Lamb doner, a Turkish dish, is a popular street food throughout Turkey and Europe, especially Germany, and in New York City. It is made by spit roasting a leg of lamb and served wrapped in flatbread with a variety of sauces and vegetables. It is similar to kebabs and gyros and is an inexpensive and convenient option for entrepreneurs and consumers.
Lamb doner is a Turkish dish closely related to a large family of skewered meat dishes from the Middle East and the Mediterranean. Döner, as it is also called, is a common street food throughout Turkey, and is also plentiful as a takeout food in many European countries, especially Germany, and in New York City, where there is a large expat population Turks. Making lamb doner at home is a bit difficult, as it requires special equipment and a lot of space.
Traditionally, lamb doner is made by spit roasting a leg of lamb on an upright spit. This cooking technique is ideal for street food, as the cook simply shaves off the outer layers of meat as it cooks. In some regions, cooks make lamb doners by spitting out slices of lamb, rather than a whole leg of lamb, which allows cooks to combine lower cuts of meat, as it is more difficult for consumers to identify the source of the meat.
Lamb doner seasoning is usually light. When meat is roasted vertically, the fats naturally travel through the meat, infusing it with flavor and keeping it moist. Sometimes the outer layers are rubbed with herbs or oil, but because they are shaved, this step is often ignored. Some cooks place the vegetables on top of the doner roasts as they rotate, allowing the juices from the vegetables to flavor and moisten the meat.
Typically, lamb doner is served wrapped in a piece of flatbread, with consumers choosing from a variety of sauces. A hot sauce is common, along with yogurt-based sauces which may include garlic, herbs, or vegetables. Garnishes like lemon are also very popular in some areas. Vegetable side dishes such as cucumbers, shredded lettuce and tomatoes are not uncommon. In some regions, lamb doner is served over a salad or over rice for a more complete meal.
As a street food, lamb doner is very similar to kebabs, gyros and a variety of other roasted meats served at street stalls across Europe. The flatbread traditionally served with doner serves as a natural wrapper and napkin, making it easy and relatively tidy to eat, and the ingredients are inexpensive, making a doner attractive to entrepreneurs who don’t have much capital. “Donor dinner” offerings that include salad and rice can be attractive to consumers who don’t want to bother putting dinner together at home, and donor lunches tend to be a big hit in business districts.
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