What is Kitfo? And Can You Make It at Home?

What is kitfo?

A culinary specialty of the Gurage region of Central Ethiopia, kitfo is a rich and flavorful dish made with minced raw lean beef, spices (the classic Ethiopian spice blend known as mitmita), and an herb-infused clarified butter known as niter kibbeh. Kitfo is renowned for its bold flavor and luxurious texture.

"I consider kitfo to be the ultimate raw meat delicacy," says Fetlework Tefferi, the owner of Cafe Colucci in Oakland, and the founder of Brundo Spice Company, a business that imports Ethiopian spices and herbs.

What sets kitfo apart from other raw beef dishes?

When we posed this question to Tefferi, she had a very simple answer: "The real magic of kitfo is the niter kibbeh." While other international raw beef dishes include emulsifying fats (like raw egg yolk in steak tartare), kitfo incorporates warm, seasoned clarified butter, which makes for a wholly unique flavor experience. The niter kibbeh should be warmed through enough to infuse the meat with its flavors, but should not be so hot that it begins to cook the beef.

Tefferi flavors her niter kibbeh with koseret, an herb with a bright, citrusy flavor that's similar to lemon verbena or Mexican oregano. After she clarifies and strains the infused butter, she does a second infusion round with the kiter kibbeh, this time using a blend of ginger, garlic, black cardamom (also known as Korerima or Ethiopian cardamom), koseret, nigella seed, caraway seed, turmeric, and holy basil. These phases of seasoning pack the clarified butter with aromas and tastes that play beautifully off of the richness of the raw meat and the zest of the mitmita spices.

Mitmita includes similar spices to berbere, another traditional Ethiopian spice blend that's regularly used to season kitfo, and which generally consists of spices like chili peppers, garlic, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mitmita, though, is a more pared-down seasoning; the crucial elements of mitmita are chili peppers, cardamom, and cloves. However, the biggest difference between the two blends is that mitmita uses far hotter chilis than berbere. If you're not able to find or make mitmita, berbere can work as a substitute for seasoning kitfo.

For the beef, Tefferi selects only the "highest quality fresh lean beef," such as rib-eye, sirloin, or top round. Some diners may feel wary about eating a dish that includes raw beef, but if you source your meat from a butcher you trust and you invest in quality cuts, the risks associated with this ingredient are minimal.

How should kitfo be served?

Tefferi likes to serve her kitfo with "gomen (a braised collard green dish from Ethiopia), ayib (a fresh, soft cheese akin to cottage cheese), and a dash of mitmita." Or try this recipe for Ethiopian Spiced Cottage Cheese with Greens, which approximates the flavors and textures of both ayib and gomen. Most importantly, Tefferi includes plenty of injera, an Ethiopian flat bread, on the serving plate, which diners can use to scoop up the kitfo and all of the fixings.

Interested in making your own kitfo? Use this recipe as jumping-off point:

• Original Steak Tartare: While authentic kitfo would require many substitutions to this recipe (niter kibbeh instead of egg yolk, mitmita instead of mustard, white pepper, and hot pepper sauce, no Worcestershire or brandy), the beef measurements and temperature recommendations are applicable to kitfo.

Of course, Ethiopian cuisine is also beloved for its hearty and aromatic stews and warm communal vibes. For more, check out our collection of Ethiopian and East African Recipes.

Related:

• 10 Essential Ethiopian Recipes from Injera to Doro Wat
• Easy Ethiopian Recipes to Make With One Simple Spice Blend
• Essential Ingredients in the Ethiopian Pantry