Viral Baked Doner Kebap Recipe
I’m sure you’ve seen this minced meat “döner” cooked in the oven between sheets of parchment paper that has suddenly taken over social media. You’ve probably even tried it. It was one of those recipes I’d been curious about from the moment I first saw it. However, in recent weeks I was so buried in the work for my newly published book that I had neither the time nor the mental capacity to try a new recipe.
On that note, for those who haven’t heard yet, my Low Fodmap Diet book has been published. Now let’s get to this viral recipe. As you know, I’ve had a homemade döner recipe for years that has been tried and loved by thousands. I love the aroma of that recipe so much that I decided to use the same ingredients to achieve a similar flavor in this viral minced meat döner. And just as I expected, I think I achieved the best possible aroma.
Does It Taste More Like Döner or Köfte?
The biggest question for those who haven’t tried it yet is whether it tastes like döner. Some who have tried it say it’s like döner, while others say it’s more like köfte. It was one of the things I was most curious about myself. So when I first tasted it, this was exactly what I focused on. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a full döner flavor and texture, but I didn’t get a köfte flavor and texture either. I think this recipe is neither köfte nor döner, yet at the same time both köfte and döner. My advice is to taste it without any expectations. When you try too hard to compare it to something else, you miss what you’re actually eating. When you just eat it for what it is, you’re enjoying a very delicious meat dish. In short, if you use good-quality minced meat, you’ll end up with a very tasty meal.
I prepared a portion for myself with rice pilaf with orzo on the side. For my husband, I made a sandwich by placing it in sandwich bread the way he likes. Both versions turned out great. I also made a nice çoban salad on the side. We ended up having an amazing meal. If you like wraps, you can also make a dürüm using homemade flatbread.
Lastly, let me mention a few important points about the recipe. To help the minced meat combine well, I processed part of it with the other ingredients in a food processor. Then I added the remaining meat and mixed it in. This way the ingredients blended well, and I got a more textured mixture. This also helped prevent the texture from becoming too firm or rubbery. Since it rolls out very easily, it becomes very thin, making it closer to döner in both appearance and texture. In some videos I watched, it wasn’t rolled thin enough, so it looked more like köfte. I’m sure you’ve seen enough videos to notice this too. For the ideal thickness, you can use about 200 g of minced meat per standard sheet of parchment paper.
While the outer and top layers brown nicely in the oven, the inside cooks more like boiled meat. To bring it closer to a döner-like texture, you sauté it briefly in butter in a pan. This browns it beautifully and infuses it with buttery aroma, adding even more flavor.
Enjoy…
Ingredients
- 600 g medium-fat minced meat,
- 1/2 onion,
- 1 tablespoon yogurt,
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste,
- 1 tablespoon vinegar (any kind),
- 1 teaspoon thyme,
- Salt,
- 2 tablespoons olive oil,
- 1 heaping tablespoon butter.
Preparation
- Place the onion, yogurt, tomato paste, vinegar, thyme, salt and olive oil in a food processor and blend until smooth,
- Add one third of the minced meat to the processor and blend until everything is well combined,
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the remaining minced meat and mix,
- Place one third of the mixture onto a sheet of parchment paper,
- Cover with another sheet of parchment paper and roll it out with a rolling pin until very thin,
- Remove the top sheet and roll the meat with the bottom sheet into a log. Transfer to a baking tray,
- Prepare the remaining meat in two more batches the same way and place on the tray,
- If you like, add peppers and tomatoes to roast alongside,
- Bake in a preheated 200°C oven until the top is nicely browned,
- Remove from the oven and separate the meat from the parchment paper,
- Melt the butter in a wide pan, add the meat and sauté over high heat, stirring constantly, until browned.
Bon appétit…