Adana Kebap (Spicy Minced Lamb Kebab)
In short: Fatty minced lamb kneaded with red pepper and hot chili flakes, pressed onto wide skewers and grilled over charcoal until juicy and lightly charred. It takes about 45 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 640 kcal
Adana kebap is the spicy minced-lamb kebab you find on grill menus all over Türkiye, especially in the south. The meat is chopped fine, mixed with red pepper and hot chili flakes, then pressed onto wide flat skewers and cooked over coals. Good kebap is glossy, almost sticky, and juicy enough to soak into the flatbread underneath. It is usually served with sumac onions, grilled tomatoes and peppers, and a glass of ayran.
Instructions
- Put the ground lamb in a bowl and chill it for 20 minutes. Cold meat is easier to knead and the fat stays firm instead of smearing.
- Squeeze the chopped bell pepper in a clean towel to remove the water. Add it to the lamb with the garlic, pepper flakes and salt.
- Knead the mixture with wet hands for 5 minutes, until it turns sticky and pulls away from the bowl in one mass. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours.
- Light a charcoal grill and wait until the coals are covered with gray ash, or heat a heavy grill pan over high heat. Brush the grate with oil.
- Divide the meat into 4 portions. With wet hands, press each portion around a wide, flat skewer into a strip about 2 cm (3/4 inch) thick and 25 cm (10 inches) long, pinching shallow ridges along the surface.
- Grill the tomatoes and green peppers first, turning them until blistered, about 8 minutes. Set them aside.
- Grill the kebabs for 4 to 5 minutes per side, turning once with care, until browned and cooked through to 71°C (160°F).
- Warm the lavash briefly on the grill. Slide each kebab off its skewer onto a piece of bread, fold the bread over to catch the juices and rest for 2 minutes. Serve with the vegetables, sumac onions and lemon.
Tips
- Fat keeps the kebab juicy. Lean lamb gives a dry, crumbly kebab, so if your mince is lean, knead in 100 g (3.5 oz) of finely chopped lamb fat or fatty trimmings.
- No grill? Press the meat into flat oval patties, set them on a rack over a baking tray and roast at 250°C (480°F) for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once, until browned and cooked through.
Questions and answers
How spicy is Adana kebap?
It is medium hot. The heat comes from the pepper flakes, so choose a mild type or use less for a gentler kebab, and put extra chili on the table for everyone else.
What is the difference between Adana kebap and Urfa kebap?
Both are minced lamb pressed onto wide skewers. Adana kebap is seasoned with hot pepper, while Urfa kebap is made without chili and tastes milder.
Can I use beef instead of lamb?
You can, but the flavor changes. Choose a fatty cut such as chuck with about 20% fat, or mix half beef and half lamb so the kebab stays juicy.
How long does it take to make Adana Kebap (Spicy Minced Lamb Kebab)?
About 45 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Adana Kebap (Spicy Minced Lamb Kebab)?
About 640 kcal per serving, with 36 g of protein, 40 g of carbohydrates and 37 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 640 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 36 g |
| Carbohydrates | 40 g |
| Fat | 37 g |
| Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Sodium | 1150 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
