This Persian Kabob Barg it’s marinated overnight in grated onion, oil, garlic, salt, pepper, saffron, and lemon or lime juice. It is one of those amazing dishes that honors traditional Persian cooking and brings me joy every time I make it.
These tasty kabobs will be a regular all summer long along with koobideh and joojeh kabob.
This recipe is part of an ongoing partnership with the American Lamb Board, my go-to resource for education and expertise on American lamb. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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Why this Recipe Works
The lamb or beef in this recipe is bursting with flavor. It’s marinated overnight in an easy and simple marinade of grated onion, oil, garlic, salt, pepper, saffron and lemon or lime juice.
The enzymes in the grated onion and the citric acid in the lemon juice tenderize the meat. I also tenderize the meat using the back of a knife, a method you may not have seen before.
The marinated beef or lamb is complemented by the rich smoky taste of a charcoal grill. The flavor from the charcoal grill is a traditional addition for barg, but you can also broil the kabob. I will provide directions for both.
I like to cut my pieces a little thicker than what's traditional for barg. The traditional way is to slice the meat and butterfly it thin. I like the way the meat cooks when it's a little thicker, but the thickness is up to you.
Why Grill with American Lamb?
Aside from being a delicious meat to grill, lamb is a great choice no matter how you’re going to cook it! On average, lamb is a lean, nutritious meat choice that can be infused with great flavor through different marinades, and during the cooking process.
Lean cuts of American lamb include the leg, loin, and shoulder. I chose boneless lamb loin (or beef backstrap or tenderloin) for my Kabob Barg because it's a tender and flavorful cut of meat in this preparation.
You can also use boneless sirloin from the leg or slice boneless sirloin chops. Ask your butcher for a boneless loin (the small tenderloin will be attached) or sirloin roast. These cuts are comparable to the tenderloin for beef.
The Heritage in this Dish
I think it's honoring the heritage of this dish to use high-quality, sustainable ingredients like American lamb or beef. Continuing my commitment to cooking with sustainably sourced food, I choose American meat that is locally sourced.
I like to support local producers in my community and I value that sheep grazing practices contribute to the health of our rangelands and pastures and that the animals are treated with respect, comfort, and special care.
I also appreciate that American Lamb preserves traditional methods of raising and farming sheep and sustains a thriving community of ranch families. The production of American Lamb actually supports and sustains the livelihoods of more than 80,000 farmers, which is amazing!
Ingredients
Beef or lamb - For beef, use backstrap or tenderloin. For lamb, you can order a boneless loin roast that will have the small tenderloin attached or a sirloin roast from the leg.
Saffron - you can tell saffron is real is by crushing it between your fingers. There should be a yellow residue on your fingers. You can find saffron in Middle-Eastern markets or online.
Lemon juice - you can substitute with lime juice.
Onion - grate a yellow onion using a coarse grater or box grater. Grating the onion helps the flavor and enzymes (the thing that helps tenderize the meat) get all over the meat.
How to Cook Kabob Barg
The first step is to prepare your lamb or beef tenderloin. Lay the meat flat on your cutting board. Cut the lamb into 2-5 inch long pieces - try and get the pieces cut into even widths (ends up about four fingers wide). This will require you to rotate some of the pieces. Do not remove all the fat.
Note: Remove all of the hard fat. You can leave the soft fat because it will melt and add flavor to and tenderize the meat. Gently butterfly each of the sections by placing your hand flat on top of a section and running a sharp knife horizontally between your hand and the cutting board, splitting each section into two thinner pieces.
Repeat with the rest of the meat.
Ground and bloom the saffron by steeping it in 1 tablespoon of hot water. Set it aside to steep for at least 5 minutes.
Assemble your marinade of grated onions, oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic, the steeped saffron, salt and pepper in a bowl and cover your meat in it.
Marinate the meat overnight in the refrigerator, covered with a silicone dish cover or plastic wrap.
Push your marinated meat onto flat, metal skewers trying to keep the width as even and centered as possible.
Note: Make sure to shake off any excess marinade otherwise it will burn when you cook.
