Turkey kebabs - Middle Eastern Kebab Recipe

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These turkey kebabs are a popular Middle Eastern kebabs recipe usually made with ground lamb or beef. This simple, easy and effortless recipe uses ground turkey as a much healthier option and is pan cooked making it a hassle-free weekday meal. Serve with simple pita bread, a side salad, and delicious tahini sauce and you have a meal.

It's the middle of August and we are still enjoying kebabs! Well, I married an Israeli so he's a huge fan of kebabs. If I need to score some points with him usually a good Middle Eastern meal will do the trick. ha!!

We love kebabs but can't eat beef and lamb oh so often. Not just because we don't fancy it that much but also because Ziv's cholesterol needs to be kept in check. Turkey is always a great way to get the same effect as red meat but without all those added calories and saturated fat. So now with these turkey kebabs, I'm not complaining and I can make it as often as we want.

My Aadi is a meat eater like me - no bread! He does enjoy salad but when there is meat on the table - gosh he can't see anything else on that table. So you see many reasons for us to eat Turkey. We do love it too! I have converted quite a few of our favorite recipes to Turkey. Have you tried my Turkey meatball pasta? Those meatballs just melt in the mouth.

Ingredients and substitutes

• Turkey - I like to use turkey because it's similar to ground red meat but much healthier and not the same a chicken which has the tendency to dry out easily. Having said that you can use ground beef or lamb as well. You can use chicken just make sure you cook it less time.
• Ginger Garlic - To me adding garlic and ginger to meat is an absolute must because it really does add so much flavor to the meat. I like using fresh but powders would work as well.
• Onion - I hate biting into raw onion so I prefer to precook my onions - that little saute not just takes away the raw bite but the sweetness from the caramelized onions adds more flavor. Having said that - if you like (or if you feeling lazy) you can add raw onions too!
• Herbs - Parsley works well with this dish but I'll be honest and tell you I'm a cilantro girl so often I will add cilantro instead. So feel free to go with what works for you.
• Spices - Cumin, coriander, allspice - these are very commonly used in middle eastern and Indian dishes. They can be easily found in supermarkets or any Asian grocery store. If you like spicy food I highly encourage you to add the cayenne pepper.

Serving the turkey kebabs

Today I have served my kebabs with good old pita bread, a chopped salad and of course Tahini sauce. Tahini sauce is made from ground sesame paste and is like a must-have sauce in most middle eastern tables. Here we eat tahini with everything just like you would eat ketchup with anything! (sorry best example I could think of). It's really simple and easy to make - see my recipe here -Homemade Tahini Sauce. Of course, if you don't want bread you could also serve it with rice such as my luxurious fruit and nut pilaf or vegetable pilaf.

Step by step instructions (pin)

Prepare

• Soak kebab skewers in warm water.
• Chop the onions finely, mince the garlic and grate the ginger.
• Saute onions in 1 tsp oil until translucent - set aside.
• Prepare the spice mix and keep ready.

Prepare the kebab mixture

• Place ground meat in a bowl.
• Add the sauteed onions and all the rest of the ingredients into the bowl with the meat.
• Including the lemon juice, fresh herbs,  salt, and pepper.
• Mix until just combine. Do not over mix or the kebabs will be tough.

Form the kebabs

• Dip your hand in some water to avoid the meat from sticking to your hands.
• Now divide the meat mixture into equal portions.
• I make 10 kebabs about 60 grams each.
• Take each portion in your hands. Form into a ball, then a sausage.
• Thread your skewer thru the sausage.
• Press the ends firmly to secure meat to the skewer.

Grill or Pan Cooking  

• You could fire up the grill and grill these babies for about 10 to 15 minutes, OR
• For an everyday lunch, I don't have patience with the grill.
• I heat a skillet on high.
• Once the skillet is very hot, add 1 tbsp oil and place the kebabs on.
• Do not move the kebabs for at least 2 to 3 minutes cause they will be stuck to the pan.
• Once browned they will be easier to move.
• After three minutes - flip them over.
• Check and see if they are browned on all sides- if not flip but do not overcook.
• Ground meat usually cooks faster, especially chicken and turkey -about 10 to 15 minutes...in total.
• Serve hot with pita bread, a side salad and of course homemade tahini sauce.
• Enjoy!

Tips for juicy kebabs

1. Always use good quality ground meat with a good fat of at least 25%. This fat later helps bind the meat together when kneading.
2. Ground meat kebabs are best made with lean meat. The fat tends to melt over the grill and the meat tends to fall apart. I prefer 75% lean meat.
3. If possible use metal skewers, these when heated cook the meat from the inside as well.
4. Knead the meat well so the mixture sticks to each other (like glue) this keeps the meat together when grilling.
5. Kebabs are always best served fresh off the grill. If you make them early keep them covered in a container to catch all the juices. I prefer to keep them between bread so the bread soaks up all the juices.
6. To reheat the kebabs - I place them on a plate and cover them with a wet paper towel. The moisture created by the steam from the paper towel keeps the kebabs moist.

Frequently asked questions

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Don't forget to save this recipe on Pinterest for later.
You can also find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.

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