Adana Kabob

Turkish cuisine has various types of kabobs and street foods. Adana kabob is one of my favorites, and I often stop by one of the kabob sellers in my city to get a skewer or two. It’s the ultimate comfort food when I’m feeling homesick because it closely resembles kofta kabob, something I grew up eating with my Egyptian family.

I consider my father to be the “kofta king” because he’s perfected his kabob recipes. Over the years, his tricks have become my tricks. Some of these have served me well when making Adana kabobs—like using onion juice as a basting liquid, which lends a taste that I can’t exactly pinpoint (but I would certainly miss if it wasn’t there).

The recipe for Adana kabob isn’t complicated. The only slightly tricky part is getting the meat on the skewer.

What is Adana kabob?

Adana kabob (aka Adana kebab) is a minced meat skewer from the Turkish city of Adana. There, kabob-makers are known for being particular with their ingredients. They use lamb tail fat and skillfully hand-chop the meat (never using a grinder). The seasoned meat is expertly threaded on flat metal skewers and cooked over flaming charcoal.

While these kabobs are incredible, they’re difficult to recreate at home using traditional methods. Luckily, with some shortcuts and substitutions, you can make something close. It’s a pretty tasty consolation that doesn’t require a plane ticket to Turkey.

Ingredients for Adana Kabob

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• Ground lamb: If you’re after the true flavors of Adana kabob, lamb is a non-negotiable ingredient. Look for ground lamb with a high fat content (10 to 20%). The fat will baste the meat as it melts, making the kabob moist and decadent.
• Onion: Onions aren’t traditional but impart moisture to keep the meat juicy. They also help temper the strong lamb flavor. Make sure to grate or finely process the onion into a pulp-like consistency, as large chunks can cause the meat mixture to fall apart. You should also drain the onion of its juice, which later makes for a great basting liquid.
• Chile peppers: In Turkey, Adana kabob contains Urfa biber, a spice made from a variety of Turkish chile peppers. You may be able to buy it at a specialty grocery store, but it isn’t always easy to find. Luckily, a combination of paprika and crushed red pepper flakes provides a similar smoky, spicy essence.
• Cumin: Ground cumin adds subtle earthiness and smokiness to the kabobs.
• Sumac onion salad: This bright salad is served with Adana kabob. Our version includes red onions, parsley, olive oil, salt, pepper and sumac. Ground sumac is crucial to the flavor of Adana kabob, but it’s not traditionally added to the meat. Sprinkling it on the salad contributes an unmistakable tart flavor, contributing a much-needed brightness to the rich meal.
• Tomatoes and peppers: We like to serve the meaty kabobs with grilled tomatoes and poblano or jalapeno peppers.
• Optional accompaniments: If desired, serve the kabobs with pita bread and cacik (a Turkish sauce similar to tzatziki).

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the onion

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Finely grate the yellow onion. Drain its juice by placing the pulp into a sieve or colander over a bowl. Press and squeeze the onion to release the liquid. Reserve the onion juice for later.

Step 2: Prepare the kabob meat

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In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the ground lamb, onion flesh, paprika, red pepper flakes, Urfa biber (if using), salt, pepper and cumin until evenly blended. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Editor’s Tip: Get your hands in there to mix all the ingredients together! I like to begin with my hands open wide and fingers spread apart, squeezing them closed through the meat mixture to create the initial mix. Then, I knead the meat for a few seconds by pushing into it with my palms and flipping it around, just like kneading bread dough. This helps the meat bind together and form a uniform mixture.

Step 3: Make the sumac onion salad

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In a large bowl, combine the red onion, parsley, oil, sumac and salt, and toss to coat. Arrange the salad on a large serving platter.

Step 4: Form the kabob skewers

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Divide the meat mixture into eight pieces. Shape each one into 1-inch wide rectangles around the skewers. Brush both sides with the reserved onion juice.

Editor’s Tip: If you’re having trouble forming the kabobs, form the meat into a meatball-shaped patty. Then, run the skewer through the middle of the patty and use your fingers to pinch the meat and spread it down the skewer from top to bottom. You shouldn’t really stress about creating the perfect shape, though. As long as it’s a roughly uniform patty, the meat will cook evenly.

Step 5: Grill the kabobs and vegetables

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Preheat your grill on medium-high heat. Once the grill is hot, grill the skewers for six minutes. Base with the onion juice, turn and grill until a thermometer reads 160°F, five to seven minutes longer.

Meanwhile, grill the whole tomatoes and peppers until slightly charred, 10 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally.

Editor’s Tip: If you plan on serving the kabobs with pita or lavash (or any other breads from around the world), briefly grill the bread to warm it up.

Step 6: Serve Adana kabobs with sumac onions

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Cut the tomatoes and peppers into slices. Arrange the kabobs, tomatoes and peppers over the parsley mixture. If desired, serve with pita bread and cacik sauce.

Recipe Variations

• Make them on the stovetop: You can make Adana kabob in a grill pan on the stovetop. I recommend using longer skewers so that the end of the skewer can rest off the edge of the pan. Watch out for smoke as the drippings release from the meat—if you don’t have good ventilation, your smoke alarm will go off!
• Broil the kabobs: Preheat the broiler and place the kabobs in a broiler-safe pan. Broil 4 inches from the heat for six minutes. Baste with the onion juice, then turn and broil until a thermometer reads 160°, five to seven minutes longer.
• Use a different type of meat: Lamb is the most traditional meat for Adana kabob, followed by a mix of beef and lamb. While it’s not as traditional, there’s no reason you couldn’t use all beef. Choose ground beef with a high ratio of fat to lean meat, such as 80/20 ground beef.
• Serve with rice: You can serve these kabobs with flatbread or rice. Either way, include the sumac and onion salad and the grilled vegetables.

How to Store Adana Kabob

After grilling Adana kabobs, remove the meat from the skewers. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Can you make Adana kabobs ahead of time?

You can make the meat mixture and keep it in the fridge for up to three days. You can even skewer the kabobs ahead of time. Just make sure to keep them in a covered container so the meat doesn’t dry out.

Adana Kabob Tips

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How do you thread ground meat onto skewers for Adana kabobs?

To form Adana kabob skewers, grab a chunk of the meat mixture and form it into a meatball-shaped patty. Then, insert the skewer into the middle of the patty. Squeeze the meat into a long, thin shape along the skewer’s length. I like to do this by opening and closing my fist along the meat, moving from top to bottom to even it out. Press down on any thicker parts to even out the thinner sections until you form a long, uniform patty resembling a sausage.

How do you stop the kabob meat from sticking to your hands?

If the kabob meat mixture feels sticky, wet your hands with ice-cold water before forming the skewers. This should prevent the meat from sticking to your hands.

What do you do if the kabob meat falls off on the skewer?

If the meat mixture doesn’t hold together, form your skewers horizontally on a plate. Then, place them in the fridge for 30 minutes to help the meat firm up.