Tenderize with the back of your knife by laying the skewered meat flat and hammering the back of the knife perpendicular to the skewer along the meat.
To Grill
Get your grill hot and ready.
Grill suspended in an open, preferably charcoal grill for around 5-7 minutes each side, until the internal temperature reaches 145F (medium-rare). Let it rest for 3 minutes.
To Broil
Place your oven rack close enough to the broiler so the top of your broiling pan will be less than 3 inches away from the heat source. Line the broiler pan with foil.
Cook for 5-7 minutes each side, until the internal temperature reaches 145F (medium-rare).
To Serve
Slide the cooked meat off the skewers and serve with basmati rice, lemon or lime wedges, and barbecued tomatoes!
Recipe FAQs
When you hear lamb barg or beef barg, the word ‘barg’ means the meat has been marinated in a specific combination of ingredients: grated onion, oil, garlic, salt, pepper, saffron and lemon juice.
Soltani is a Persian/Iranian word that translates to something like ‘sultan’s feast’ or ‘for the sultan’. It means a special dish worthy of royalty! If you’re eating Persian cuisine and it’s got the word ‘soltani’ in it, you know you’re about to have something amazing!
My go-to pairing for this dish is some steaming Persian saffron rice, and grilled tomatoes. Pop the skewered tomatoes on the grill at the same time you are grilling your meat so it can be smoked in all that amazing flavor. There is usually also a side of Shirazi salad.
What Are Some Other Persian Dishes to Try?
I grew up eating mostly Iranian food, and there are some dishes that are always a hit with guests who are new to Iranian cuisine. Here are some favorites I recommend trying out next!
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Persian Kabob Barg
Equipment
- Skewers flat metal
Ingredients
- 1.5-2 lb. beef tenderloin or backstrap, or boneless lamb loin or sirloin
- ¼ cup oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice or sub with lime juice
- 2 grated onions
- 3 cloves crushed garlic
- ½ teaspoon saffron
- salt and pepper
Instructions
Prepare the Meat
- Lay the meat flat on your cutting board. Cut the meat into 2-5 inch long pieces - try and get the pieces cut into even widths (ends up about four fingers wide). This will require you to rotate some of the pieces. Do not remove all the fat*.
- Butterfly each of the sections by placing your hand flat on top of a section and running a sharp knife horizontally between your hand and the cutting board, splitting each section into two thinner pieces. Repeat with the tenderloin (if you’re also using loin), or repeat with your other tenderloin.
- Bloom the saffron by steeping it in 1 tablespoon of hot water. Set it aside to steep for at least 5 minutes.
- Assemble your marinade of grated onions, oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic, the steeped saffron, salt and pepper in a large bowl and cover your meat in it.
- Marinate the meat overnight in the fridge, covered.
To Grill
- Get your grill hot and ready. In the meantime, push your marinated meat onto flat, metal skewers trying to keep the width as even and centered as possible. Make sure to shake off any excess marinade otherwise it will burn when you cook.
- Tenderize with the back of your knife by laying the skewered meat flat and hammering the back of the knife perpendicular to the skewer along the lamb.
- Grill suspended in an open, preferably charcoal grill for around 5-7 minutes each side, until the internal temperature reaches 145F (medium-rare). Let it rest for 3 minutes.
To Broil
- Place your oven rack close enough to the broiler so the top of your broiling pan will be less than 3 inches away from the heat source. Line your broiler pan with foil. In the meantime, push your marinated meat onto flat, metal skewers trying to keep the width as even and centered as possible.
- Make sure to shake off any excess marinade otherwise it will burn when you cook.
- Tenderize with the back of your knife by laying the skewered meat flat and hammering the back of the knife perpendicular to the skewer along the meat.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes each side, until the internal temperature reaches 145F (medium-rare). Let it rest for 3 minutes.
To Serve
- Slide the cooked meat off the skewers and serve with basmati rice, lemon or lime wedges, and barbecued tomatoes!
Helmuth Schertzer
this recipe is delicious!♥️ I want to learn from you more delicious recipes from here in Europe ♥ ️😂🤭
Candice
I'm so glad to hear it, Helmuth, and thank you for sharing!