Azerbaijani Minced Meat Skewers (Lülə Kabab)
Lülə kabab Say it: lyoo-LYAH keh-BAHB
Lyulya kebab is Azerbaijan’s beloved minced-meat skewer: finely chopped lamb mixed with onion, salt and pepper, pressed around a flat skewer and grilled over charcoal. It is a fixture of home tables, picnics and kebab houses across the Caucasus, eaten with lavash, sumac onions and grilled vegetables. The meat is juicy and savory, with a lightly charred crust and a tender, springy interior. Its simplicity is the point: good lamb, careful kneading and a hot fire, with no breadcrumbs or egg to mask the flavor.
Azerbaijani Minced Meat Skewers (Lülə Kabab)
Lülə kabab
Pronounced lyoo-LYAH keh-BAHB
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: none of the major allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the kebabs
For grilling and serving
Method
If mincing your own lamb, cut it into small chunks and pulse in a food processor in batches until finely minced but not paste-like; keep the meat cold. If using pre-ground lamb, start with it well chilled.
Grate the onion on a box grater, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly to remove excess juice; add only the squeezed onion pulp to the meat.
Add the salt and black pepper to the lamb and onion. Knead with your hands for 6 to 8 minutes, until the mixture is sticky, cohesive and pulls away from the bowl.
Cover and refrigerate the meat mixture for 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours, so it firms up and the flavors settle.
Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. With wet hands, press each portion around a flat metal skewer into a long, even sausage about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick and 6 to 7 inches (15 to 18 cm) long.
Heat a charcoal grill or grill pan until very hot, then brush the grates with the vegetable oil. Grill the skewers for 10 to 12 minutes, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until browned and charred in spots and the juices run clear (160°F/71°C at the center).
Rest the skewers for 2 minutes, then sprinkle with the ground sumac. Serve hot, sliding the meat off the skewers or leaving it on them.
Regional variants
Some cooks mix lamb with beef for a firmer skewer, and in the Caucasus the kebabs are often served wrapped in lavash with sumac onions.
Cook's notes
- Keep the meat and your hands cold while shaping; warm meat slips off the skewers.
- Squeeze the grated onion well, but do not add breadcrumbs or egg; the kneaded meat should bind on its own.
- If using wooden skewers, soak them for 30 minutes and use two side by side for each kebab so the meat does not twist.
Serve with
Warm lavash, sumac onions, grilled tomatoes and peppers, and ayran or black tea.
Make ahead and storage
Shape the raw kebabs and refrigerate up to 4 hours; grill just before serving. Cooked kebabs keep refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheat gently, covered.
