Turkey · Şanlıurfa

Ciğer kebabı

Grill Urfa ciğer kebabı with small lamb-liver cubes and tail fat, seasoned with Şanlıurfa pepper and served in lavaş with onion and herbs.

Traditional Turkish recipe Main course / offal kebab
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Urfa ciğer kebabı skewers with lamb liver, tail fat, onion, herbs and grilled peppers
Urfa ciğer kebabı skewers with lamb liver, tail fat, onion, herbs and grilled peppers
Prep 35 minutes
Cook 12 minutes
Total 1 hour 7 minutes
Serves 6
Ingredients ↓
Overview

About Ciğer kebabı

Urfa ciğer kebabı uses fresh lamb liver cut into hazelnut-size cubes and alternated with smaller pieces of lamb tail fat on thin skewers. Over glowing charcoal the fat bastes the liver while Şanlıurfa pepper and salt form a simple, savoury crust. It is eaten not only at lunch and dinner but also at breakfast and during Ramadan nights in Şanlıurfa.

Liver becomes grainy when overcooked but remains unsafe when undercooked, so uniform pieces and a thermometer matter. The protected pattern uses four liver pieces and two tail-fat pieces per small skewer. Cook over embers rather than flames, turning frequently, and serve straight into lavaş with onion, parsley, mint, roasted pepper and lemon.

A dependable Ciğer kebabı begins before the heat is switched on. Measure 1 kg fresh lamb liver, 250 g lamb tail fat, 12 g Şanlıurfa pepper or isot, 10 g fine sea salt, 6 large lavaş or yufka breads, and 2 white onions and keep the remaining ingredients grouped in the order in which they enter the recipe. Have 18–24 thin metal skewers, Charcoal grill, and Instant-read thermometer ready as well. The planned sequence is Prepare the liver, Grill over embers, and Wrap and serve. This mise en place protects the stated 6-serving yield and prevents a temperature-sensitive or fast-moving stage from being interrupted while an ingredient is still being weighed.

Use the clock as a planning guide, not as the only test of progress: allow 35 minutes of preparation, 12 minutes of cooking, and 1 hour 7 minutes overall. During Grill over embers, Let charcoal burn to glowing embers with no tall flames; grill green peppers at the edges. The useful observation is specific: Heat should be intense and even. At the finish, Slide liver and fat into bread with onion, parsley, mint, grilled pepper, lemon and extra isot. Do not serve merely because the nominal time has elapsed; wait until serve immediately while the fat is hot.

Practical

Practical

  • FreshnessBuy liver from a trusted butcher and cook it the day of purchase.
  • No long marinadeAcid changes liver texture; the regional method relies on fresh liver, fat, pepper and salt.
  • Flare controlMove skewers briefly away from flames rather than letting soot coat the liver.
Ingredients

Ingredients

Skewers

  • 1 kg fresh lamb liver
  • 250 g lamb tail fat
  • 12 g Şanlıurfa pepper or isot
  • 10 g fine sea salt

To serve

  • 6 large lavaş or yufka breads
  • 2 white onions thinly sliced
  • 25 g flat-leaf parsley
  • 15 g fresh mint
  • 6 long green peppers
  • 2 lemons cut into wedges
  • 5 g isot for the table
Directions

Directions

Prepare the liver

  1. Trim carefullyRemove outer membrane, vessels and green-stained areas from the liver; pat dry.

    Only clean, deep-red flesh should remain.

  2. Cut evenlyCut liver into 2 cm hazelnut-size cubes and tail fat slightly smaller.

    Uniform pieces are essential for even cooking.

  3. Thread the traditional patternOn each skewer place liver, tail fat, two liver pieces, tail fat and a final liver piece.

    Leave tiny spaces so heat reaches the sides without pieces spinning.

  4. Chill brieflyRefrigerate threaded skewers for 20 minutes while the fire settles.

    The fat should be firm when it reaches the grill.

Grill over embers

  1. Prepare the coalsLet charcoal burn to glowing embers with no tall flames; grill green peppers at the edges.

    Heat should be intense and even.

  2. Season as they cookMix isot and salt. Grill skewers close to the embers, turning every 30–45 seconds and sprinkling lightly with seasoning.

