Plan your whole week in seconds
Try it free
Adana Kebab
Elongated spiced lamb mince kebab grilled on a flat sword — Turkey's fiery gift from the city of Adana.
20 mins
15 mins
4 people
Turkish
Lamb mince (20% fat)
700g
Lamb tail fat or suet
Minced — traditional
100g
Red bell pepper
Very finely diced, water squeezed out
1
Pul biber (Turkish chili flakes)
2 tsp
Cumin
1 tsp
Garlic
Grated
4 cloves
Salt
2 tsp
Flat skewers (wide)
8
Flatbread or lavash
to serve
Sumac onions
to serve
🍽️ Lamb tail fat
→ Grated frozen butter mixed in
Adds fat to keep kebabs moist on the grill
Combine all ingredients. Work mixture with your hands for 5-8 minutes until very sticky.
💡 Pro Tip: The sticky myosin proteins in the lamb are the glue that holds the kebab on the skewer. Under-kneading = fallen kebabs.
Wet your hands. Mold 100g of mixture onto each flat skewer in a long sausage shape, squeezing firmly.
💡 Pro Tip: Squeeze very firmly. Any loose sections fall off onto the charcoal.
Refrigerate on skewers 30 minutes to firm up.
💡 Pro Tip: Chilling helps the fat re-solidify and bind the mixture to the skewer.
Grill over high heat, turning carefully every 2-3 minutes until cooked through with char marks.
💡 Pro Tip: Start with the most charcoal-facing sides — get char quickly then rotate.
Serve on flatbread with sumac onions, grilled tomato, and pepper.
💡 Pro Tip: Traditional service is on the flatbread, which absorbs the kebab juices beneath.
- ✓Fat percentage matters — 20% is minimum for juicy kebabs
- ✓Knead for a full 8 minutes — myosin protein development is essential
- ✓Pul biber (Turkish chili flakes) is the defining flavor
- →On flatbread with sumac onions
- →With shepherd's salad
- →With ayran (yogurt drink)