Finnish style kebab served with chips (fries), red & garlic sauce and salad. A takeaway classic in Finland.

🇫🇮 Kukkuluuruu! Resepti löytyy myös suomeksi täältä.

I’ve created a recipe for the Irish Spice Bag, one of Irish takeaway classics, and one of my personal all time favourites. Another favourite of mine is kebab in its many forms — with chips, in a roll or even a pizza. Yes, that’s right, a pizza. It’s a Finnish classic and 100% worth the try.

Finnish-style kebab is just one of the countless things I miss from Finland together with Fazer chocolate, proper rye bread and of course salmiakki. There’s nothing wrong with the proper lamb kebab we have here in Ireland — in fact it’s super tasty in its own league. But there’s something special about Finnish fast-food kebab.

I spent countless hours trying to perfect my recipe, researching the Internet for different ways of making kebab at home and getting it as close as possible to the Finnish version. The spice blend probably took the longest to test. When it comes to temperature we all know low and slow is the way to go.

I like cooking my kebab in a slow cooker, because it’s extremely cost-effective. The small slow cooker I have can just about fit the two kilograms of kebab this recipe yields. I mean, you can always use a regular oven set to a low 100 degrees centigrade.

Making

Making the kebab is pretty straightforward: mix everything well together, form into “logs” and cook them until they reach internal temperature of 77 degrees centigrade. The kebab is left to cool completely in the fridge, which makes it easier to cut. Use a mandolin, cheese slicer or a sharp knife to cut the kebab into strips or any shape, really.

Storing and using

You can store the fresh kebab in the fridge to up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Store in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn.

Since the kebab is sliced into thin strips, it thaws really well. My favourite way of cooking it is in the pan with a little bit of oil, and serving with chips (fries).

One specialty we have in Finland, and elsewhere in the Nordics, is a kebab pizza — and it’s lovely! It’s made with a tomato sauce base, kebab of course, and maybe some pepperoni peppers (pepperoncini). Serve as is or with a garlic pizza dip.

What’s your favourite way of enjoying kebab?

Finnish-Style Kebab

Meal Prep Slow Cooker Freezer Friendly

Total: 7h 15min | Prep: 15min | Cook: 7h

Servings: 20

Easy Finnish kebab recipe, made with lean steak mince & spices. Cooked low and slow in an oven or slow cooker.

Adjust Servings

Ingredients

2.0 kglean steak beef mince (5% fat or less)
28.0 gsalt
2.0 tspMSG
1.0 tbspblack pepper
2.0 tspsweet paprika
2.0 tspgarlic powder
2.0 tsponion powder
1.0 tspground cumin
1.0 tspdried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
1.0 tspdried oregano
1.0 tsptaco seasoning
0.5 tspsugar
0.25 tspcayanne pepper
2.0 tbspcornflour

Instructions

You can complete a step by clicking on it

1Combine all ingredients in a bowl of a stand mixer (or mixing bowl).
2Knead the mixture thoroughly for at least 10-15 minutes, or until it becomes very smooth and sticky, almost stringly.
3Divide the mixture into three compact loaves, wrapped in tin foil. Shape them tightly to prevent air pockets.
4Place the loeaves in a slow cooker, and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 77°C (170°F).
5Let the loaves cool slightly, refrigerate for a few hours (or overnight).
6Slice the kebab into long strips using a mandolin or a sharp knife.
7To serve, pan-fry the slices with a bit of oil over medium heat until slightly crispy on the edges.
8Serve with chips (fries), red kebab sauce, garlic sauce, and a side salad.

Nutritional Information (per serving)

Calories

261 kcal

Fat

20 g

Saturated Fat

7 g

Carbohydrates

1 g

Sugar

0.16 g

Protein

17 g

Fiber

0.27 g

Salt

0.61 g

The information provided is approximate.

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