Adana kebab (or adana kebabı) is a type of kebab made with spicy meat typical of southern Turkey. Its components are hand-chopped meat and lamb’s tail fat. This last ingredient is what makes the difference with any other type of kebab, and it is not something easily available in the rest of the world.
What is the origin of adana kebab?
This dish is named after the fourth largest city in Turkey, the city of Adana. This is where this dish originated. Considering the many regional variations of kebab, it is believed that this version was born from a Turkish-Arabic culinary fusion.
It is believed that the creator of this specialty actually belonged to Birecik, a town in the Aleppo eyalate. After several legal processes, this dish received the “controlled designation of origin” in 2005, its mother city being considered the city of Adana.
The kıyma kebabı, another designation for the dish, is still prepared in its location of origin. According to the patent register, today this dish is only made in the traditional way by vendors who have passed the inspection processes designated by the Adana Chamber of Commerce. In other countries such as Syria and Iraq, similar versions are prepared in which non-spicy pepper is usually used.
In Istanbul, the term kıyma kebabı is considered to refer to an adana kebabi (the spicy version) or urfa kebabi (the non-spicy version). The original version of adana kebabi was actually not spicy, and urfa kebabi did not even exist in Urfa where the local version of this recipe is called Haşhaş kebabı.
How to make adana kebab
In the original preparation, this kebab variant is made with meat from male lamb less than one year old. The animal must be grown in its natural habitat and fed with local flora. When selecting the meat, it is important to remove all the nerves and fat so that the meat is clean. It is then mixed with the tail fat and left to rest for a day.
Both the meat and fat should be ground by hand with a crescent-shaped chopper called a zırh. The intention of using this knife is to combine the lamb meat with the fat, and this action is called zırhlama. This is the fundamental step in the preparation of adana kebab.
The only ingredients that should complement this recipe are sweet red peppers and salt, although the Appellation of Origin also admits “under some circumstances” the addition of spicy green capsaicin and garlic cloves. Nowadays the meat can also be seasoned with sumac.
Once the meat is combined with the fat, salt and the rest of the ingredients, it is recommended to let it rest overnight to further develop its flavor.
To make the adana kebab it is necessary to use a specific type of skewer made of iron, designed for this dish. It is covered with water so that the meat adheres well: this step is very important, otherwise the kebab will fall apart during cooking.
The kebabs are grilled over charcoal and oak wood without flame until the meat is brown. It is important to rotate them so that they cook evenly and so that the melting fat drips onto the bread strategically placed underneath to flavor and heat it.
There are two ways to serve this preparation: on a plate, whose name is “porsiyon” or wrapped in flatbread, whose name is “dürüm”. Once wrapped in bread, the meat is accompanied by roasted tomatoes, green or red peppers, julienned onions, parsley and sumac.
This recipe is validated by our Turkish culinary expert, Chef Dilara Erbay, of Abracadabra Magic Deli in New York.
Adana Kebabı
Ingredients
- 20 oz. boneless mutton shoulder (or lamb shoulder)
- 3 tablespoons biber salçası (sweet pepper paste)
- 1 teaspoon acı biber salçası (hot pepper paste)
- 5 oz. sheep's tail fat
- 1 onion , chopped
- 1 clove garlic , chopped
- 3 tablespoons chopped flat parsley
- Salt
Equipment
- Food processor
- 8 flat metal skewers
Instructions
- Leave the meat to rest for 24 hours in the refrigerator. Let the sheep tail fat also rest.
- Grind the sheep tail fat with a food processor.
- Place the cold mutton shoulder on a cutting board, and finely chop it with a knife, adding the tail fat gradually.
- Season with salt and add the biber salçası (sweet pepper paste), the acı biber salçası (hot pepper paste), onion, garlic, parsley and knead for 5 minutes.
- Cover the meat with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 2 hours by kneading it 3 or 4 times during this resting time.
- Preheat a charcoal barbecue (preferably) or an electric or gas barbecue.
- Divide the meat into 8 equal portions and thread each portion onto a flat metal skewer.
- Around the skewer, form meat rods about 6 inches (15 cm) long and 1 inch (3 cm) wide.
- Grill for 15 to 20 minutes on both sides, until the meat is elastic to the touch, flipping them often.
- Serve with rice and/or French fries, sumac red onion salad, tomato and cucumber salad with peppermint, and roasted green peppers.
Video
Notes
Nita is the foodie blogger behind Tastesspicy. Originally from the small Island of Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean, she now lives in the cold Tundra of Minnesota, USA where she enjoys sharing recipes from around the world, particularly from the Caribbean featuring foods with a spicy, but flavorful flair.
Debbie says
Where can you purchase sheep tail fat?
Mike Benayoun says
Debbie, I am guessing it depends where you live!
Avery says
I’ve been wanting to eat some kebabs. Good thing I found this recipe. Thank you.