Name: Svanetian Kubdari: Beef and Pork Meat-Stuffed Bread
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 2 h 55 min
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 700 g bread flour, plus a little for dusting; 420 ml warm water, about 30 °C; 7 g instant dry yeast; 8 g granulated sugar; 6 g fine salt; 500 g boneless beef chuck, trimmed and hand-diced into 5–7 mm pieces; 500 g boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and hand-diced into 5–7 mm pieces; 250 g yellow onion, finely diced; 20 g garlic, finely minced; 5 g ground coriander; 2 g ground blue fenugreek (utskho suneli); 1 g dried dill, crumbled; 1 g ground cumin; not claimed to be gitsruli; 1 g dried summer savory; 1 g mild ground red pepper; 7 g fine salt; 20 g unsalted butter, melted for brushing

A whole Svanetian kubdari and a cut wedge with diced beef and pork, arranged on the right of a wide frame.

Yield2 large breads, cut into 8 wedges

Preparation35 minutes

Baking35 minutes

Passive time105 minutes

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The dish

About Svanetian Kubdari: Beef and Pork Meat-Stuffed Bread

კუბდარი · 2 large breads · 8 shared wedges · Moderate · 2 hours 55 minutes

Kubdari is closely associated with Svaneti, where it is also called kuptaari. Its familiar form is a round leavened bread filled with seasoned diced meat. Georgian sources document beef, pork and mixed fillings; this version uses equal weights of beef chuck and pork shoulder. The meat is hand-cut rather than minced.

Seasonings differ by household. Svan cooks prize gitsruli, a local herb or spice whose identity is debated and which can be difficult to find elsewhere. This measured home version uses coriander, blue fenugreek, dill, cumin, summer savory and mild red pepper. Cumin is simply one accessible seasoning here; it is not claimed as an exact substitute for gitsruli or as a traditional Svan salt blend.

A moderately firm yeast dough holds the juicy filling while it bakes. Kneading the chopped meat with onion, garlic and spices coats the pieces evenly. A small vent releases steam, and a thermometer inserted through it confirms the filling inside each loaf is safe. Brush the golden crust with butter and serve hot in wedges.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

კუბდარი · 2 large breads · 8 shared wedges · Moderate · 2 hours 55 minutes

Yeasted dough

700 gbread flour, plus a little for dusting
420 mlwarm water, about 30 °C
7 ginstant dry yeast
8 ggranulated sugar
6 gfine salt

Meat filling and finish

500 gboneless beef chuck, trimmed and hand-diced into 5–7 mm pieces
500 gboneless pork shoulder, trimmed and hand-diced into 5–7 mm pieces
250 gyellow onion, finely diced
20 ggarlic, finely minced
5 gground coriander
2 gground blue fenugreek (utskho suneli)
1 gdried dill, crumbled
1 gground cumin; not claimed to be gitsruli
1 gdried summer savory
1 gmild ground red pepper
7 gfine salt
20 gunsalted butter, melted for brushing

Method

Mix and proof the dough. Stir yeast and sugar into the warm water; leave 5 minutes. Mix flour with 6 g salt, add the yeast water and stir to a rough dough. Knead on a lightly floured counter for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 75–90 minutes.
Dice and season the meat. Keep raw meat separate from ready-to-eat food. Hand-dice the beef and pork into even 5–7 mm pieces; do not mince or grind. Combine with onion, garlic, coriander, blue fenugreek, dill, cumin, savory, red pepper and 7 g salt. Knead and squeeze by hand for 2–3 minutes until cohesive. Wash hands and tools thoroughly.
Divide and fill. Heat a conventional oven to 200 °C. Deflate the risen dough and divide into two equal pieces; cover and rest 10 minutes. Divide the filling in half. Press each dough piece into a thick round with the center slightly thicker than the edge. Place one filling portion in the middle, gather the dough over it and pinch tightly closed.
Shape and vent. Turn each sealed round seam-side down. Gently press and stretch to 21–22 cm without tearing the dough. Place on the lined tray and make a small vent hole in the center of each top.
Bake and check the filling. Bake on the middle rack for 30–35 minutes, rotating the tray once if browning is uneven. The crust should be deep golden. Insert a clean instant-read thermometer through the vent into the filling at the center of each bread. Both centers must reach at least 71 °C; if either is below, bake longer and check again. Rest the breads on the tray for 5 minutes after they reach temperature.
Brush and serve. Brush the hot crusts with the measured melted butter. Cut each bread into four wedges and serve hot.

Excerpt

Golden round yeast breads enclose hand-diced beef and pork seasoned with onion, garlic and Georgian spices. Each bread is vented and baked until its filling is safely cooked through.

Practical guidance

The dough takes about 75–90 minutes to rise; room temperature and flour absorption affect timing, so wait until it has doubled. Keep raw meat and its utensils separate from food that will not be cooked. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours; keep at 4 °C or below for 3–4 days. Reheat wedges in a 180 °C oven until the filling center reaches 74 °C. If the crust browns before the filling is safe, cover loosely with foil and keep baking. Beef-only and pork-only Kubdari are documented variants; trout-filled Kubdari is another variety, but requires a different recipe.

Nutrition per serving

Nutrition per wedge

Energy: approximately 578 kcal
Carbohydrates: 71 g
Protein: 34 g
Fat: 17 g
Fibre: 3 g
Sodium: 732 mg
Estimate includes dough, filling, salt and butter; extra flour used for dusting is not modeled.

Allergens and food safety

Contains wheat (gluten), beef, pork and milk (butter). Prevent cross-contact and check flour and spice labels. Wash hands and surfaces after raw-meat handling. The center of each filling must reach at least 71 °C, measured through the vent with a clean thermometer; crust colour alone does not confirm safety. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat the center to 74 °C.

To serve

Cut each hot loaf into four wedges and share at the table.
Add a salad if desired; it is not included in the recipe or nutrition estimate.