Kabab barg is a Persian kebab made from thin, leaf-like strips of tender beef or lamb. The meat is gently flattened, marinated with onion juice and saffron, threaded onto wide skewers, and grilled quickly over intense heat.
Ingredients
- 700 g (1 1/2 lb) center-cut beef tenderloin or lamb backstrap, trimmed
- 1 large yellow onion, coarsely grated
- 3 tbsp neutral oil
- 3 tbsp bloomed saffron, divided
- 1 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
- 4 firm tomatoes, halved, for grilling
- Sumac, lavash, or steamed Persian rice, for serving
Instructions
- Cut the trimmed meat lengthwise into broad slabs about 1 cm / 3/8 inch thick. Place between sheets of parchment and pound gently to an even 5 to 7 mm / 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into strips about 7 to 9 cm / 3 to 3 1/2 inches wide.
- Squeeze the grated onion through a fine sieve. Combine its juice with the oil, 2 tablespoons bloomed saffron, salt, and pepper. Coat the meat, cover, and refrigerate for 8 hours.
- Remove the meat from the refrigerator 20 minutes before grilling. Thread each strip lengthwise onto a wide, flat metal skewer, keeping it flat and evenly supported.
- Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for high, direct heat. Clean and oil the grate if cooking without suspended skewers.
- Grill the kebabs close to the heat, turning every 30 to 45 seconds, until browned and cooked to your preferred doneness, usually 6 to 10 minutes total depending on thickness and heat. For food safety, USDA guidance for whole cuts of beef and lamb is 63°C / 145°F followed by a 3-minute rest.
- Mix the melted butter with the remaining saffron and brush lightly over the meat during the final minute and again after grilling. Grill the tomato halves alongside until softened and charred.
- Rest the kebabs for 3 minutes. Slide them from the skewers with lavash and serve immediately with tomatoes, sumac, rice, or bread.
Video: how to make kabab barg
Best meat for kabab barg
Tenderloin gives the most forgiving result because barg is thin and cooks rapidly. Lamb backstrap is another excellent choice. Sirloin can work if it is well trimmed and sliced across the grain, but it should be pounded gently rather than smashed into fragments.
Why use onion juice instead of chopped onion?
Onion juice distributes flavor without leaving pieces that can burn on the grill. Squeezing the onion also prevents excess pulp from clinging to the thin meat and interfering with browning.
Does salt make the meat tough?
No blanket rule requires omitting salt from this marinade. Salt seasons the interior and, used in a measured amount, does not automatically make a tender whole-muscle cut tough. Overcooking is the greater risk for thin barg kebabs.
Kabab barg vs kabab koobideh
Barg uses thin sheets of intact tenderloin or backstrap; kabab koobideh uses seasoned ground meat shaped around a skewer. Barg is leaner and more delicate, while koobideh depends on enough fat and thorough mixing to stay attached.
Avoid kiwi in a long marinade
Kiwi contains a powerful protease that can quickly turn the surface of thin meat mushy. It is unnecessary with tenderloin. If used for a tougher cut, exposure must be very brief and carefully controlled—not an overnight marinade.
Serving and storage
Serve immediately with grilled tomatoes, sumac, saffron rice, or lavash. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat briefly so the thin meat does not dry out.
Frequently asked questions
Can I cook kabab barg without charcoal?
Yes. Use a very hot gas grill or broiler and keep the meat close to the heat. A cast-iron grill pan works, but it will not produce the same smoke flavor.
Why does the meat fall from the skewer?
The strips may be too narrow, unevenly pounded, or threaded across too little surface area. Use wide flat skewers and pass each one lengthwise through the center of a broad strip.
Can I marinate it for less than 8 hours?
Yes. Four hours gives useful onion and saffron flavor; eight hours is the timing documented in this recipe.
Kabab barg recipe card
Kabab Barg (Persian Tenderloin Kebab)
Course: Main courseCuisine: PersianDifficulty: Medium4
servings8
hours20
minutes10
minutes8
hours30
minutesThin, tender strips of beef or lamb marinated with onion juice and saffron, then quickly grilled over high heat.
Ingredients
700 g (1 1/2 lb) center-cut beef tenderloin or lamb backstrap, trimmed
1 large yellow onion, coarsely grated
3 tbsp neutral oil
3 tbsp bloomed saffron, divided
1 1/2 tsp fine salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
4 firm tomatoes, halved, for grilling
Sumac, lavash, or steamed Persian rice, for serving
Directions
- Cut the trimmed meat lengthwise into broad slabs about 1 cm / 3/8 inch thick. Place between sheets of parchment and pound gently to an even 5 to 7 mm / 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into strips about 7 to 9 cm / 3 to 3 1/2 inches wide.
- Squeeze the grated onion through a fine sieve. Combine its juice with the oil, 2 tablespoons bloomed saffron, salt, and pepper. Coat the meat, cover, and refrigerate for 8 hours.
- Remove the meat from the refrigerator 20 minutes before grilling. Thread each strip lengthwise onto a wide, flat metal skewer, keeping it flat and evenly supported.
- Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for high, direct heat. Clean and oil the grate if cooking without suspended skewers.
- Grill the kebabs close to the heat, turning every 30 to 45 seconds, until browned and cooked to your preferred doneness, usually 6 to 10 minutes total depending on thickness and heat. For food safety, USDA guidance for whole cuts of beef and lamb is 63°C / 145°F followed by a 3-minute rest.
- Mix the melted butter with the remaining saffron and brush lightly over the meat during the final minute and again after grilling. Grill the tomato halves alongside until softened and charred.
- Rest the kebabs for 3 minutes. Slide them from the skewers with lavash and serve immediately with tomatoes, sumac, rice, or bread.
Recipe Video
Notes
- The 8-hour marinating period is included in prep time.
For a bone-in lamb-rib kebab, see Persian Shishlik.