Doner Kebab (At Home!)

Happy Friday all, 

I've been slacking on the recipe front, sorry about that. This one is a serious staple in my kitchen, I've always got all of the ingredients on hand and keep a meat log in the freezer for emergencies (😆 read on, it'll make sense soon). It's inspired by the Doner in Berlin that I essentially survive off of when I visit. They have 24-hour little shops all over the city and it's usually surprisingly fresh and good if you know the good spots. If you're familiar with Gyros or Shwarma, it's very similar.

Ingredients:

Doner

• 1lb ground beef (80/20 is good)
• 1lb ground lamb
• Juice of 2 yellow onions (I grate the onions with a box grater over a strainer in a bowl and then press the pulp with a big spoon to get every last drop of juice into the bowl, and then discard the pulp)
• 4 tbsp greek yogurt (look for full fat, 5%, or whole milk)
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp ground cayenne pepper 
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, minced (or 2 tsp ground thyme)
• 1 tbsp dried oregano

Spicy Red Sauce

• 1 cup greek yogurt (look for full fat, 5%, or whole milk)
• 2-5 tbsp Harissa  depending on spice preference (Mina brand is easy to find in stores; Trader Joe's has one too)
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp ginger, minced
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1-2 tsp salt to taste

White Sauce

• 1 cup greek yogurt (look for full fat, 5%, or whole milk)
• 1 cup mayonnaise 
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup shredded and drained Persian/seedless cucumber (use a box grater over paper towels and then wrap in a ball and squeeze all the excess water out)
• 3 tbsp dill, minced
• 1-2 tsp salt to taste

Extras (up to you, but this is what I do)

• Tomato, diced
• Mini cucumber, diced
• Handful of frozen french fries
• Thinly sliced red cabbage, quick-pickled with 2 tbsp white wine vinegar and 1 tsp salt (massaged in)
• Pinch of ground sumac and za'atar
• Pita bread
• Spring mix lettuce

Note: Sauce amounts are approximations. I usually go back and forth with various ingredients while tasting until it's where I want it.

Instructions:

1. Combine all doner ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine.

2. Prepare a long rectangle of plastic wrap and lightly spray with cooking oil spray. Place the meat mixture on the plastic wrap and roll it out in a long cylinder, about the width of a 16oz soda bottle. Wrap the log tight in the plastic and twist at both ends. You want it airtight! Hold it upright and gently smash the bottom so that it's flat and it could theoretically stand upright. Place the wrap in a freezer safe plastic bag and freeze for at least 24 hours, preferably 48 hours.

3. When it's time to make the Doner, take the log out of the freezer and let it sit out and soften for 15 min or so. 

4. While you're waiting, combine all ingredients for both sauces (separately) and mix well. Set aside.

5. Remove the log from the plastic wrap. Then with a sharp chef's knife (be careful!), begin to slice long strips from top to bottom. Since the bottom is flattened, you should be able to keep it relatively steady as you slowly but firmly slice it. You should end up with gyro-style slices. 

6. Heat up a cast iron pan or stainless steel skillet on high. Once the pan is super hot, add just a tiny bit of oil if your pan isn't seasoned well. The fat from the meat should come out and help lubricate the pan as well later on. Add the strips in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd them. You want them to char and crisp up, about 2 min per side at the most. You can do it in batches if needed.

7. Once you have your cooked strips of meat, you can add to a sandwich or salad and top with the sauces and extras. For the authentic style, you'll want to cook up some frozen fast-food style french fries ;)

It's great because you can just leave the meat in the freezer and pull it out anytime you need your Doner fix. The sauces can last 1-2 weeks in the fridge but are pretty quick to remake when needed.

Enjoy!