Izgara Köfte: The Turkish Meatball Protocol
Grilled köfte is deceptively simple. Three ingredients do 90% of the work. The rest is technique — specifically the fat ratio, the resting time, and the restraint to not overcomplicate it.
Köfte needs 20–25% fat content in the meat. Lean beef = dry, crumbling köfte. The fat is not optional — it's the moisture carrier. Ask your butcher for a 80/20 grind, or mix regular ground beef with a small amount of ground lamb for depth.
🛒 Ingredients
- 500 gGround beef (80/20 fat)
- 1Onion, grated (squeezed dry)
- 2 clovesGarlic, minced
- 1 tspCumin
- 1 tspBlack pepper
- ½ tspRed pepper flakes (pul biber)
- 1 tspSalt
- 2 tbspBreadcrumbs (optional binder)
- — To serve
- 4Flatbreads or pita
- 2Tomatoes, sliced
- 1Red onion, thin rings
- 1 bunchFlat-leaf parsley
🛠️ Method
The Onion Problem
Grate the onion on the fine side of a box grater into a clean cloth or paper towels. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible. This step is non-negotiable — wet onion makes köfte that falls apart on the grill. What you want is the flavour and the natural sugars, not the water. The squeezed onion paste goes in; the liquid goes in the sink.
The Mix
Combine the ground beef, squeezed onion, garlic, cumin, black pepper, pul biber, salt, and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until everything is completely uniform — but don't overwork it. Over-kneading tightens the protein structure and makes the köfte dense. One minute of thorough mixing is enough. Taste a tiny amount raw if you're comfortable with that, or cook a small test piece in a pan to check seasoning before shaping the rest.
The Rest
Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour — overnight is better. This rest lets the fat chill and firm up (critical for holding shape on the grill) and allows the spices to bloom into the meat. Skipping this step is the most common mistake. The 1 hour is real. Do something else.
The Shape
Divide the meat into equal portions — about 80g each for a proper köfte. Wet your hands lightly and roll each portion into a cylinder shape, roughly 10cm long and 3cm wide. If using skewers, thread them through the centre and press the meat firmly around the skewer so there are no air gaps. For a grill pan, simple cylinders work fine without skewers. Keep them uniform in thickness so they cook evenly.
The Grill
Get your grill or grill pan genuinely hot before anything goes on it. High heat = sear = the crust that holds moisture inside. Place the köfte and don't touch them for 3–4 minutes — they will release naturally when ready. Flip once. Cook another 3–4 minutes. Total cook time is 6–8 minutes for medium doneness. A slight char on the outside is the goal. A grey, steamed köfte is a failure. Serve immediately on flatbread with tomatoes, raw onion, parsley, and a squeeze of lemon.
💡 Chef's Notes
Lamb mix: Replace 150g of the beef with ground lamb. Adds a deeper, slightly gamey note that is more traditional in some regions.
No breadcrumbs: Skip them for a denser, more purely meat köfte. They're a binder, not a flavour ingredient.
Pul biber: Turkish red pepper flakes are not the same as Italian crushed red pepper. They're milder, oilier, and sweeter. Worth finding at a Turkish or Middle Eastern grocery.
Serving tradition: In Turkey, köfte comes with raw onion marinated in sumac and parsley. Add sumac to your onion rings and let them sit for 10 minutes — it transforms them completely.