Adana kebab recipe - Turkish lamb skewer from the mangal
Deel
Adana kebab is the spicy minced lamb skewer from the Turkish city of Adana — and the most copied Turkish grill classic in the world. The secret lies in two ingredients you won't find anywhere else: isot biber (Urfa pepper, deeply smoky and fruity spicy) and finely chopped lamb tail fat that makes the minced meat juicy and rich. This is the recipe.
Adana kebab vs köfte: what's the difference?
Both are Turkish minced lamb skewers, but the similarity ends there. Köfte is milder in taste, narrower in shape and is made throughout Turkey. Adana kebab is distinctly spicy due to the isot biber, wider and flatter in shape (on a wide, flat skewer), and mandatorily contains lamb tail fat. Adana kebab is a regional dish — its authenticity is fiercely defended by the city of Adana itself.
Want to make the milder Turkish köfte too? Check out the Köfte recipe. For the broader Turkish grilling culture: Turkish Grilling — Mangal, Köfte and Adana.
Ingredients for Adana kebab
For the Adana kebab (4 people):
- 500 g minced lamb (at least 20% fat)
- 100 g lamb tail fat or beef fat, very finely chopped (or extra minced lamb with high fat content)
- 1.5 tsp isot biber (Urfa pepper) — available at Turkish supermarkets
- 1 tsp pul biber (Aleppo pepper)
- 1 tsp cumin, ground
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- Wide, flat metal skewers (at least 2 cm wide)
For the sumac onion (indispensable with it):
- 2 red onions, thinly sliced
- 1.5 tsp sumac
- 0.5 tsp salt
- Handful fresh parsley
Isot biber (Urfa pepper) is the key to authentic Adana — it provides a deep, smoky heat that differs from regular chili. Look for it at a Turkish or Middle Eastern supermarket. As a substitute: mix equal parts smoked paprika + cayenne pepper + a pinch of cumin. It's not the same but comes close.
How to make Adana kebab step by step?
Chop the lamb tail fat as finely as possible — almost to a paste. This is crucial: coarse pieces of fat will burn on the grill and taste bitter. Finely chopped fat melts evenly through the minced meat and adds juiciness.
Combine minced lamb, finely chopped fat, isot biber, pul biber, cumin, pepper, salt, and parsley. Knead intensely for at least 5 minutes — Adana kebab requires more kneading time than köfte due to its higher fat content. The mixture should be smooth, homogeneous, and slightly sticky.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Cold fat adheres better to the skewer. Do not skip this step — warm Adana kebab will almost certainly fall off the skewer.
Take a generous handful of minced meat (approx. 100–120 g) and press it around a wide, flat skewer. Form a flat, even kebab of approx. 15–18 cm long and 3–4 cm wide. Use wet hands — this prevents sticking. Press the edges extra firmly so the kebab doesn't slip off.
Grill the Adana kebab over high direct heat for 5–6 minutes per side. Wait until they spontaneously release from the grate. The exterior should be deeply charred — that char is characteristic of Adana. The inside of lamb remains pink.
Place the Adana kebab on fresh flatbread so the fat soaks into the bread. Serve with sumac onion (red onion + sumac + salt + parsley), grilled bell pepper, and tomato. Sumac is mandatory — its fresh, sour note cuts through the fatty lamb.
Which rub goes well with Adana kebab?
The spice base of Adana kebab — Urfa pepper, cumin, pul biber — directly overlaps with the Middle Eastern spice tradition of our Shawarma BBQ Rub. You can use 1.5 tbsp of Shawarma Rub per 600 g of minced lamb as a base and supplement with extra isot biber for the typical Adana heat. More about rub choice for lamb: Which BBQ Rub Goes with Which Meat?
Adana kebab is protected as a regional product of the Turkish city of Adana. The original preparation is documented and may only be called "Adana kebab" if made in Adana. More: Adana kebab — Wikipedia.
The taste of Adana on your mangal
Isot biber, cumin and smoky depth — the Shawarma BBQ Rub as the perfect base.
Shawarma BBQ RubStarter Pack · 3 flavours