Adana Kebab - Turkish Lamb Kebabs

Adana Kebab - Turkish Lamb Kebabs - Adana Kebab is a delicious Turkish Kebab made with Ground Lamb Meat containing a high percentage of Fat (around 20 % or with a ratio of 5:1 Meat to Fat) and a few other ingredients. It is usually cooked over Charcoal to give it the perfect smoky flavour. The recipe itself hails from the Adana region of Turkey and has now become popular world wide.

Adana Kebab

Adana Kebab is made with chunks of fatty Lamb Meat that is finely chopped using a meat cleaver known as a Zirh (a curved moon shaped cleaver).

However if you are short on time you can buy Lamb Mince that is coarse and then chop that down till it is finer in consistency - this is my husband’s preferred method. Ideally the Meat should be fatty or have added fat from the tail of a ‘fat tailed’ young Spring lamb.

Our main research for this recipe was via Anissa Helou (Author of Feasts - Recipes of the Islamic World), the Turkish Cookbook by Author and star of an episode of the popular Netflix show Chef's Table Musa Dağdeviren and Pit Magazine Kebab Issue (pictured below). We also happen to have a Turkish Restaurant near home and got some tips by speaking with the owners there.

Ingredients

Few ingredients are needed to make the perfect Adana Kebab because it is really all about the Meat. If you look at the recipe provided via Anissa above, it is just meat, fat, onions, red pepper, chilli, salt.

So essentially, traditional recipes have fewer ingredients then even I have used here and you can eliminate any that you do not have here. Most traditional recipes will often only add fatty Meat, Salt and some Chilli.

Having tested this recipe several times, this is what we have come up with to try and mimic the flavour of Turkish Adaana Kebab at home. Here is what you will need to make our version of this recipe:

Lamb Meat

This Kebab is made with ground Lamb Meat. A fatty cut like Shoulder is best or Meat with 20% Fat. You can also buy Fat and Lamb separately and mix or grind them together.

You can either buy the Meat and chop it down using a large sharp knife. In Turkey they use a Zirh.

Or you can grind the Meat/buy pre ground Meat.

You can use a food processor but our personal preference is to buy ground Shoulder that is coarsely ground then chopping it down until it is finer in consistency.

I wouldn’t recommend using Beef or a mixture of the two here. I have tried both and the Lamb on its own is enough and all that is needed.

You can knead the mixture by hand or in a food processor or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.

Fat

We like to add either some Tail Fat or Stomach Fat which is available to us locally. However, you can also use Ghee but the quantity would be around 2 tbsp.

I have read this in both Musa Dağdeviren's book and the Persian Book - Food of Life by Najmieh Batmanglij (re Koobiden Kebabs).

Peppers

I prefer to use long Red Romano Peppers that are diced very finely (or placed in the food processor) and then strained to remove some of the juice.

This can be skipped and you can actually add a chopped Onion instead or a combination of the two. Alternatively add a couple of tablespoons of Turkish Red Pepper Paste - Biber Salcasi.

Parsley

We also add finely chopped Parsley. This, like the Peppers can be skipped.

Herbs and Spices

Sumac and Smoky flavouered Turkish Chillies

We use both Pul Biber aka Aleppo Pepper and Urfa Pepper aka Isot Pepper. These are used both in the Meat mixture and sprinkled on top of the Kebabs.

We also add Cumin and although not traditional we use Garlic Cloves and ground Black Pepper too. Both were added after testing the recipe a few times.

Salt

Adana Kebabs require more Salt then is used in other types of Kebabs or Meatballs. It seasons the Meat and helps to knead it to the desired consistency so you get super juicy Kebabs.

You want the Meat to get sticky enough that it leaves a slight layer on the edges of the bowl.

How to make them

 Step 1 - Finely chop the Pepper. Transfer to a muslin cloth or sieve and squeeze out some of the juice.

Step 2 - Combine the Meat (after it has been made finer or buy meat that is more ground), Peppers, Parsley, Garlic if using, Salt, Aleppo Pepper (aka Pul Biber), Black Pepper, Urfa Chilli (aka Isot Pepper) or Chilli Flakes, Sumac, Cumin and Fat - either Tail or Stomach or 2 tablespoon Ghee.

(We don't have a Zirh so my husband chops it down and sometimes uses a pounder too - pictured below).

Step 3 - Knead by hand until the mixture is fully combined, turns sticky and leaves a thin greasy layer at the side of the bowl. This will take a while but the mixture must remain cold.

NOTE - If it is a particular warm day, I would suggest placing it in the fridge a few times or adding a tablespoon of ice cold water.

Step 4 - Place in the fridge to chill.

