When you think of Turkish kebab, sizzling skewers are probably the first things that come to mind.
But you don’t need to visit a kebab restaurant to enjoy that experience.
With a few essential techniques, you can make a juicy Turkish lamb shish kebab right at home.
So, what goes into an authentic lamb kebab mixture?
And more importantly, how do you keep ground meat from falling off the skewers?
The answers are surprisingly simple.
In this GastroCafer recipe, we’ll cover all techniques behind a Turkish lamb kebab.
Fire up the charcoal, and let’s make some kebab!
What Is the Difference Between Adana Kebab and Urfa Kebab?
Two of the most famous kebabs in Turkish cuisine are Adana kebab and Urfa kebab.
They may look similar on the skewer, but the seasoning makes a significant difference.
- Heat and Peppers: Adana kebab is known for its spicy character. Traditionally, minced lamb is combined with red peppers and hot pepper flakes, giving the kebab its distinctive color, aroma and heat.
- Pure Lamb Flavor: Urfa kebab is the milder alternative and is sometimes described in Turkey as plain kebab. Rather than relying on several spices, the focus remains on the flavor of lamb, tail fat, and simply with salt.
- Common Points: Both rely heavily on good-quality lamb and the right amount of fat. Traditionally, kebab masters mince the meat by hand using a large curved knife known as a “zırh”. At home however, passing the meat and fat through a meat grinder can produce much more practical result.
What Is the Best Meat-to-Fat Ratio for Turkish Kebab?
There is one important rule when making juicy ground lamb kebabs:
Don’t make them too lean.
Fat helps prevent the lamb from drying out over the intense heat of the charcoal for Turkish kebab.
As a general guideline, use around 15–20% lamb tail fat relative to the weight of the meat.
Too little fat can leave the kebab dry and more prone to breaking apart.
Too much, on the other hand, can render excessively over the charcoal, and making the kebab unnecessarily greasy.
For the meat itself, well-trimmed lamb shoulder, breast or rib meat are excellent choices.
Their flavor and natural fat content make them particularly suitable for kebabs cooked over high heat.
GastroCafer Recommendations for a Complete Turkish Kebab
A great kebab becomes even better with the right accompaniments.
- If you’re preparing the traditional onion salad served alongside kebabs, take a look at Different Types of Onions.
- For another classic Turkish dish, you can also serve Turkish Butter Rice Pilaf with this recipe.
Now, it’s time for the Turkish Lamb Shish Kebab Recipe!
Turkish Lamb Shish Kebab Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pass the lamb mince and lamb tail fat through a meat grinder once more to obtain a smooth and homogeneous mixture.
- Add the salt and divide the mixture into 10 equal portions.
- Knead each portion for 5–10 minutes, pressing and folding the meat until it becomes sticky texture.
- Lightly wet your hands and firmly press each portion onto a flat skewer (shish), shaping it into a long kebab.
- Refrigerate the skewered kebabs for at least 1 hour before cooking.
- Cook the kebabs over a well-heated charcoal grill (without a cooking grate), turning them regularly to ensure even cooking on all sides.
- If desired, grill tomatoes and green peppers alongside the kebabs.
- Before removing the kebabs from the skewers, wrap them with lavash so the bread absorbs the flavorful rendered lamb fat.
- Mix the thinly sliced onions with the sumac, olive oil, and grape vinegar.
- Serve the kebabs hot on flat breads or lavash with grilled tomatoes and the sumac onion salad.
Cafer Can Yeşilyurt
