The preparation of kibbeh, virtually the national dish of both Lebanon and Syria, is an exercise in patience and stamina. Or rather this was the case, and still is for the purists of Middle Eastern cookery. Modern appliances can replace the traditional madaqqa and jorn (mortar and pestle) for the tedious preparation — the kibbeh will be just as good and the cook far less exhausted.
Two essential principles of kibbeh-making are to have the right meat, and to keep the mixture cool. Ideally hogget (yearling mutton) should be used; if you cannot obtain this, lamb may be used, provided it is not too young. Look for lamb with a deep pinky-red colour and a good fat cover. Very young lamb is a definite pink in colour, very lean and velvety in texture, and may be used for the making of kibbeh nayye only. Beef topside may be used as a last resort, providing it is prime quality.
Whatever the meat, it must be trimmed of all fat and gristle before preparation, so allow for this trimming when purchasing your meat.
In cities with large Lebanese and Syrian communities, it is sometimes possible to find a butcher who specialises in providing ready minced kibbeh meat. A Lebanese or Syrian acquaintance might know of such a butcher.