Smoked Koobideh — Persian Ground Beef Kebab

Grate one large yellow onion (1.0 each) into a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth. Press or squeeze the onion vigorously until it is nearly dry, as excess moisture will cause the meat to slide off the skewers during smoking. Discard the liquid and keep only the dry pulp.

In a large chilled mixing bowl, combine the ground beef (1.5 lbs), ground lamb (1.0 lb), the squeezed onion pulp, ground turmeric (1.0 tsp), salt (1.0 tbsp), black pepper (1.0 tsp), and baking soda (1.0 tbsp). Knead the mixture by hand aggressively for at least 5 to 10 minutes until the proteins break down and the meat feels 'tacky' or sticky to the touch. This texture is the glue that keeps the kebab together.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours. This rest allows the meat to firm up and the flavors to meld, ensuring the fat is cold enough to hold its shape when you begin the skewering process.

Prepare a small bowl of cold water to keep your hands wet, which prevents the meat from sticking to your skin. Take a handful of the cold meat mixture (about the size of an orange) and press it firmly onto a flat wide metal skewer (1.0 each). Mold it into a long, even 8-inch sausage, using your thumb and forefinger to pinch ridges along the length for that traditional Persian look.

Set your smoker to 275°F using mild wood like oak or cherry. Place the flat skewers across the grates, ensuring the meat is not touching the metal grill directly if possible (suspend them over a pan or the edge of the grate). Smoke the meat for 20 to 25 minutes until the exterior begins to firm and the color deepens.

Whisk together the melted butter (0.25 cup) and the steeped saffron water (1.0 pinch saffron in 2 tbsp water) to create a fragrant golden glaze. In the final 5 to 10 minutes of cooking, brush this saffron butter generously over both sides of the meat. Continue smoking until the internal temperature reaches a food-safe 160°F.

Remove the skewers from the smoker and give them one final brush of the saffron butter. Let the meat rest on the skewer for 2 minutes, then carefully slide the koobideh off the metal using a piece of flatbread or a fork. Serve immediately over saffron-scented rice with grilled tomatoes and sumac-dusted onions.