) who is an excellent cook and fantastic gardener. Attending his summer parties always means a good time and great meal with lots of fresh produce. A couple of summers ago, I had the pleasure of munching on his famous kabobs while attending one of his backyard barbecues. The kabobs were incredible and I found myself secretly irritated every time someone (other than me) grabbed one. I wanted them all to myself and I didn’t want to share! 

After that party, I made it my personal goal to reproduce Flo’s kabobs in my own kitchen. I think these are pretty close to the real deal. This will be a recipe that you come back to time and time again. These kabobs are perfectly spiced, satisfyingly salty and really easy to make. 

The secret to these kabobs is the use of both high-quality pork and beef (like those from Treebird Farm and Butcher). The pork keeps the kabobs juicy and imparts a silky and tender texture, plus tons of flavor. And, speaking of flavor, this recipe calls for the addition of lots of spices, so don’t be shy, it’s what makes the kabobs so special.

To make these kabobs, start by soaking 16 wooden skewers in warm water. I use a Ziploc bag and soak the skewers at least 30 minutes before grilling.

In a large bowl, mix together 1 pound of ground beef and 1 pound of ground pork.  Add 1 ½ tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, ½ teaspoon each of turmeric, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and pepper, one teaspoon each of cumin and garlic, and 1 ½ teaspoon salt. Mix until just incorporated. Let meat marinate in the spice mixture for 30 minutes at room temperature.

When the skewers have sufficiently soaked and the meat has marinated, take a handful of meat mixture and form it around each skewer, squishing it about ⅓ of the way down the skewer. Press the meat firmly to the wooden skewer so that it does not fall off when grilling. Set kabobs on a plate as you work through the meat mixture. 

Grill the kabobs over a hot grill (about 400 deg F) for about 8-10 minutes or until the meat is cooked through. Let kabobs rest for 5 minutes, then devour. These kabobs go great served with a side of tzatziki, rice and a simple salad.

Print Recipe

5 from 6 votes

Pork and Beef Kofta Kabobs

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time8 minutes mins

Total Time42 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Servings: 16 kabobs

Ingredients

• 16 wooden skewers (soaked)
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 ½ tbsp cilantro, chopped
• ½ tsp ground tumeric
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 ½ tsp salt

Instructions

• Soak 16 wooden skewers in warm water for at least 30 minutes.
• In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, ground pork and spices until just incorporated.
• Allow mixture to marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.
• When ready, take a handful of meat mixture and form it around the skewer, about ⅓ of the way down the skewer. Press the meat firmly to the skewer so that it does not fall off when grilling.
• Grill kabobs over a hot grill (400°F) for 8 minutes (4 minutes on each side) or until the meat is just cooked through.
• Let kabobs rest for 5 minutes, then devour.
• These kabobs go great served with a side of tzatziki, rice and a simple salad.