Adana Kebab
Spicy Turkish ground lamb kebab — hand-formed on skewers, grilled over charcoal.
Comfort Food
Spicy
Ingredients
- 600g ground lamb (fatty, not lean)
- 1 small onion, very finely grated and squeezed dry
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 2 tbsp Turkish red pepper flakes (pul biber) or 1 tbsp Aleppo pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp sumac
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- For serving:
- Lavash or pide bread
- Grilled tomatoes and peppers
- 1 red onion, sliced, tossed with sumac and parsley
- Lemon wedges
- Yogurt
Instructions
- 1 Combine lamb, squeezed onion, garlic, pepper flakes, cumin, sumac, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- 2 Knead the mixture vigorously for 3-4 minutes — this is essential. The meat should become sticky and paste-like so it holds on the skewer.
- 3 Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- 4 Divide into 6 portions. Mold each portion around a flat metal skewer, pressing firmly into a long sausage shape about 2cm thick.
- 5 Grill over high heat (charcoal is ideal, but a grill pan works) for 3-4 minutes per side until charred outside and just cooked through.
- 6 Slide off skewers onto warm lavash bread. Serve with grilled vegetables, sumac onions, lemon wedges, and yogurt.
About This Recipe
Adana Kebab is Turkey's most famous grilled meat, named after the southern city of Adana. Hand-minced lamb (never beef) is mixed with tail fat, red pepper flakes, and a touch of garlic, then pressed onto wide flat skewers and grilled over charcoal until charred and juicy.
The key is the meat — it must be hand-chopped or very coarsely ground, and kneaded vigorously to develop a sticky texture that clings to the skewer. Served on lavash bread with grilled vegetables, sumac onions, and a char-roasted tomato.
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