Homemade German Döner Kebab

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What is a German Döner Kebab?

German Döner Kebab is the #1 most popular street food in Germany. It is cooked on a vertical rotisserie with thinly sliced meat shaved off and added to a pide bread with veggies.

Its widespread popularity can be attributed to its delectable combination of flavors, embodying a perfect fusion of traditional Turkish culinary influences with a distinctive German twist. This beloved street food has become a go-to choice for locals and visitors alike, offering a quick, flavorful, and satisfying culinary experience on the bustling streets of Germany.

Traditionally, a German Döner Kebab features marinated meat like beef and lamb, or even chicken is very popular. The meat is skillfully stacked on a colossal skewer, weighing over 100 pounds! This tower of deliciousness is then rotisserie-grilled inside the restaurant, allowing the outer layers to crisp up beautifully. The crisped layers are shaved off and served inside a Turkish bread pocket (pide). The ensemble is completed with a generous helping of creamy, garlicy white sauce, and a pepper based red sauce, along with fresh vegetables like tomato, onions, and cabbage.

When I discovered German Döner Kebab, it struck a resemblance to Chinese American cuisine—a fusion that deviates significantly from the original flavors of the respective nations but incorporates a local twist tailored to cater to the preferences of the population’s taste buds. Turkish Germans settled in Germany seeking better opportunities, and in pursuit of this, they established local businesses to introduce and sell their traditional cuisine. Drawing inspiration from the local German ingredients and infused with the memories of street kebabs in Turkey, this magical sandwich came to life.

German Döner Kebabs also bear a resemblance to Greek American Gyros, with both featuring thinly sliced meat encased within a pocket of bread. Kickin’ it with Sal did a Food Feuds video comparing these two sandwiches to see who does it better.

German Döner Kebab vs Greek American Gyro Food Feuds

Food Feuds is a series where we rate similar dishes from different countries to figure out who makes it better. Kickin’ it with Sal did a Food Feuds comparison on German Döner Kebabs vs Greek American Gyros. If you are trying to decide whether to make the Döner recipe or Gyro recipe, check out the Food Feuds review to narrow your options.

@kickinitwithsal

Episode 4 of Food Fueds: Rating which country makes the best meat sandwich! HOMEMADE EDITION #german #turkish #usa #greek #food #gyro #doner #germandoner #greekgyro #greekfood #turkishfood #sandwich #wrap

♬ Cool Kids (our sped up version) – Echosmith

Ingredients:

For the döner kebab

• 1/2 lb of ground beef
• 1/2 lb of ground lamb
• 1 tablespoon of plain greek yogurt
• 1/2 tablespoon of red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tablespoon of cumin
• 1/2 tablespoon of paprika
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 quarter of pide bread
• 1/2 cup of Red cabbage
• 1/2 cup of green cabbage

For the Red Sauce

• 1 cup of plain Greek Yogurt
• 2 tablespoons of Red Pepper Paste
• Salt and Pepper to Taste
• 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon of vinegar

For the White Sauce

• 1/2 cup of plain greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup of mayonaise
• 1/2 cup of cucumbers
• 1/8 cup of parsley, chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon of garlic
• Salt to taste

For the Salad

• 1/3 cup of chopped Parsley
• 1 small tomato
• 1 small cucumber
• 1 tablespoon of sumac
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Direction:

1. Mix ground beef, ground lamb, 1 tablespoon of greek yogurt, red pepper, cumin, paprika and salt and pepper together in a bowl. Make sure it is fully mixed
2. Form the meat into a sphere shape and place it on parchment paper. Roll it into a sphere and twist the ends of the parchment paper so it resembles a candy wrapper. Freeze for at least 2 hours.
3. For the red sauce, combine all ingredients (greek yogurt, red pepper paste, salt and pepper, ground ginger, and vinegar) in a bowl and mix.
4. For the white sauce, combine all ingredient (greek yogurt, mayonnaise, cucumbers, parsley, garlic and salt and pepper) in a bowl and mix
5. For the salad, combine all ingredients (parsley, tomato, cucumber, sumac, olive oil and salt and pepper) in a bowl and mix
6. Once frozen remove from the freezer and with a knife, slice thin strips of meat.
7. In a skillet with 2 tablespoons of hot oil, fry the meat until crispy.
8. Assemble the sandwich. Cut the sandwich in half. On one side of the bread, add the red sauce and on the other side of the bread add the white sauce. Add the meat on the sandwich along with some red and green cabbage. Then add the salad. Fold the sandwich together.

If you are interested in how to make Egyptian Style Kunafa check out my recipe!