Late-night kebab shop cravings? I've got you, and you won't even need to put pants on.
This Homemade Döner Kebab takes spiced lamb and beef, packs it into a loaf, bakes it, chills it, shaves it thin and crisps it up in a hot pan until it's got those crispy, browned edges you're craving. No vertical spit required, no questionable 3am decisions either. Just proper, homemade kebab shop flavour, made by you, in your own kitchen.
Finely grate the onion, then wring out as much liquid as you can using a clean tea towel or paper towel. This step matters more than it sounds like it should, less moisture means a loaf that actually holds together and slices properly later.
Finely grate or crush the garlic while you're at it.
Chuck the lamb, beef, onion, garlic, yoghurt, spices, salt, pepper and baking powder into a large bowl.
Got a food processor? Blitz it for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth and sticky. No processor? Roll up your sleeves and knead by hand for 5 to 8 minutes, squeezing and folding until it turns sticky and paste-like. It'll be a touch coarser than the processor version and might not shave quite as thin, but a good knead gets you most of the way there.
Lay the mixture out on baking paper and shape it into a tight log, roughly 20cm long and 7 to 8cm wide. Really compress it, you want zero air pockets, because a loosely packed loaf falls apart when you slice it.
Roll it up tightly in the baking paper, twist the ends to compress it further, then wrap it in foil.
Into the fridge for at least 2 hours, overnight if you can manage the wait.
Preheat your oven to 180°C conventional or 160°C fan-forced.
Bake the wrapped loaf on a tray for 50 to 60 minutes, depending on thickness. Since this is ground meat, you want the centre to hit 71°C on a meat thermometer, no guessing here.
Want that browned exterior? Unwrap it for the final 10 minutes.
Rest for 15 minutes once it's out.
Let it cool completely, then back into the fridge for several hours, or overnight. A properly chilled loaf slices so much thinner and cleaner, especially if you went the hand-mixed route.
Grab a sharp knife and slice as thin as you possibly can. If it's not slicing cleanly, cut it into thin strips instead, it'll still crisp up beautifully and work just as well in a wrap.
Heat a large pan over medium-high and cook the meat in batches, 2 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally, until the edges go browned and crispy. Don't crowd the pan, or you'll end up steaming it instead of crisping it, and nobody wants sad, soggy kebab meat.
Mix your mayo, yoghurt or sour cream, garlic, lemon juice and oregano together. Season with salt and pepper, and thin it out with a splash of water if you like it looser.
Load a pitta, flatbread or wrap with lettuce, cucumber, tomato, red onion and pickles. Pile on that crispy döner meat, drizzle with garlic sauce and chilli sauce, then fold it up tight. Toast it in a dry pan for 1 to 2 minutes a side if you're feeling fancy.
Or skip the wrap entirely and serve it over salad as a kebab box. Equally delicious, way less mess.
Servings 5
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
WANT IT LOWER IN CALORIES?
You'll lose a touch of richness, but it's still a proper feed.
WANT IT LOWER IN CARBS?
WANT IT KETO?
A FEW EXTRA TIPS
Tightly packed meat, a solid knead, proper chilling and a hot pan crisp, that's the whole trick to getting that browned, dense, vertical-spit texture at home.
Nutritional Note:
Carbs shown are net carbs (total carbs minus fibre), as this is the figure most relevant for keto intake. Nutritional Info based on keto version of recipe.