Do you have packages of ground meat in your freezer waiting to be used but can't stand the idea of making spaghetti again and again? I'll let you in on a little secret - there's a whole world of ground meat recipes out there that don't even resemble spaghetti in the slightest! This kofta recipe is something totally different than your typical ground antelope recipe, but you're going to love it! Once you try them you're going to want to try all sorts of new recipes like venison dumpling soup, ground elk quesadillas, breakfast strata with antelope sausage, and the list goes on and on!
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works:
This recipe is adapted from a traditional recipe sent from my brother while he was living in Jordan. Kofta is typically made with lamb, and since antelope has a similar flavor profile it is an excellent substitute for this recipe. The tangy mint yogurt sauce perfectly compliments the rich, complex spices and grilled flavor of the antelope meat. You can eat them in a gyro type situation with homemade flatbread and cucumber salad. You can eat them on their own as part of a BBQ spread. They go great on a salad as well. No matter how you serve them, you're sure to love this fun way to eat ground antelope!
Ingredient Notes:
- Ground Antelope: You can substitute any ground meat you'd like: venison, elk, moose, beef, turkey, etc.
- Plain Yogurt: Thick, Greek yogurt works well for this recipe because it gets thinned out a bit by the lemon juice. You can also use sour cream as well.
Equipment Notes:
- Wooden Skewers: Wooden skewers tend to work better than reusable metal skewers. The texture of the wood gives the meat something to bind to when you shape them around the skewer.
- Pellet Grill: This recipe uses a pellet grill but you can use whatever grill you prefer.
Step by Step Instructions:
How to Make Kofta:
Kofta can easily be described as a long meatball on a stick. So, making kofta is a lot like making meatballs. There are several ingredients mixed into the meat to give it flavor and moisture. Then instead of forming meatballs, you form longer logs of meat and shape them around a skewer. It sounds a little strange but I promise they're good!
Pro tip: Place the kofta in the fridge for at least an hour before grilling. This helps the flavors marry with the meat and binds the meat to the skewer making them easier to handle.
How to Make Mint Yogurt Sauce:
This mint yogurt sauce is the perfect complement to flavorful grilled kofta. The tanginess balances out the rich flavors of the meat. You can drizzle it over the kofta or dip them in it.
Serving Suggestions:
Kofta are a very versatile grilled meat. They're great on their own dipped in yogurt sauce, wrapped in warm flatbread with cucumber salad, served on top of a salad, or whatever sounds good to you!
Recipe FAQ's:
Yes! They are great leftover the next day as part of a picnic lunch or salad topper.
Kofta meat is typically made from lamb or beef but wild game is a great substitute as well.
Kofta is made with ground meat and shish kebabs are made with cubes of marinated meat.
Other Recipes to Try:
If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating at the bottom of the page! This provides helpful feedback to me and fellow readers. And if you want more delicious, wild game recipes you can subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Instagram and Pinterest!
Recipe:
Ground Antelope Kofta with Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients
Kofta:
- 1 lb ground antelope
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ yellow onion, grated
- ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
- ¾ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¾ teaspoon cumin
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Dipping Sauce:
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped
- ½ garlic clove, minced
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced, reserve half of juice for another recipe
- ½ teaspoon honey
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Mash salt with minced garlic in mortar and pestle.
- Combine ground antelope, garlic, onion, parsley, and spices in a medium bowl until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Divide meat into 6 equal portions.
- Form a flattened meat log on a flat surface. Place skewer in the middle of the flattened meat.
- Bring the edges of the meat up around the skewer and seal the edges.
- Carefully pick up the skewer and form the meat into a ¾" cylinder around the skewer. The meat may seem loose on the skewer but it will set up after being refrigerated. Repeat with remaining portions of meat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before grilling.
- Preheat grill to 425°F. Grill for 12-14 minutes, flipping to grill all sides until internal temperature is 150°F.
- Add yogurt to mixing bowl. Drizzle honey on top. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving to let flavors marinate.
- Serve with warm flatbread.
Ashley says
Used some ground pronghorn from my freezer from last year’s hunt and this was super tasty! I added more garlic to the sauce and a bit of thyme and it was incredible with the spiced kabobs. They did seem a little prone to stick to the pan I was using but I’m assuming it’s because it’s a lean meat, but nothing that would deter a second or third helping! Thanks so much for this recipe as I was hoping to do something a bit more with this pronghorn other than burgers!
Annie Weisz says
Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe! They do require a bit of a gentle touch when cooking but I'm glad they still turned out ok for you!
Reese says
Tried this recipe when my dad gifted me a bunch of ground antelope. Unsure what to do I googled “antelope recipe” and this was one of the recipes that popped up. As a big fan of middle eastern flavors I figured I’d give it a try as I also am not always a huge fan of gamey flavored meats.
What a tasty meal! Followed instructions plus added a teaspoon of za’atar and grilled them on a cast iron grill pan, served with the mint sauce and pita and rice pilaf plus some roasted zucchini. The herbs and spices balance out the more earthy flavors of the meat as well as brightens and compliments the umami notes. The sauce is a great juxtaposition to the kofta like a tzatziki would normally fit in for Greek kofta, and it meshed wonderfully.
I would make this with any ground red meat, but since I had the opportunity to cook with antelope, I figured let’s try this and I was more than pleased and would recommend this to anyone! Thanks for the help when I was unsure where to go with this wild game!
Annie says
Thank you so much for your lovely review! This recipe is one of my favorite uses for antelope in the summer and I'm so glad you enjoyed it as much as we do!