Çoban salatası (shepherd's salad)
Ayran
Adana kebab
1 h 37 minMedium
Cağ kebabı (Erzurum skewered lamb) recipe
Thin lamb slices marinated overnight in onion juice, stacked on a skewer and cooked over embers. A home grill attempt at Erzurum cağ kebab.
- Time (+12 h resting)
- 45 min
- Makes
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Region
- Erzurum
- Per serving
- ~640 kcal
Method
Slice the meat
Have your butcher cut the lamb into slices half a centimetre thick. Trim off any sinew and excess gristle.
Marinate
Strain the juice from the grated onions and mix it with the milk, oil and black pepper. Marinate the meat in this in the fridge overnight.
Stack on the skewer
Dry the meat, salt it and pack it tightly layer on layer onto thick metal skewers. Get the embers or grill very hot.
Slice and cook
Turn the skewer close to the heat. When the outside browns, slice it off thinly with a sharp knife and put the remaining surface back on the heat.
Serve
Thread the sliced meat onto small skewers and serve at once with lavash, charred peppers and onion.
Tips
- The thinner and more even the slices, the more evenly the meat cooks.
- Add the salt when stacking the skewer, not in the marinade, or the meat loses its juices.
- Use thick skewers, as thin ones cannot take the weight. An oven rack is only a backup.
Storage
Best eaten fresh. Uncooked marinated meat keeps in the fridge for 1 more day at most.
About Cağ kebabı (Erzurum skewered lamb)
Cağ kebabı is the signature dish of Erzurum. In the local dialect, cağ means skewer. Lamb is turned horizontally in front of a wood fire and served on small skewers.
Nutrition
| Energy | 640 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 56 g |
| Fat | 34 g |
| Carbohydrate | 26 g |
Frequently asked questions
Can cağ kebab be made exactly at home?
The flavour of a horizontal wood fire cannot be fully matched at home. This recipe aims for the closest result on a grill or barbecue.
Is cağ kebab the same as doner?
Both are stacked in layers. Cağ kebab cooks horizontally, uses less spice, is made with lamb and is served on small skewers.
