Doner Kebab at Home

Serves 4 to 6 · Prep 15 min · Cook about 1 hour

Doner kebab gets its dense, shaveable texture from finely processed meat stacked on a spit. At home, a loaf pan does the same job: blend, bake, slice thin, then crisp the slices in a hot pan.

Ingredients

• 1 lb (450 g) ground lamb
• 1 lb (450 g) ground beef (about 20% fat)
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Blend the onion and garlic in a food processor until finely minced.
3. Add the meat, salt and spices. Process for 1 to 2 minutes until it becomes a smooth, sticky paste.
4. Press firmly into a loaf pan, tapping out air pockets.
5. Bake for about 60 minutes, until the center reaches 160°F (71°C). Pour off fat partway through.
6. Rest 10 minutes, then slice as thinly as you can.
7. Crisp the slices in a hot skillet for 1 to 2 minutes a side. Serve in bread with salad, yogurt-garlic sauce and chili sauce.

Tips

• Process well. The smooth paste is what gives doner its texture. Don't skip it.
• Chill before slicing. For the thinnest slices, chill the baked loaf, slice cold, then crisp.
• Want the spit version? A vertical shawarma oven can handle doner-style stacks.

FAQ

Is doner kebab the same as shawarma?

They are closely related. Doner is the Turkish version and is usually more simply seasoned; shawarma is the Levantine version with a more aromatic spice marinade.

Why blend the meat?

Processing ground meat with onion until smooth gives the dense, sliceable texture of doner from a spit.

Can I use only beef?

Yes. Lamb and beef together is common, but all beef, or all lamb, works.

Keep going

• Shawarma vs. gyro vs. doner
• Shawarma vs. kebab
• Homemade pita