Turkey · Şanlıurfa

Urfa Kebabı (Mild Turkish Lamb Kebab)

Cold lamb and tail fat with salt and sweet red pepper are moulded on broad skewers and charcoal-grilled until juicy and safe.

Hand-minced lamb and tail fat grilled mildly over charcoal Kebab
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Charcoal-grilled minced lamb skewers with sumac onion salad
Several thick centres reach 71°C before the kebabs leave the fire.
Prep 40 minutes
Chill 1 hours 30 minutes
Cook 15 minutes
Rest 5 minutes
Ingredients ↓
Overview

How to Make Mild Urfa Kebabı

Urfa kebabı is often described beside Adana kebabı because both are long minced-lamb skewers from southeastern Türkiye. The essential difference is heat: Urfa is mild, allowing lamb, tail fat and charcoal to lead. This version uses salt and restrained sweet red pepper rather than an aggressive chilli load or a pantry of spices. Its simplicity makes meat quality, temperature and knife work more visible, not less important.

Trim every membrane and work with near-frozen lamb and tail fat. Repeated chopping with a heavy knife distributes fat while retaining a meat texture that a fine commercial grind can erase. Salt extracts the proteins needed for adhesion. Knead until the cold mixture becomes tacky and leaves a light film on the hand, then refrigerate thoroughly. Onion or wet herbs are kept out because they loosen the skewer and change the restrained profile.

Press equal portions around broad flat skewers, seal the ends and form shallow ridges without leaving air pockets. A two-zone charcoal fire provides direct heat for colour and a cooler area for controlling fat flare-ups. Let the first surface set before turning. Constant early rotation pulls soft meat from the metal; excessively high flames blacken fat while the centre remains unsafe.

Cook several thick centres to 71°C, rest briefly on a clean platter and serve over lavash with grilled tomato, long pepper, sumac onion, parsley and lemon. These accompaniments bring brightness without entering the meat mixture. Proper Urfa kebabı stays attached, carries dark smoky stripes and releases clear juices. Its identity is mild lamb kebab, not a less successful attempt at hot Adana.

Practical

Practical

  • Control hand-mince and bindFor Urfa Kebabı (Mild Turkish Lamb Kebab), Remove sinew, chop the near-frozen lamb and tail fat repeatedly with a heavy knife until uniformly fine but not puréed. The checkpoint is meat and fat are evenly distributed with no large hard cubes or sinew strands. If it is absent, correct this stage's heat, moisture or handling before proceeding; later cooking cannot reliably repair an incomplete foundation.
  • Control chill and shapeFor Urfa Kebabı (Mild Turkish Lamb Kebab), Refrigerate at least 90 minutes, then press equal portions around cold broad flat skewers as long ridged kebabs with sealed ends. The checkpoint is each kebab has uniform thickness, no trapped air pocket and grips the broad skewer firmly. If it is absent, correct this stage's heat, moisture or handling before proceeding; later cooking cannot reliably repair an incomplete foundation.
  • Control grill and serveFor Urfa Kebabı (Mild Turkish Lamb Kebab), Grill over medium-hot charcoal, allowing the first surface to set before rotating and moving away from flare-ups. The checkpoint is ridges carry dark charcoal marks while the kebab remains attached and juicy. If it is absent, correct this stage's heat, moisture or handling before proceeding; later cooking cannot reliably repair an incomplete foundation.
Ingredients

Ingredients

For the recipe

  • 1.6 kg well-trimmed lamb shoulder or leg, very cold
  • 220 g lamb tail fat, very cold
  • 20 g fine salt
  • 18 g sweet Turkish red pepper flakes or mild paprika
  • 800 g lavash for serving
  • 800 g tomatoes for grilling
  • 500 g long green peppers for grilling
  • 350 g red onions, thinly sliced
  • 12 g ground sumac for onion salad
  • 80 g flat-leaf parsley for serving
  • 3 lemons, cut into wedges
Directions

Directions

Hand-mince and bind

  1. Hand-mince and bind 1.Remove sinew, chop the near-frozen lamb and tail fat repeatedly with a heavy knife until uniformly fine but not puréed.

    Meat and fat are evenly distributed with no large hard cubes or sinew strands.

  2. Hand-mince and bind 2.Add salt and sweet red pepper and knead while cold until the mixture becomes sticky and leaves a protein film on the hand.

    A lifted handful stretches slightly and stays together without wet aromatics.

Chill and shape

  1. Chill and shape 1.Refrigerate at least 90 minutes, then press equal portions around cold broad flat skewers as long ridged kebabs with sealed ends.

    Each kebab has uniform thickness, no trapped air pocket and grips the broad skewer firmly.

  2. Chill and shape 2.Keep shaped skewers refrigerated while the two-zone charcoal fire becomes ready.

    The surface remains cold and matte rather than warm and greasy.

Grill and serve

  1. Grill and serve 1.Grill over medium-hot charcoal, allowing the first surface to set before rotating and moving away from flare-ups.

    Ridges carry dark charcoal marks while the kebab remains attached and juicy.

  2. Grill and serve 2.Cook representative centres to 71°C, rest 5 minutes and serve on lavash with grilled tomato and pepper, sumac onion, parsley and lemon.

