Lamb Chop Kebab with Bread Lid Recipe

Lamb chop kebab with bread lid is a Turkish oven-baked dish made with lamb chops, tomatoes, peppers, onions and garlic, slow-roasted under parchment then sealed with a thin bread crust. Rich, tender meat with caramelised vegetables and a golden, chewy lid to tear and dip.

The clay pot makes a difference you can taste. If you have a güveç, use it. The clay holds heat evenly and the moisture stays inside, so the lamb steams in its own juices and the vegetables break down into a thick sauce. A regular baking tray works, but the liquid evaporates faster and the vegetables dry out before the meat is fully tender. If you’re using a tray, keep the parchment sealed tightly and don’t open it early.

I keep the seasoning simple on purpose.1 Salt, red pepper flakes and tail fat. Lamb this good doesn’t need a spice rack. The fat renders down during the long roast and bastes the meat from above while the tomatoes and onions create a sauce underneath. That’s the whole point of this dish: the meat flavours the vegetables and the vegetables flavour the meat, and the bread lid traps it all in at the end.

Lamb Chop Kebab with Bread Lid Ingredients

For the Kebab

• Lamb chops, as many as needed (allow 3-4 per person)
• 2 onions, peeled and thickly sliced
• 2 large tomatoes, thickly sliced
• 2 large green pointed peppers (sivri biber), left whole or halved
• 1 large red pointed pepper (kapya), left whole or halved
• 5-6 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
• 50g (2oz) lamb tail fat or suet, cut into small pieces
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• 125ml (4fl oz) tomato paste sauce (optional: 1 tbsp tomato paste dissolved in half a cup of water)

For the Bread Lid

• 125ml (4fl oz) water
• 1 tsp salt
• Plain flour, as needed (about 200-250g/7-9oz)
• 1 egg, beaten (for glazing)
• Nigella seeds and sesame seeds, for topping (optional)

How To Make Lamb Chop Kebab with Bread Lid

1. Season the lamb: Put the lamb chops in a bowl. Add the salt, red pepper flakes and pieces of tail fat. Toss together until the chops are well coated. Add any other spices you like, but keeping it simple lets the lamb speak.

2. Layer the vegetables: Arrange the sliced tomatoes and onions across the base of a clay güveç pot or a deep ovenproof dish. Scatter the whole peppers and garlic cloves on top. Sprinkle with a little salt. Drizzle the tomato paste sauce over the vegetables if using.

3. Add the lamb: Lay the seasoned lamb chops on top of the vegetables in a single layer. Scatter the tail fat pieces over the chops. Cover the dish tightly with dampened greaseproof paper, pressing the edges down to seal.

4. Slow roast: Place on the lowest shelf of a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6) on fan setting. Roast for 1 hour 10 minutes without opening the paper. Remove the paper and roast uncovered for a further 15 minutes to brown the tops of the chops and caramelise the edges of the vegetables.

5. Make the bread lid: While the meat cooks, mix the water and salt in a bowl. Add flour gradually and knead until you have a soft, pliable dough. Roll it out thinly to the size of your dish or tray.

6. Seal and bake: Lay the rolled dough over the top of the dish, pressing the edges onto the rim to seal. Brush the surface generously with beaten egg and scatter with nigella seeds and sesame seeds if using. Return to the oven and bake until the bread lid is puffed and deep golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

7. Serve: Bring the whole dish to the table. Break through the bread lid and serve the lamb, vegetables and juices together.

Recipe Tips

Use a clay güveç if you have one. The clay retains moisture and distributes heat evenly, so the meat braises gently in its own juices. Soak the güveç in water for 15 minutes before using if it’s unglazed.

Keep the parchment sealed for the full time. Opening it early lets the steam escape and the lamb dries out. Trust the timing and leave it alone until the 1 hour 10 minutes is up.

Roll the bread lid thin. Thick dough won’t cook through in the time it takes to brown the surface. You want it thin enough to bake crisp and golden but thick enough to hold together when you tear it.

Tail fat is worth finding. It renders slowly and bastes the lamb continuously during roasting. If you can’t find it, dot small pieces of butter over the chops instead. The flavour won’t be the same but it adds moisture.

Don’t overload the spices. Good lamb chops need salt and heat, not a dozen spices. Red pepper flakes and salt let the meat and the slow-roasted vegetables carry the flavour.

What To Serve With Lamb Chop Kebab

Plain rice pilaf or bulgur wheat soaks up the juices from the dish and stretches the meal. The bread lid already acts as a carb, so rice is optional if portions are generous.

A simple salad of sliced onion, flat-leaf parsley and sumac alongside freshens the plate. Pickled chillies or turnip pickles also work well with rich lamb.

How To Store Lamb Chop Kebab

Fridge

Store the lamb and vegetables in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The bread lid should be kept separately, it softens quickly once it absorbs the juices. The flavour of the lamb improves overnight.

Reheat

Warm the lamb and vegetables in the oven at 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) for 15-20 minutes, covered with foil to prevent drying out. The bread lid won’t crisp back up, so eat it fresh or make a new batch.

Freeze

Freeze the lamb and vegetables without the bread lid in a sealed container for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven. Make fresh bread lid when serving.

Lamb Chop Kebab with Bread Lid Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 of 4): Calories: 580kcal, Protein: 38g, Fat: 32g, Carbohydrates: 35g, Sugar: 6g, Sodium: 780mg. Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.

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