Turkish Liver Kebabs (Ciğer Şiş)

Liver kebab is one of the most popular kebabs in Turkey. Since the weather is perfect for grilling these days, we’ve been making it quite often.

Liver kebab cooks so quickly yet feels like a real feast. With just a few minutes on the grill, you can turn an ordinary evening into something special. If you prepare the lavash, onion salad and any other sides before you start grilling, everything will be ready to serve as soon as the kebabs come off the heat.

If you enjoy liver or have never tried it but want to, this recipe is just what you need.

About the Ingredients

For this liver kebab recipe, we use lamb liver. You can find it at butchers or in most supermarkets. In the UK, we usually buy it from the supermarket, where it is already cleaned, with the thin membrane removed and the tough veins trimmed. If you are getting it from a butcher, ask them to prepare it this way for you.

Lamb tail fat is a must-have for liver kebabs (also known as ciğer şiş) in Turkey. It adds amazing flavor and helps keep the liver juicy and soft while grilling. If you cannot find lamb tail fat, you can still make delicious liver kebabs without it. After threading the liver onto the skewers, simply brush them lightly with olive oil to help keep them moist.

That said, for the most authentic flavor, we recommend visiting a Turkish or Middle Eastern butcher and asking for lamb tail fat.

For the seasoning, we use only salt, cumin, and pul biber (Turkish red pepper flakes). Cumin is a must for liver, and we love sprinkling a little extra on top after grilling. Pul biber is optional, but we highly recommend it for gentle heat and extra flavor.

You will also need a large onion, some sumac, and parsley to make a simple onion salad to serve on the side with the kebabs.

How to Make Liver Kebabs

If you want to enjoy Turkish liver kebabs the traditional way, start by making lavash bread and keep it wrapped in a kitchen towel while you prepare the kebabs. Alternatively, if you don’t want to make the bread from scratch, you can simply buy some lavash beforehand.

Cut the lamb liver and lamb tail fat into even-sized cubes, about 1 inch each.

We use metal skewers, but if you are using wooden ones, soak them in water for 20–30 minutes first so they do not burn on the grill.

Thread the pieces onto the skewers, one piece of fat followed by two pieces of liver.

If you cannot find lamb tail fat, just brush the liver lightly with olive oil instead.

Meanwhile, prepare a simple onion salad by slicing a large onion and combining it with a little salt, sumac, and chopped parsley.

Now you are ready to grill the kebabs. Right before cooking, sprinkle both sides with salt, cumin, and pul biber.

Place the skewers over hot charcoal and cook, turning them every now and then, until the liver is nicely browned on the outside but still soft inside. This should only take about 5 minutes, so keep an eye on them because overcooked liver can quickly turn dry and chewy.

You can find the full instructions in the recipe card below.

No Need for Marinade!

One of the best things about liver kebabs is that you do not need to marinate liver. It has a soft texture and a rich flavor on its own, so a quick sprinkle of salt, cumin and pul biber right before cooking is all it needs. 

Serving Suggestions

In Turkey, you cannot think of liver kebabs without lavash and onions. They are almost always served with soft lavash bread and a sumac onion salad, which is a simpler version of our sumac onion recipe.

To eat it the traditional way, the meat is slid off the skewers using a piece of lavash bread, then placed onto another piece of lavash. Extra cumin and pul biber are sprinkled on top, followed by some onion salad and fresh parsley leaves. Finally, it is rolled up and enjoyed as a dürüm (wrap).

We love serving it with plenty of fresh parsley, sliced tomatoes, and green peppers on the side. If you order ciğer şiş at a kebab restaurant in Turkey, you will probably also get a bowl of çoban salad, and a small plate of ezme on the table.

If you want to see more options, check out our list of Turkish side dishes.

There is usually extra cumin, pul biber, and oregano on the table too, so everyone can season their kebab however they like.

And to drink, ayran is the classic choice. It is cold, refreshing, and goes perfectly with ciğer şiş.

Lamb Liver or Beef Liver?

In Turkey, lamb liver is the first choice for liver kebabs. It is softer than beef liver and cooks much faster. If lamb liver is not available, calf liver is a better option than regular beef liver, as it is more tender and milder in flavor.

If you want to use beef liver, keep in mind that it will be a little firmer. To make it more tender, mix the cubes with olive oil, salt and cumin, then let them sit for about 30 minutes before threading them onto skewers and grilling.

So, What’s Lamb Tail Fat?

Lamb tail fat, kuyruk yağı, is exactly what it sounds like, the fat from the tail of the lamb.

In Turkey, everyone knows it and it is often used in kebabs. For liver kebab, it adds extra flavor, keeps the meat from drying out as it cooks and makes it wonderfully tender.

When we first moved to the UK, we asked a butcher for lamb tail fat and he had no idea what we were talking about. Later, on a countryside trip, we realised that the lambs here have very small tails compared to the ones in Turkey, almost none at all. That is probably why lamb tail fat is not something people know here.

One day, we spotted it at a Middle Eastern market and felt like we had found a hidden treasure. Of course, we bought some straight away.

If you have a Middle Eastern grocery store in your area, give it a try, you might get lucky. If not, make sure to brush the liver with olive oil before cooking.

Should I Wash the Liver Before Cooking?

There is no need to wash the liver before cooking, but you should get rid of any excess liquid for perfect liver kebabs. You can simply place the liver cubes in a strainer for a few minutes to let the liquid drain, then pat them dry with paper towels. 

Can I Make It Ahead?

Liver kebabs are best when cooked and eaten right away, while it is still hot and juicy. You can cut the liver into cubes a few hours ahead and keep it in the fridge, covered. But once it is grilled, it is not as nice reheated, so try to enjoy it fresh off the grill.

More Turkish Kebabs

• Doner Kebab
• Adana Kebab
• Iskender Kebap
• Lamb Shish Kebabs
• Eggplant Kebab
• Kofte Kebab
• Chicken Doner Kebab
• Turkish Chicken Kebabs

Love kebabs? Check out our list of Turkish kebabs.

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