Beef Shawarma Recipe
Nutritional Info
- Servings Per Recipe: 5
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 532.9
- Total Fat: 27.1 g
- Cholesterol: 161.4 mg
- Sodium: 215.6 mg
- Total Carbs: 13.0 g
- Dietary Fiber: 2.0 g
- Protein: 56.5 g
View full nutritional breakdown of Beef Shawarma Recipe calories by ingredient
Introduction
Shawarma is a popular meat sandwich that you can get at Middle Eastern restaurants. It consists of roasted beef, lamb, or a mixture of both with some tahini or garlic sauce, in addition to pickles and greens all wrapped in a pita bread. Shawarma may get confused sometimes with the Greek Gyro and even though both of them taste delicious, there is a major difference in the spices used. In addition Gyro is made of ground meat (beef + lamb or just lamb) where as Shawarma is made of meat chunks. Shawarma is thought to have originated in Turkey and later adopted and spread all over the Middle East, so no wonder the Greeks had their Gyro version too…The best method to cook Shawarma is the traditional way where the chunks of meat are stuffed on a large skewer and cooked slowly against a vertical gas roaster. Most often chunks of lamb or beef fat are put on top of the skewer so that they drip and flavor the meat as it cooks. Restaurant Shawarma isn’t your healthiest meal ever, but it’s so worth it once in a while! Since most of us don’t have that vertical gas roaster at home, this recipe of Shawarma brings you a flavor that is very close to that you get at restaurants if cooked the right way.
Shawarma is a popular meat sandwich that you can get at Middle Eastern restaurants. It consists of roasted beef, lamb, or a mixture of both with some tahini or garlic sauce, in addition to pickles and greens all wrapped in a pita bread. Shawarma may get confused sometimes with the Greek Gyro and even though both of them taste delicious, there is a major difference in the spices used. In addition Gyro is made of ground meat (beef + lamb or just lamb) where as Shawarma is made of meat chunks. Shawarma is thought to have originated in Turkey and later adopted and spread all over the Middle East, so no wonder the Greeks had their Gyro version too…
The best method to cook Shawarma is the traditional way where the chunks of meat are stuffed on a large skewer and cooked slowly against a vertical gas roaster. Most often chunks of lamb or beef fat are put on top of the skewer so that they drip and flavor the meat as it cooks. Restaurant Shawarma isn’t your healthiest meal ever, but it’s so worth it once in a while! Since most of us don’t have that vertical gas roaster at home, this recipe of Shawarma brings you a flavor that is very close to that you get at restaurants if cooked the right way.
Number of Servings: 5
Ingredients
-
Shawarma Ingredients ( 5 Servings )
• 2 lbs of tender beef in large flat chunks (ie filet)
• 2 red onions (finely sliced)
• 3 freshly squeezed lemons or 1/2 a cup of lemon juice
• 1/2 cup of white vinegar
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 5 cloves of garlic (crushed)
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 a teaspoon of each of the following spices: ground cardamon, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, 7-spices, black pepper and some bay leaves.*
*Spices: You can find those spices individually at Middle Eastern grocery stores.
Alternatively many stores sell the “Shawarma Spice Mix” already made and ready so you don’t have to worry about mixing them. Make sure to get the meat/beef Shawarma version of the mix for this particular recipe (as opposed to the Chicken Shawarma spices).
We also found that Amazon.com sells Shawarma spices, but we don’t know of the quality:
Tahini Sauce Ingredients:
• 2 spoons of Tahini Sauce
• 1 cup of freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
• 3 gloves of Garlic (add more for a stronger kick)
• a dash of salt
Directions
Preparation ( to be marinated in advance )
To prepare the marination sauce, mix all spices together and then add them to a bowl with all other ingredients except for the meat and mix them well. If you’re a perfectionist feel free to use a blender for a smoother mix.
Slice the meat into thin and long slices as in the photo below. Place them in a bowl and add the marinade sauce on top and make sure the sauce covers all of the meat. Cover the bowl and let it marinate in the fridge for 8-24 hours prior to cooking. In the past we’ve marinated the meat for 2-3 days and it turned out to be much more tender and flavorful.
Cooking:
When ready, put the meat slices in a 2 inch deep tray, cover it with an aluminum foil with some holes in it then let it cook at 400 degrees F for about half an hour. The longer the marination the less time it needs to cook. Check up on the pan and if there is excess liquid in it (fat…etc) empty it away and let the tray back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes. If you overcook the Shawarma it dries up so be sure to keep it in check.
Serving Size: 5 Cup Servings .
Tahini Sauce Preparation:
Mix the ingredients very well in a blender until they reach a homogeneous texture. Taste to ensure a balance of flavors, a good Tahini sauce will taste a bit tangy with a hint of garlic.. the sauce should end up looking creamy/whitish. If the taste is very strong for you, you can add 1/4 to 1/3 cup of water and blend again.
Serving:
Shawarma meat is best suited for a sandwich even though you can serve it in a plate with a side of Hummos, rice, Tahini sauce and the following condiments that go in a sandwich. The sandwich consists of a pita bread wrap with the cooked shawarma meat, Tahini sauce, a sprinkle of thinly and freshly cut Italian Parsley, slices of turnip pickle, slices of Lebanese cucumber pickle and slices of tomatoes. Some restaurants also spread a spoon of Hummos dip on the pita prior to adding all other ingredients and sometimes they add french fries…be creative!
Cook, enjoy, and let us know how it turns out
www.mamaslebanesekitchen.com
Number of Servings: 5
Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user LEBANESEKITCHEN.
To prepare the marination sauce, mix all spices together and then add them to a bowl with all other ingredients except for the meat and mix them well. If you’re a perfectionist feel free to use a blender for a smoother mix.
Slice the meat into thin and long slices as in the photo below. Place them in a bowl and add the marinade sauce on top and make sure the sauce covers all of the meat. Cover the bowl and let it marinate in the fridge for 8-24 hours prior to cooking. In the past we’ve marinated the meat for 2-3 days and it turned out to be much more tender and flavorful.
Cooking:
When ready, put the meat slices in a 2 inch deep tray, cover it with an aluminum foil with some holes in it then let it cook at 400 degrees F for about half an hour. The longer the marination the less time it needs to cook. Check up on the pan and if there is excess liquid in it (fat…etc) empty it away and let the tray back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes. If you overcook the Shawarma it dries up so be sure to keep it in check.
Serving Size: 5 Cup Servings .
Tahini Sauce Preparation:
Mix the ingredients very well in a blender until they reach a homogeneous texture. Taste to ensure a balance of flavors, a good Tahini sauce will taste a bit tangy with a hint of garlic.. the sauce should end up looking creamy/whitish. If the taste is very strong for you, you can add 1/4 to 1/3 cup of water and blend again.
Serving:
Shawarma meat is best suited for a sandwich even though you can serve it in a plate with a side of Hummos, rice, Tahini sauce and the following condiments that go in a sandwich. The sandwich consists of a pita bread wrap with the cooked shawarma meat, Tahini sauce, a sprinkle of thinly and freshly cut Italian Parsley, slices of turnip pickle, slices of Lebanese cucumber pickle and slices of tomatoes. Some restaurants also spread a spoon of Hummos dip on the pita prior to adding all other ingredients and sometimes they add french fries…be creative!
Cook, enjoy, and let us know how it turns out
www.mamaslebanesekitchen.com
Number of Servings: 5
Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user LEBANESEKITCHEN.