Step 5 - Use wet hands to divide the Lamb mixture into even balls weighing roughly 90g each. Place a large chunk of Kebab mixture onto the middle of a wide skewer. Then use your fingers to shape them onto the skewers. This gives you a thin Kebab that cooks quickly but remains juicy.

Try and get ridges if you can but it isn’t essential and takes a lot of practice.

NOTE - It is best to use flat metal skewers if you can find them but wooden skewers also work. As long as they are flat and not too thin. Some people shape foil to mimic the skewers instead. Wooden skewers should always be pre soaked for 30 minutes. You can also just create the shape using your hands and do them without skewers at all but that would mean that they can’t be placed on the BBQ.

Step 6 - Time to Cook!

You have a few options here but if you can, doing it over a BBQ or an Outfoor grill is the best option.

Note - In Turkey, they would cook it over coal and we want to try and recreate some of that magic. It gives the best smoky flavour because as the Meat cooks, the fat drips onto the coals and creates smoke which cannot really be replicated as well indoors (you could try the Coal lighting method). The level of heat makes a difference too because it changes the texture and taste of the outside of the Kebab.

When my husband makes these, he makes sure that the heat is pretty intense so a crust in formed very quickly and then he rotates them very regularly until they are fully cooked.

If you are using a BBQ, get it going. Once the coal is ashy, add the Skewers one by one vertically across the entire BBQ (if they are long enough). Cook for around 10 minutes turning regularly and make sure you sprinkle some Sumac and Salt on them while they are cooking.

Alternatively grill them indoors on high for the same amount of time making sure you turn them every 1-2 minutes.

How to Serve

Adana Kebabs are usually served on a platter with Rice, Salad such as Ezme, Sumac Onion Salad and Turkish Flatbread like Lavash. The Kebabs are then sprinkled with more Sumac, Cumin, Salt and grilled Turkish Chillies, Tomatoes and Onion. It is also often served alongside Ayran - a cooling Yoghurt based drink. I also like to serve it with a Garlic Yogurt Sauce.

Sumac Onion Salad

Slice 1 Red or White Onion and sprinkle over 1 tablespoon of chopped Parsley, Salt, 1 tablespoon Sumac and 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice. I don't mix this together.

Garlic Yoghurt Sauce

Combine 150g Greek Yoghurt (Full Fat) with 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice, 1 teaspoon dry Mint, a pinch of Sugar and ¾ teaspoon Salt.

Notes and Tips

Keep the Meat Cold

One of the things that you will want to keep in mind is that the Meat must be kept cold. We tend to put it in the fridge once the ingredients are mixed together. This does 2 things - It makes it easier to shape the Kebabs and it also means no Fat leaks out of the Meat.

If it is a particular warm day, I would suggest placing it in the fridge a few times during the kneading stage or adding a tablespoon of ice cold water.

Shaping

To shape the Meat onto the skewers, it is best to keep a bowl of Water to hand to prevent the Meat from sticking to your hands. This also helps to keep the Kebab juicy.

Smoking

The smoke from the fat drippings give the kebabs their signature smokey flavour. So be careful because you may occasionally get loads of Smoke in your face.

Skewers

It is best to use flat metal skewers if you can find them but wooden skewers also work. As long as they are flat and not too thin. Some people shape foil to mimic the skewers instead. Wooden skewers should always be pre soaked for 30 minutes. You can also just create the shape using your hands and do them without skewers at all but that would mean that they can’t be placed on the BBQ.

Ingredients

Very few ingredients are needed to make the perfect Adana Kebab because it is really all about the Meat. If you look at the recipe provided via Anissa above, it is just meat, fat, onions, red pepper, chilli, salt.

So essentially, traditional recipes have fewer ingredients then even I have used here and you can eliminate any that you do not have. Most traditional recipes will often only add fatty Meat, Salt and some Chilli.

Heat

However you cook these, the heat needs to be super high in order to get the crust on the outside of the Kebabs.

Storage and Reheating

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

You can reheat kebabs in the Oven or an Air Fryer. Or simply Microwave them.

In the Oven

Sprinkle the Kebabs with a little Water and wrap in foil then cook at 200 C/400 F for 7 - 10 minutes. You can then place them under the grill for a minute or 2 to crisp them up a little on the outside.

In the Airfryer

Sprinkle the Kebabs with a little Water and wrap in foil. Then cook at 180 C/375 F for 7 - 10 minutes.

More Turkish Recipes:

Turkish Breakfast Spinach Eggs

Menemen with Feta - Turkish Scrambled Eggs

Kumpir - Turkish Street Food Style Jacket Potato

Turkish poached eggs in yogurt - Cilbir

Easy Turkish Lentil Soup

Turkish Pide (Minced Meat and Cheese) - Turkish Pizza

Turkish Simit - Turkish Sesame Bagel Bread

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