    Several thick centres reach 71°C and rest without releasing pink liquid.
Practical

Practical

Measure before starting

For Urfa Kebabı (Mild Turkish Lamb Kebab), weigh 1.6 kg well-trimmed lamb shoulder or leg, very cold, 220 g lamb tail fat, very cold, 20 g fine salt, and 18 g sweet Turkish red pepper flakes or mild paprika before beginning, then arrange the remaining 7 measured components by stage. This prevents the hand-mince and bind phase from being interrupted and keeps salt, liquid and declared allergens visible before the dish is assembled.

Plan service and storage together

Choose the serving time for Urfa Kebabı (Mild Turkish Lamb Kebab) before the final stage and have the correct storage container ready. Refrigerate raw shaped kebabs for no more than 1 day or freeze on skewers for up to 2 months. Refrigerate cooked kebab up to 3 days and reheat to 74°C over moderate heat. Store salad and bread separately. This preserves the texture described by the final readiness cue and moves the dish directly to service, controlled holding or prompt cooling.

Control points

Control points

  • Meat and fat are evenly distributed with no large hard cubes or sinew strands does not happen. During hand-mince and bind for Urfa Kebabı (Mild Turkish Lamb Kebab), compare the food with the stated cue before advancing. Adjust the immediate heat, moisture or handling; elapsed time alone does not confirm this recipe's texture or even cooking.
  • Each kebab has uniform thickness, no trapped air pocket and grips the broad skewer firmly does not happen. During chill and shape for Urfa Kebabı (Mild Turkish Lamb Kebab), compare the food with the stated cue before advancing. Adjust the immediate heat, moisture or handling; elapsed time alone does not confirm this recipe's texture or even cooking.
  • Ridges carry dark charcoal marks while the kebab remains attached and juicy does not happen. During grill and serve for Urfa Kebabı (Mild Turkish Lamb Kebab), compare the food with the stated cue before advancing. Adjust the immediate heat, moisture or handling; elapsed time alone does not confirm this recipe's texture or even cooking.
  • Urfa Kebabı (Mild Turkish Lamb Kebab) changes texture while waiting. Bring service closer to the final grill and serve stage and use the storage method written for Urfa Kebabı (Mild Turkish Lamb Kebab). Avoid trapping steam around a crisp component or exposing a moist component to dry heat; the target at service remains several thick centres reach 71°c and rest without releasing pink liquid.
Nutrition

Nutrition

  • Calories760 kcal
  • Protein49 g
  • Carbohydrates58 g
  • Fat38 g
  • Saturated fat15 g
  • Fiber6 g
  • Sugars10 g
  • Sodium990 mg

1 of 8 servings — Approximate values use the full measured recipe and may change with brands, trimming, oil absorption, optional components and actual portion size.

Allergens · Food safety

Allergens · Food safety

Allergens: Wheat/gluten (lavash)

Food safety: Keep lamb and tail fat at 4°C or below throughout mincing, kneading and shaping. Use separate raw and cooked platters and cook ground-lamb kebabs to 71°C in representative centres. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat to 74°C.

Storage: Refrigerate raw shaped kebabs for no more than 1 day or freeze on skewers for up to 2 months. Refrigerate cooked kebab up to 3 days and reheat to 74°C over moderate heat. Store salad and bread separately.

FAQ

FAQ

Can I prepare part of this recipe ahead?

Yes, but stop at a natural stage boundary rather than halfway through active cooking. Complete the preparation or resting phase, keep perishable components at 4°C or below and resume with equipment fully ready. For the finished dish, follow this limit: Refrigerate raw shaped kebabs for no more than 1 day or freeze on skewers for up to 2 months. Refrigerate cooked kebab up to 3 days and reheat to 74°C over moderate heat. Store salad and bread separately.

How do I know it is ready without trusting the clock?

Use the physical signs in the Directions. Early in the process, look for meat and fat are evenly distributed with no large hard cubes or sinew strands; at the end, confirm several thick centres reach 71°c and rest without releasing pink liquid. Time is only an estimate because pan material, ingredient temperature, size and heat output vary from one kitchen to another.

Can I double Urfa Kebabı (Mild Turkish Lamb Kebab)?

Yes, but preserve the original thickness and airflow through hand-mince and bind, chill and shape, and grill and serve. Use a second pan or repeat heat-sensitive batches; the same final cue still decides readiness: several thick centres reach 71°c and rest without releasing pink liquid.

Which allergens must I declare for Urfa Kebabı (Mild Turkish Lamb Kebab)?

For Urfa Kebabı (Mild Turkish Lamb Kebab), declare wheat/gluten (lavash). Verify every packaged ingredient and the working kitchen for cross-contact, and identify optional breads, garnishes and serving sauces separately.

Mild does not mean underseasoned

Mild does not mean underseasoned

Excellent cold lamb, tail fat, salt, restrained sweet pepper and controlled charcoal produce a juicy kebab whose smoke and meat remain clear.

Begin with meat and fat are evenly distributed with no large hard cubes or sinew strands; finish only when several thick centres reach 71°c and rest without releasing pink liquid. Those two observations are more dependable than appearance in a styled photograph or the clock alone.

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