Adana Kebab, a popular Turkish dish, is comprised of seasoned ground lamb that’s skewered and grilled over charcoal. It’s richly spiced, flavorful, juicy, and easier to make at home than you might think!
Add all ingredients to a bowl and stir well. Cover and refrigerate until using (at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days).
For the Lamb Kebab:
Add all ingredients to a large bowl. Use your hands to combine, being careful not to over-mix.
Slightly wet your hands, and shape the meat onto skewers. Brush both sides of each skewer with olive oil.
Preheat a grill to medium-high. Once hot, add the kebabs and grill until they’re charred on the outside and cooked to your desired level of doneness inside, rotating the skewers as necessary. (The exact cooking time will vary based on your skewer size. I used 3 large skewers and it took about 15 to 18 minutes total.)
Serve hot along with Sumac Onion and anything else you like.
Notes
Nutritional Information: The nutrition information for this recipe was calculated without the Sumac Onions or serving suggestions.
Skewers: You can use metal skewers or wooden skewers, but large metal skewers are more traditional. If you use wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes first. This will help prevent them from catching on fire on the grill. My skewers were large so I only needed 3 for all this meat; however, the amount of skewers you use doesn’t matter. Just note that if you use smaller skewers, the meat will cook faster.
Sumac Onion: Store this in a covered glass jar in the fridge for up to 3 days. Note that over time the onions will soften more.
Storage: Store leftover kebabs covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat kebabs in the oven or air fryer.
Reheating: To reheat kebabs in an oven, remove the kebab meat from the skewer. Wrap the meat in foil, and add a splash of water. Heat in a 400F oven until warm, about 8 to 10 minutes. To reheat kebabs in an air fryer, remove the kebab meat from the skewer. Wrap the meat in foil, and add a splash of water. Heat in a 375F air fryer until warm, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Beef Instead of Lamb: If you prefer beef instead of lamb, use 80/20 ground beef, which is 80% lean with 20% fat (look for ground chuck).
How to Make These in the Oven:
Skewer the meat as directed in the recipe.
Place a baking rack on top of a large baking tray. Brush the skewered meat with olive oil, and arrange the kebabs on the baking rack so they don’t touch.
Bake at 425F until they’re cooked to your liking, about 7 to 10 minutes per side, flipping once halfway through.