    Tail fat should render and baste the liver without sustained flare-ups.

  3. Cook through without dryingContinue 6–9 minutes until browned and the largest liver cube reaches 71°C.

    The centre should be cooked through yet still moist, not crumbly.

Wrap and serve

  1. Warm the breadPass lavaş briefly over the skewers to catch aroma and soften.

    It should be warm and pliable, not charred.

  2. Build the wrapSlide liver and fat into bread with onion, parsley, mint, grilled pepper, lemon and extra isot.

    Serve immediately while the fat is hot.
Practical

Practical

Organise the measured components

Keep 1 kg fresh lamb liver, 250 g lamb tail fat, 12 g Şanlıurfa pepper or isot, 10 g fine sea salt, 6 large lavaş or yufka breads, and 2 white onions visible and separate until their stated stage. Remove outer membrane, vessels and green-stained areas from the liver; pat dry. This opening action establishes the moisture, seasoning and texture that later cooking can preserve but cannot fully repair. Before moving on, confirm that only clean, deep-red flesh should remain. If the sign is absent, correct the immediate mixture, heat or handling rather than compensating with an unrelated ingredient.

Read the food at every stage

The key checkpoints across Prepare the liver, Grill over embers, and Wrap and serve are Only clean, deep-red flesh should remain., Heat should be intense and even., and It should be warm and pliable, not charred.. These observations are more reliable than colour alone because pan material, starting temperature, ingredient size and heat output vary between kitchens. Work in the stated order, keep the batch dimensions similar and pause when a cue has not appeared. The final confirmations are The fat should be firm when it reaches the grill., The centre should be cooked through yet still moist, not crumbly., and Serve immediately while the fat is hot.; together they describe texture, moisture and safe doneness more accurately than a single minute count.

Plan service and leftovers before cooking

Slide liver and fat into bread with onion, parsley, mint, grilled pepper, lemon and extra isot. Serve when the final texture is at its best, then move leftovers promptly to the storage condition specified for this dish. Keep raw liver at 4°C or colder, prevent cross-contamination and use it promptly. Cook liver to 71°C; organ meats are also very high in vitamin A and should be eaten in moderation, especially during pregnancy. Cook liver to 71°C; organ meats are also very high in vitamin A and should be eaten in moderation, especially during pregnancy. This closes the recipe as deliberately as it began: service, cooling and reheating are part of quality control, not an afterthought once the pan has left the heat.

Control points

Control points

  • The liver is chalky Pieces were too small or cooked beyond 71°C.
  • It tastes bitter The liver was not well trimmed, was not fresh, or burnt fat coated it.
  • The fat remains rubbery Cut it smaller than the liver and keep skewers close enough to hot embers.
Nutrition

Nutrition

  • Calories590 kcal
  • Protein36 g
  • Carbohydrates43 g
  • Fat30 g
  • Saturated fat9 g
  • Fiber3 g
  • Sugars5 g
  • Sodium820 mg

1 of 6 servings with lavaş — Approximate values; actual nutrition varies with ingredients and serving size.

Allergens · Food safety

Allergens · Food safety

Allergens: Contains wheat/gluten if served with lavaş.

Food safety: Keep raw liver at 4°C or colder, prevent cross-contamination and use it promptly. Cook liver to 71°C; organ meats are also very high in vitamin A and should be eaten in moderation, especially during pregnancy.

Storage: Keep raw liver at 4°C or colder, prevent cross-contamination and use it promptly. Cook liver to 71°C; organ meats are also very high in vitamin A and should be eaten in moderation, especially during pregnancy.

FAQ

FAQ

Can beef liver be used?

It can, but lamb liver and lamb tail fat define Urfa ciğer kebabı.

Why alternate with tail fat?

It bastes the lean liver and protects it from drying over charcoal.

Can I use a grill pan?

Yes. Ventilate well, use high heat and turn frequently, though charcoal supplies the characteristic smoke.

What matters most

What matters most

Smoky, juicy liver with crisp edges, rendered tail fat, dark isot and fresh onion-herb contrast.

Fresh liver, uniform cuts, controlled embers and an exact safe endpoint.

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