Middle Eastern Lamb Kebabs (Kabobs)

By Lee Jackson ↣ Published on: January 3, 2020

Last Updated: March 16th, 20240 Comments on Middle Eastern Lamb Kebabs (Kabobs)

Creating flavour on flavour is the easiest thing in the world with a good marinade. These amazing Middle Eastern Lamb Kebabs (or kabobs if you’re in the US) feature juicy lamb with a unique warming spice throughout. They’re perfection!

Middle Eastern Lamb Kebabs (Kabobs) stewers on a platter

These Middle Eastern Lamb Kebabs (Kabobs) are eaten throughout the Middle East ans Mediterranean region. Being the most widely eaten meat, lamb sees its way into many delicious preparations. None more tasty than skewered and charred over hot coals.

The success of this simple dish is the marination of the meat, which not only enhances the flavour, it tenderises it to create succulent, juicy results every time. I use lamb, because it's most authentic, and my favourite, but you can also use this marinade with other meats like goat, beef or chicken. You can also mix this marinade with ground meats to create kofta kebabs.

Marinades change from country to country, city to city, village to village - house to house! So pinning this recipe to any given place is not possible. Let's just say, it's MY Middle Eastern marinade.

I rarely grill anything other than a steak on the BBQ that hasn't been marinated - it's so important in creating a fuller flavour. The thing about marination, and we read this in every recipe that calls for it, is that you have to give it time.

Middle Eastern Lamb Kebabs (Kabobs) stewers on a platter

Why it works?

Marination adds flavour - fact! - It's an endless source of frustration to me that I didn't get my act together to get something marinating in time for a meal. My greediness tells me that an hour is plenty time, while my head KNOWS I should have done it the day before. And it's evident in the final results if I've cut corners. I am now pretty disciplined in ensuring the meat gets a full-24 hours and if I didn't get my act together to do this, I'll often change dinner plans - because I'll just resent every mouthful!

Middle Eastern Lamb Skewers on a platter

Stuff You'll Need

Here's what you'll need to bring all the magical Middle Eastern flavour to your lamb kebabs.

  • Lamb - I'll use leg or shoulder meat, cut into chunks. I'll also leave a little fat on the meat as this helps to keep everything nice and juicy when cooking.
  • For the marinade - I'll add onion, garlic, cumin, yoghurt, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
  • Butter - A nice touch when grilling your lamb (especially over coals or on the bbq) is to baste it throughout in a little melted butter. It adds more flavour, keeps the meat juicy and creates smoky flare ups on the hot grill (i.e. MORE flavour).

Step by Step

This is not a difficult affair. All your time will be taken up waiting for the lamb to marinade. The longer you can wait, the better. 24 hours is your goal!

  1. Step 1 - To make the marinade, blend all the marinade ingredients together until smooth.
  2. Step 2 - Add the lamb pieces to a zip-lock bag and then pour over the marinade. Jiggle the bag to coat everything then seal the bag and refrigerate for as long as you can wait. 6 hours will give great flavour but longer, even better.
  3. Step 3 - Remove the meat and thread onto skewers. I have flat metal skewers, but if you're using wooden then be sure to soak them for an hour or two before using to help avoid them falling to pieces on the grill. Leave the meat out for 30 minutes (covered) before cooking to come up to room temperature.
  4. Step 4 - BBQ cooking - Heat a bbq grill and cook the skewers for 10-12 minutes, turning a few times during cooking. Baste the skewers by brushing melted butter over the meat with a pastry brush a few times.
  5. Step 4 - Broiler cooking - To cook in the oven, heat the broiler to its hottest temperature and cook on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes, turning a few times. You may also baste the meat with butter a couple of times.
  6. Step 5 - Rest the skewers for 2-3 minutes then serve.

I like to serve my skewers hot, I'll typically serve with a few lemon wedges on the side to spritz over. It adds a nice bright zing of freshness to the meat and brings out even more flavour.

There are many dishes that I'll serve to accompany, usually lots of flatbreads, pickles and some kind of salad, like Fattoush. I'll also add a couple of other dishes, like a creamy dip-style dish like Beetroot Dip, Baba Ganoush, Spicy Green Ajika or Zhoug and a creamy Garlic Toum or cooling yoghurt Caçik

Middle Eastern Lamb Kebabs (Kabobs) stewers on a platter

Ready to get started?

These kebabs really are one of the most made dishes all year round. I have even been known to stand at the bbq in a coat and gloves, grilling these in the height of winter such is my love for them. They're a go-to for me because I can set-and-forget for a while and concentrate on other dishes in the knowledge that time is doing wonderful things with the lamb in the fridge. I'm sure you'll agree when you try this simple marinade that it's time well spent. Hope you enjoy!

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Middle Eastern Lamb Skewers on a platter

Middle Eastern Lamb Kebabs (Kabobs)

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Recipe by Lee
Course Main Course
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Prep Time1 day
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time1 day 12 minutes
Servings (adjustable) 4
Calories (per serving) | 450

Ingredients

  • 1 kg (2.2lb) Lamb shoulder or Leg (cut into medium chunks)
  • 2 tbsp melted ghee or butter (for basting) (optional)

Marinade

  • 1 medium onion (peeled and chopped)
  • 4 garlic cloves (peeled and chopped)
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 cup Greek yoghurt (plain)
  • 1 lemon (juice of)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Using a hand blender or food processor, blend all the marinade ingredients together to form a puree.
  • Place the lamb cubes into a zip-lock plastic bag and then pour in the marinade. Seal the bag and toss the meat around to ensure it's all coated. Leave in the fridge for 24 hours. If you're in a hurry - 4 hours is the minimum I would leave it. If you haven't got 4 hours... make this when you HAVE got 4 hours. :)
  • Once the meat has marinated, thread around 6 pieces of meat onto skewers (if you're using wooden skewers, you should soak these in water the same time you put the meat into marinade. it'll stop them disintegrating on the grill). I use metal skewers, they're much easier than wooden.
  • Heat your BBQ grill until hot - you can use coals or gas BBQ - you'll get good results with both. Grill the meat for about 10-12 minuets, turning once or twice. I also like to brush a little ghee over them during cooking to keep them moist and to create a bit of smoke action for extra flavour - this is optional. You can also cook these under a hot oven grill for around the same time, turning occasionally.

Nutrition

Calories: 450kcal (23%) | Carbohydrates: 8g (3%) | Protein: 54g (108%) | Fat: 22g (34%) | Saturated Fat: 10g (63%) | Cholesterol: 183mg (61%) | Sodium: 760mg (33%) | Potassium: 817mg (23%) | Fiber: 2g (8%) | Sugar: 3g (3%) | Vitamin A: 29IU (1%) | Vitamin C: 17mg (21%) | Calcium: 84mg (8%) | Iron: 5mg (28%)
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