Chuck gets ground and shaped onto skewers like a kofta — looser and juicier than cubed meat, with more surface area to char hard on the grill. The aioli is built on a bell pepper blackened directly over the flame until the skin blisters and the flesh sweetens, then blended with raw garlic and lemon for a sauce that tastes like it took an hour.
Preheat your grill to high heat. Place the whole red bell pepper directly on the grill grate over the highest flame and let it go — rotating with tongs every 2 minutes — until the skin is blackened and blistered all the way around and the pepper has collapsed slightly, about 8–10 minutes total. It should smell sweet and smoky, not just burnt. Transfer to a small bowl, cover tightly with a plate, and let it steam for 5 minutes.
While the pepper steams, combine the ground chuck with 1/4 teaspoon salt, the smoked paprika, cumin, black pepper, and 1 minced garlic clove. Mix just until the spices are incorporated — you'll see the fat start to smear if you overwork it. Divide into 2 equal portions and press each one firmly around a skewer in a long, flat torpedo shape about 6 inches long. Press hard enough that there are no air gaps — if the meat feels loose, it will fall off the grill.
Peel the charred skin off the pepper with your fingers — it should slip off easily — then tear it open and discard the seeds. You'll see deep orange-red flesh with smoky char on the edges; that char stays in. Add the pepper flesh to a blender or food processor with the mayonnaise, remaining garlic clove, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Blend until smooth and slightly glossy, about 30 seconds. Taste — it should have clear smoke, heat from the raw garlic, and bright citrus. Adjust lemon if needed.
Brush the skewers lightly with olive oil. Lay them on the hot grill grate and do not move them for 3 minutes — you want a deep, dark crust to form before you try to flip. When they release cleanly and the bottom edge shows a hard char line, flip. Cook another 2–3 minutes on the second side until the meat is firm to the touch with just a little give in the center. Pull them off the heat.
Arrange the skewers on a plate. Scatter the raw red onion slices directly over the hot meat so they soften slightly from the residual heat. Squeeze the remaining lemon half over everything, drop the parsley on top, and spoon the charred pepper aioli alongside for dragging. Serve immediately while the crust is still crackling against the soft pepper sauce.
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