Lebanese Meat Kibbeh with Pine Nuts

Name: Lebanese Meat Kibbeh with Pine Nuts
Prep time: 1 h 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil; 1 medium (about 6 oz) (170 g) yellow onion, finely chopped (¼-inch / 6 mm); 8 oz (225 g) ground lamb, coarsely ground, from shoulder; ⅓ cup (45 g) pine nuts; 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground allspice; ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cinnamon; ¾ teaspoon (4 g) fine sea salt; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 teaspoon (7 g) pomegranate molasses (optional); 1 cup (160 g) fine (#1) bulgur, rinsed in a fine sieve and drained; 12 oz (340 g) lean ground lamb, very cold, trimmed of all fat, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks if not already ground; 1 small (about 4 oz) (115 g) yellow onion, quartered; 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground allspice; ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cinnamon; 1½ teaspoons (8 g) fine sea salt; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ¼ cup (60 ml) ice water, plus more in a bowl for wetting hands; 8 cups (1900 ml) neutral oil such as sunflower or canola, about 2½ inches (6 cm) deep in the pot; 2 whole (240 g) lemon, cut into wedges; 1 cup (245 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, cold, for dipping (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp, football-shaped shells of spiced lamb and fine bulgur hide a savory filling of sautéed lamb, onion, toasted pine nuts and warm allspice. Deep-fried until deep brown and shatteringly crisp outside, tender and juicy within.

Prep: 1 hr 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 1 hr
Total: 2 hr 50 min
Makes: 24 kibbeh (about 3 per serving)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the filling
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 medium (about 6 oz) (170 g) yellow onion, finely chopped (¼-inch / 6 mm)
8 oz (225 g) ground lamb, coarsely ground, from shoulder
⅓ cup (45 g) pine nuts
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground allspice
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon (4 g) fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) black pepper, freshly ground
1 teaspoon (7 g) pomegranate molasses (optional)
For the shell
1 cup (160 g) fine (#1) bulgur, rinsed in a fine sieve and drained
12 oz (340 g) lean ground lamb, very cold, trimmed of all fat, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks if not already ground
1 small (about 4 oz) (115 g) yellow onion, quartered
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground allspice
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons (8 g) fine sea salt
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
¼ cup (60 ml) ice water, plus more in a bowl for wetting hands
For frying
8 cups (1900 ml) neutral oil such as sunflower or canola, about 2½ inches (6 cm) deep in the pot
To serve
2 whole (240 g) lemon, cut into wedges
1 cup (245 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, cold, for dipping (optional)

Equipment (10)

Food processor (at least 11-cup / 2.6 L)
Large skillet, 12-inch (30 cm)
Large heavy pot or Dutch oven, 5–6 qt (5 L)
Deep-fry or candy thermometer
Large mixing bowl
Small bowl of ice water for wetting hands
Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment
Wire rack set over a baking sheet lined with paper towels
Slotted spoon or spider skimmer
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Buy lamb from a butcher and ask for lean leg or shoulder, trimmed of fat and sinew, ground twice (or grind it yourself). Keep it very cold.
Use fine (#1) bulgur, not coarse. If you only have medium, pulse it in a food processor to a fine texture first.
The filling must be completely cool before stuffing, so make it first. The shells also need 30 minutes of chilling before shaping.
Read the whole recipe: you will need a bowl of ice water for wetting your hands while shaping, and a thermometer for the frying oil.

