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Yerevan kyufta
Kyufta: Armenian beef pounded to a paste, poached and sliced
Kyufta is a festive Armenian dish whose making is half the show: lean beef is pounded with a wooden mallet on a stone, traditionally by the men of the family, until it turns into a pale, smooth, springy paste, then mixed with fried onion, egg and a splash of milk (some families use brandy; this version does not), shaped into large balls and poached. In Yerevan homes it is sliced like a terrine and served warm or cold with butter and herbs. A food processor does the pounding at home. A common mistake is letting the meat warm up while processing, which makes the paste greasy and crumbly. Chef's tip: work with very cold beef and add crushed ice to the processor, as the cold keeps the texture silky. Poached meatballs are done at 71 °C in the centre.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the kyufta
- 2 ¼ lb lean beef topsidesinew removed, cubed and well chilled
- 3 ½ oz crushed ice
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp white pepper
- ¼ cup cold milk
For poaching
- 12 ½ cups water
- 1 tbsp salt
To serve
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What you'll need
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Fry 2 onions in 2 tbsp sunflower oil over a medium heat for 10 minutes until soft and golden. Cool completely.
10 minStep 2: Blitz 2 ¼ lb lean beef topside with 3 ½ oz crushed ice, 2 tsp salt and ½ tsp white pepper in a food processor in batches, 2–3 minutes each, until a smooth, pale, sticky paste. Common mistake: warm meat; it turns greasy.
10 minStep 4: With wet hands shape into 4 large balls, about 9 cm across.
Step 5: Bring 12 ½ cups water and 1 tbsp salt to a gentle simmer. Lower in the balls and poach for 40–45 minutes, turning once, until firm and the centres read 160°F.
45 minStep 6: Lift out, rest for 10 minutes, then slice 1 cm thick. Serve warm with ⅔ oz fresh coriander and parsley, or chill and serve cold.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 4 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
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Good to know
- How long does yerevan kyufta take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of egg?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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