Urfa Liver Kebab

Urfa liver kebab is a traditional kebab prepared by cutting fresh lamb liver and tail fat from the same lamb into hazelnut-sized pieces, threading them onto special skewers, sprinkling them with a mixture of Şanlıurfa pepper and salt, and cooking them over oak charcoal fire.

Urfa liver kebab is classified under the food and soup product group, specifically within the kebab category. It has been officially registered by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office as a mahreç işareti^【1】. The registration of Urfa liver kebab is attributed to its unique production method, labor-intensive preparation requiring time and skill, the use of the geographically indicated Şanlıurfa pepper which is essential to its flavor, and its prominent place in Şanlıurfa’s culinary culture.

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Urfa liver kebab is a component of Şanlıurfa cuisine and is consumed at breakfast, lunch, dinner and sahur meals. It attracts particular attention during the Ramadan months. The production technique, craftsmanship and use of Şanlıurfa pepper are critical factors in its preparation. The product consists of hazelnut-sized pieces of lamb liver and tail fat from the same lamb. During cooking, a mixture of Şanlıurfa pepper and salt is sprinkled over the pieces.

• 1 kilogram fresh lamb liver
• 250 grams lamb tail fat
• 1 tablespoon Şanlıurfa pepper (geographically indicated)
• 10 grams salt
• Oak charcoal
• Liver kebab skewers (thinner and shorter than standard kebab skewers)

• Grilled fresh pepper
• Dried onion
• Parsley
• Mint
• Thin bread (lavaş) or flatbread (sac ekmeği)
• Lemon
• Şanlıurfa pepper
• Ayran

1. Preparation of Ingredients: The lamb liver is cleaned of membranes and nerves, then cut into hazelnut-sized cubes. The lamb tail fat is cut into slightly smaller cubes than the liver pieces.
2. Threading onto Skewers: On special liver kebab skewers, the pieces are arranged in the following sequence: one liver piece + one tail fat piece + two liver pieces + one tail fat piece + one liver piece. Each skewer contains four liver pieces and two tail fat pieces.
3. Cooking: The prepared skewers are placed over oak charcoal that has turned to embers. During cooking, a mixture of Şanlıurfa pepper and salt is sprinkled over the liver pieces.
4. Serving: The cooked liver pieces are removed from the skewers and wrapped in thin bread (lavaş) or flatbread (sac ekmeği) to form a dürüm. Optional additions such as parsley, dried onion, mint, salt, grilled fresh pepper, and Şanlıurfa pepper may be included inside the dürüm. It is typically served hot alongside ayran in a copper bowl.

^{Urfa Liver Skewer (Generated by Artificial Intelligence.)}

The application for the geographical indication registration of Urfa liver kebab was submitted by the Şanlıurfa Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The application, numbered C2012/086, was filed on 9 July 2012. Following the evaluation process, the product was officially registered on 12 January 2018 under registration number 323 as a mahreç işareti. The applicant’s address is recorded as Sarayönü Caddesi No: 72 / Şanlıurfa.