Doner Kebab Recipe: Make Restaurant-Style Kebab Meat at Home!

This recipe is for homemade mystery kebab meat, the kind that you see in kebab shops rotating on vertical rotisseries.

When you pass a Doner kebab shop, how often have you wondered how long the enormous, punching bag-sized kebab meats have been there? Unhealthy, right?

Let us see how we can cook this at home.

What is Doner Kebab meat made of?

Beef and Lamb: 15% fat is ideal for lamb or beef. The meats from the kebab shop are dripping with fat if you look at them carefully! Keep in mind that meat’s flavor originates from its fat. You will think you are eating lamb if you combine lean beef with lamb fat!

Bacon: It adds salt and, most importantly, fat to the meat without giving it a bacon flavor. It is key, do not skip it!

Non-Pork Substitutes: There are two ways to fulfill the role of bacon in this recipe without using pork:

• Use turkey bacon if your meat is already sufficiently fatty; OR
• Add the extra 100g/4 oz of meat, duck or goose fat, and 1/2 tsp of salt.

Doner Kebab Recipe in 23 Steps

Ingredients

• 1 kg / 2 lb lamb or beef mince (ground meat), preferably with 15% fat
• 200g (7oz) streaky bacon, roughly diced
• 1 diced onion (brown, yellow, or white)
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped.
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil or olive oil (to fry)

Seasoning Spices:

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano.
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander.
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons salt, kosher/cooking salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper.

Doner Kebabs:

• 8 Lebanese flatbreads (authentic!)
• 1 iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
• 6 tomatoes halved and sliced
• 2 thinly sliced red onions

Hummus

• Yogurt sauce is optional.
• Additional sauce options include chili sauce/sriracha, BBQ, sweet chili, and tomato sauce/ketchup.
• Extra options include tabbouleh and shredded cheese.

Instructions for Doner Kebab Meat Recipe

MARINATE MEAT:

1. Combine all the spices with the beef or lamb, mixing thoroughly with your hands.
2. Put a lid on and chill for at least two hours, or up to twenty-four.

PREPARATION:

1. Set oven temperature to 170°C/325°F
2. Cover baking pan with foil.
3. Make sure the skewers are long enough to rest on the pan’s sides.

PUREE MEAT:

1. Put the garlic, onion, and bacon into an 8-cup or 2-liter food processor. Blend until a paste forms.
2. Add meat on low for about 1 minute, or 2 minutes until it becomes a paste

SHAPE DONER KEBAB MEAT:

1. Place the meat on surface. Using wet hands, form into an even block about 20cm/8″ long.
2. The meat should be placed on the foil and then tightly rolled up within the foil.
3. Firmly twist the ends to create a log.
4. Through the log, thread skewers.
5. Place log elevated in pan

COOKING:

1. Once the log reaches 70°C/160°F, cook it for 1 1/2 hours, turning it once after an hour. At this point, the log is cooked.
2. Keep the skewers in place but remove the foil from the log.
3. Raise the oven temperature to 250°C/480°F, or higher if your oven is capable of doing so.
4. Bake, rotating once, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until thoroughly browned.

PAN FRYING (SHOP STYLE!):

1. After taking out the skewers, place the meat upright.
2. Slice meat thinly, only cutting off what you plan to use.
3. In a skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Cook shaved meat.
4. For Doner Kebabs, use right away!

DONER KEBABS:

1. Toast and spread hummus on flatbread. Add lettuce, tomato, and onion on top.
2. Overload with Doner Kebab Meat. Drizzle with the sauce(s) of your choice.
3. Tightly roll up, and if desired, cover with foil to keep together. Grab and devour!

Tips Beyond the Recipe

What if you have uncooked meat?

Do not worry if, after carving, you discover that the inside is a little undercooked. Because you can cook the thin slices quickly over the stove!

How to store?

Simmer log, but avoid browning. For up to five days, refrigerate or freeze. The day you wish to prepare the kebab, defrost, cover with foil, and preheat in the oven at the temperature recommended by the recipe for 20 minutes.

Now, if you want to use some right away, save some for later. You can either store the carved meat (not pan-fried) or the uncarved log. Then, right before using, pan-fry it fresh.

Meat that has been carved or cooked can be frozen for up to three months. After thawing, pan-fry and serve.