Tire Kofte (Turkish Butter-Fried Meatballs) Recipe

Tire köfte are cylindrical ground beef meatballs from Tire district, Izmir, Turkey, wrapped around skewers, smoke-cooked or baked, then finished in a copper pan with butter and served on pita with tomato sauce and yogurt. Protected by Turkish geographical indication law since February 2021.

The Tire Chamber of Commerce holds the geographical indication from the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office, meaning only producers inside Tire district can legally sell under this name. Daily Sabah‘s regional köfte coverage traces its history back at least a century. Seasoning is deliberately minimal — salt, pepper, cumin and grated onion — so the smoke and butter carry the flavour.

The defining move is the butter pan. Off the skewers, the köfte slide into hot melted butter in a copper pan and get basted for a minute before plating. Skip this and you’ve made generic Turkish meatballs, not Tire köfte.

Tire Kofte (Turkish Butter-Fried Meatballs) Recipe

Author: Sandra Cooking Method:Cook Cuisine:Turkish Courses:Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: 20 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time: 35 minutesCooking Temp:100 CServings:4 servingsEstimated Cost: $Calories:300 kcal Best Season:Available

Description

Cylindrical Turkish meatballs from Tire, Izmir, wrapped on skewers, baked, then finished in melted butter and served on pita with tomato sauce and yogurt.

Ingredients

For the köft

• 500g ground beef (around 20% fat)
• 1 onion, finely grated, juice squeezed out
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp black pepper
• Small handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

For the butter finish

• 50g unsalted butter

For the tomato sauce

• 3 ripe tomatoes, grated (skins discarded)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• Pinch black pepper

To serve

• 4 pita breads, cut into bite-size pieces
• 200g full-fat plain yogurt (Tire yogurt traditionally; any strained Turkish-style yogurt works)
• Small handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Pinch sumac (optional)

Instructions

1. Mix and rest. Combine beef, grated onion, salt, cumin, pepper and parsley in a bowl. Knead with your hands for 2 minutes until the mixture turns slightly sticky. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
2. Shape on skewers. Divide the meat into 4-6 portions. Press each portion around a skewer into a cylinder about 2cm thick. Wet your hands as you work to stop the meat sticking.
3. Bake. Heat oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / gas 6. Place skewers across a roasting tin (ends on the rim so the meat doesn’t touch the base). Bake 18-20 minutes until cooked through.
4. Tomato sauce. Heat olive oil in a small pan. Add grated tomato, salt, pepper. Simmer 8-10 minutes until thick.
5. Butter finish. Melt butter in a heavy pan (copper if you have one). Slide the cooked köfte off the skewers into the butter. Baste for 1 minute over medium heat.
6. Plate. Arrange pita pieces on plates. Spoon over tomato sauce, top with köfte, drizzle with the warm butter from the pan. Add a spoonful of yogurt on the side, scatter parsley and sumac.

Keywords:Tire Kofte (Turkish Butter-Fried Meatballs) Recipe

FAQs

Why finish the köfte in butter, and not just grill them?

The butter pan is what makes Tire köfte specifically Tire köfte, not generic Turkish meatballs. The cooked meat picks up the melted butter and basting steam, softening the crust and adding richness. Traditional Tire kitchens use copper pans because copper spreads heat evenly without scorching the butter. Any heavy pan works at home.

Can I use lamb instead of beef?

Yes, lamb works well, though the traditional Tire version is beef or veal. If you use lamb, drop the cumin to ½ tsp because lamb already has a strong base flavour. The technique stays the same.

Do I have to use skewers, or can I shape these by hand?

You can hand-shape into cylinders and bake them on a tray instead. The skewer is traditional and helps the shape stay uniform under heat, but the flavour is the same. Wooden skewers work if you soak them in water for 20 minutes first.

What if I can’t find Tire yogurt?

Any full-fat plain Turkish-style strained yogurt works. Greek yogurt is the closest international substitute, full-fat only, not 0%. Tire yogurt is famously thick and slightly tangy, so look for the most pourable strained yogurt your shop has. Stir in a pinch of salt before serving.