Homemade Beef Doner Kebab. Recipe with sauces and pita bread

For 4 € 3.2 /pers. 510 kcal/100g

How to make Beef Doner Kebab.

We can say that “ Döner ” is the most traditional Turkish dish and also the best known worldwide. It consists of preparing thin slices of lamb, chicken or beef, which are previously cooked on a vertical lathe. Because  kebab  (in Turkish),  shawarma  (in Arabic) and  gyros  (in Greek) are different ways of “grilled meat that spins”, in their literal meaning. Therefore, doner kebab  refers to a dish prepared with that meat.

The meat of the doner kebab is usually accompanied by vegetables and other ingredients to complement. It is consumed inside a traditional pita bread , which you can also make at home or in the “durum” version , in a kind of rolled pancake. As a final touch, a yogurt sauce or the well-known tzatziki sauce is added .

You can find this famous “street cuisine” dish in numerous places, since Turkish food has spread throughout Europe, including our country. But at home it is also possible to prepare it in a more than honorable way, with basic ingredients, without complications and that will not take too much work.

If you like Arabic cuisine, I recommend other dishes that you can find on the blog. A variant of this, the chicken döner kebab , with a different touch and milder flavors. You will find very healthy dishes that also fit into a vegetarian or vegan diet, in some cases. Among them, the Falafel with yogurt sauce , hummus or chickpea cream , or a delicious tabbouleh , Lebanese couscous salad, stand out.

Preparation of beef

1. We cut the beef steaks into strips. Also remove parts of fat or tendons. Peel the garlic cloves and chop them very finely.
2. In a large bowl, add the meat and salt to taste. Next we add the rest of the ingredients: the chopped garlic, the extra virgin olive oil, the spices and finally the fresh chopped cilantro. We mix everything well.
3. We cover with transparent film. We let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. So that the beef takes on “body” and flavors. After time, we are going to cook the meat.
4. We preheat the oven to 140º C with heat up and down (without air).
5. We place in an oven dish and bake on the middle tray for 30 minutes at 140º C. Every 10 minutes we stir the meat, so that it cooks evenly. We turn off the oven and let it rest inside it with the door open.

Preparation of beef doner kebab

1. Peel the onion and cut it into fine julienne strips. Cut the tomato into thick slices, and then into quarters. We reserve.
2. You will find the pita bread already prepared, in packages of 3-4 units, but it must be heated. You can do it in the oven, although the most practical way is to use a toaster. In 3-4 minutes it will be ready.
3. We now move on to assembling the doner kebab. We open the pita bread with a knife (be careful not to burn yourself), leaving a sufficient opening to fill it.
4. We start with a base of chopped lettuce, then the tomato in pieces, the beef, and a little onion. As a final touch, we accompany it with yogurt sauce or “tzatziti” sauce to taste.

And remember that if you want to make pita bread at home , it is very easy and you can make this dish a great recipe. I leave it to your taste.

Follow this beef Döner kebab recipe step by step in the album. Don’t miss any details so that it turns out perfect.

Tips for a Beef Doner Kebab

• It is advisable to assemble the “doner kebab” with hot or at least warm beef. We will better appreciate the intense flavor of the marinade. You can leave the meat prepared in advance, and then heat it at the last moment, before assembling the dish in the pita bread.
• I have prepared this recipe with a combination of spices that give the doner kebab a delicious flavor. But it’s all a matter of taste, and if there is an ingredient that you don’t like, there is no problem in replacing it, even if you don’t change too many things, otherwise it would no longer be a traditional Turkish kebab.
• This plate is also perfect to take to work. Wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminum, without adding the sauce, and then heat it when eating it. Once hot, add a little sauce, which you have on the side.
• The “durum” option, instead of pita bread, is with wheat or corn pancakes. Assembly is also very simple. Add a similar filling to the pancake and then roll it up. We cut it in half (to make it more manageable) and that’s it.