1
Toast pine nuts
- Set the 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat without oil.
- Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring constantly, for 3–4 minutes.
- Tip them onto a plate as soon as they are golden.
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Ready when: Nuts are evenly golden and smell nutty.
Tip: Pine nuts burn within seconds of turning golden, so remove them from the hot pan right away.
2
Cook the filling
- Return the skillet to medium-high heat with the olive oil.
- Cook the chopped onion for 5 minutes, stirring, until soft and lightly golden.
- Add the 8 oz (225 g) lamb, breaking it into small crumbles, and cook 5–6 minutes until no pink remains and the liquid has evaporated.
- Stir in the allspice, cinnamon, salt, pepper and pomegranate molasses, if using, and cook 1 minute.
- Fold in the toasted pine nuts.
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Ready when: Lamb is browned, crumbly and the pan looks dry, not wet.
Tip: Wet filling makes the kibbeh burst in the fryer, so cook off all the moisture.
3
Cool the filling
- Spread the filling on a plate and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until completely cold and no longer steaming.
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Ready when: Filling is cold to the touch.
4
Soak the bulgur
- Rinse the bulgur in a fine sieve under cold water for 30 seconds.
- Press out as much water as you can with your hand, then leave it in the sieve to drain and swell while you prepare the lamb.
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Ready when: Grains are tender enough to squish between your fingers and feel damp, not dripping.
5
Process the shell paste
- In the food processor, pulse the quartered onion with the allspice, cinnamon, salt and pepper into a wet paste, about 10 pulses.
- Add the cold lamb and process 1 minute, scraping down once, until a smooth paste forms.
- Add the drained bulgur and 2 tablespoons of the ice water and process 1–2 minutes more, adding the remaining ice water a spoonful at a time if needed.
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Ready when: The mixture is a smooth, tacky, pliable paste like soft clay that holds together when pinched.
Tip: Keep everything cold. Warm lamb makes the shell greasy and prone to cracking.
6
Chill the shell
- Scrape the paste into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes so it firms up and becomes easier to shape.
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Ready when: Paste is cold and firm.
7
Shape the shells
- Set up a bowl of ice water.
- Wet your hands, then roll a golf-ball-size portion of paste (about 1½ oz / 40 g) into a smooth ball.
- Hold it in your palm and poke a hole in the center with your wet index finger.
- Rotate and press gently to widen it into a thin-walled cup, about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick, with an oval shape about 3 inches (7.5 cm) long.
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Ready when: Walls are even and thin with no cracks or holes.
Tip: If the shell cracks, wet your fingers and smooth it. Re-roll any torn shell and start again.
8
Fill and seal
- Spoon about 1 tablespoon of cold filling into each cup.
- Pinch the opening closed, wetting your fingers, then roll gently between your palms into a football shape with pointed ends.
- Place on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Repeat to make about 24 kibbeh, then refrigerate 15 minutes while the oil heats.
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Ready when: Each kibbeh is fully sealed, smooth and torpedo-shaped.
Tip: Do not overfill, or the seam will split in the oil.
9
Heat the oilOven 350°F / 175°C
- Pour the oil into the heavy pot to a depth of about 2½ inches (6 cm), leaving at least 3 inches (7.5 cm) of space at the top.
- Heat over medium-high to 350°F (175°C) on the thermometer.
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Ready when: Thermometer reads 350°F (175°C).
Tip: Never leave hot oil unattended, and keep a lid nearby.
10
Fry in batchesOven 350°F / 175°C
- Lower 5–6 kibbeh into the oil with the slotted spoon, without crowding.
- Fry 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until deep brown and crisp.
- Adjust the heat to hold 340–350°F (170–175°C).
- Lift out with the slotted spoon and drain on the wire rack.
- Let the oil return to 350°F (175°C) between batches.
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Ready when: Kibbeh are dark golden-brown and crisp all over, and the center of one reads at least 160°F (71°C).
Tip: If the oil is too cool, the shells absorb grease and can fall apart. If too hot, they brown before the lamb cooks. Fry one test kibbeh first.
11
Rest and serve
- Let the kibbeh rest on the rack for 5 minutes so the crust stays crisp.
- Serve warm with lemon wedges and cold yogurt for dipping, if using.
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Ready when: Surface is dry and crackly.

Good to know

Tips

Test one kibbeh in the oil first. If it opens, the shell is too wet or too thin: add a spoonful of drained bulgur to the paste, or thicken the walls.
Keep your hands wet but not dripping. Too much water makes the shell slippery and weak.
Fry in small batches so the oil temperature stays steady and the kibbeh brown evenly.
Cut one open to check doneness: the shell should be cooked through, with no raw pink paste near the filling.

Make ahead

Shape and fill the kibbeh up to 1 day ahead; refrigerate in a single layer, covered, and fry straight from the fridge. Or freeze unfried on a tray until solid, then bag, and fry from frozen for 6–7 minutes at 340°F (170°C).

Storage & reheating

Fried kibbeh keep at room temperature up to 2 hours. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days, or freeze up to 2 months. Reheat from the fridge on a rack in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 10–12 minutes, or from frozen for 18–20 minutes, until hot and crisp and 160°F (71°C) inside.

Substitutions

lean ground lamb → lean ground beef (90% lean). Milder flavor but works well; keep it very cold.
pine nuts → slivered almonds or chopped walnuts. Toast the same way; walnuts are traditional in some regions.
ground allspice → baharat or seven-spice blend. Use the same amount for a more complex flavor.
neutral oil such as sunflower or canola → peanut oil. Has a high smoke point and fries cleanly.