Lebanese Raw Kebbeh
Why Lebanese Raw Kebbeh is the Best?
Find Out.
Growing up, I never thought that I was eating raw meat. Or maybe it was just I didn't knew "raw" was something worth noting. All I knew that kebbeh nayeh was incredibly good.And so I was shocked by news about salmonella cases in USA due to kebbeh nayeh served in a restaurant. That's inexcusable to anyone who knows the rules about making raw kebbeh, a distinguished Lebanese dish.
KEbbeh is the definitive Lebanese festive food
KEbbeh nayeh is made of minced raw lamb, prepared with wburghul, pureed onion and a mix of spices that partly depends on the cook. All of the ingredients are combined together with a sprinkling of ice water, and then eaten with olive oil, a scattering of chopped sweet onion, bundled in flatbread — immediately. Raw.
Traditions
In the old days, we Lebanese used to slaughter lambs on Sundays and on feast days. Raw meat was eaten immediately. We traditionally relied on that freshness to guarantee the meat's safety.
Modern era
In the modern era, most of us don't eat meat from a lamb that's just been slaughtered, but freshness remains key to good, safe raw kebbeh, One must be certain of the meat's provenance.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would say you should never eat raw meat, but the Lebanese have rules for safe enjoyment of kebbeh nayeh.
Lebanese Butchers Expertise
First and foremost, Lebanese butchers will tell you, kebbeh meat should always be ground to order on clean blades. Don't you ever think to use the pre-ground meat in the supermarket display case.
In the eras before meat grinders, the Lebanese prepare raw meat for kebbeh through pounding within a stone vase . Nowadays, kebbeh meat from the butcher should be ground first thing in the morning, on a sparkling clean. The idea is to decrease the risk of being mixed with other meat.
In our restaurant the chef would enter the kitchen to make kebbeh rather than just prepare. He taste it raw to be certain the merchandise was good. We follow The rules for kebbeh, which are clear: You have to know the butcher, and how to talk to him, to order clean meat, clean blades. No fat or gristle. We don't want to see any white. We would say it will taste like “heavean”
Michel DIB
