Kabab Barg

Medium·30 min

Thin fillets of lamb or beef tenderloin, butterflied and pounded leaf-thin, then marinated in saffron, onion juice, and lime before grilling over charcoal. Served over saffron rice with grilled tomato.

Barg means 'leaf' in Persian—a nod to the meat pounded so thin it ripples like a leaf over the skewer. A jewel of the kabab table, it descends from the grand grill traditions of Qajar-era Tehran, where saffron and onion marinades turned humble fillet into a dish fit for honored guests. It remains the elegant counterpart to minced koobideh at any Persian kabab house.

Astonishingly tender and juicy, the meat almost melts, carrying bright saffron and a whisper of lime and onion. The charred edges add smoky depth. With buttery saffron rice and a squeeze of grilled tomato, it is pure Persian comfort.

Pounding the fillet thin shortens muscle fibers and speeds even cooking, while onion enzymes and lime acid tenderize and season the lean meat. Fierce charcoal heat sears the surface before the interior overcooks, keeping it juicy.

Variations

Beef tenderloin, lamb sirloin, or chicken breast versions; often paired with koobideh as soltani

On the Palate

Where Kabab Barg sits in the Persian flavor cloud

Ingredients

Serves 4

How it's made

8 steps · 30 min

1
12 min
Butterfly the tenderloin and pound each slice between plastic until leaf-thin.
Watch out
Pound the fillet until it's leaf-thin and even — thick spots overcook on the outside before the middle catches up.
2
6 min
Grate onion and squeeze out its juice; bloom saffron in a splash of hot water.
3
245 min
Marinate the meat in onion juice, saffron, lime juice, and olive oil for 4 hours or overnight.
Watch out
Give it the full four hours in the onion and lime — that's what tenderizes and seasons this lean cut all the way through.
4
8 min
Thread the long thin slices onto flat metal skewers, weaving them so they stay taut.
5
8 min
Brush with saffron butter and grill over hot charcoal, turning once, just until seared.
Watch out
Grill fast over fierce charcoal and pull the moment it's seared — one turn only; lean meat goes dry the second it overcooks.
6
8 min
Grill whole tomatoes alongside until blistered and soft.
7
2 min
Slide the kababs off the skewers onto a bed of saffron rice.
8
2 min
Dust with sumac and serve at once with the grilled tomato and fresh herbs.