Sac Kavurma is a Turkish Lamb Sauté dish made with diced lamb, onions, green peppers, and tomatoes cooked fast over high heat. The name comes from the sac, the thin metal griddle it is traditionally cooked on, but a wok or a cast iron pan works just as well.
This Lamb Kavurma recipe is ready in 40 minutes in one pan, and in Turkey it is one of the first dishes we cook at Eid. I serve it with a pile of warm Bazlama on the side and let everyone help themselves.
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The sac itself goes back to the nomadic Turks, who cooked on a thin metal sheet over an open fire. The same pan is still used all over Turkey today, domed side up for breads like Gozleme, and turned over for meat dishes like this one.
At Kurban Bayramı, the kavurma is made with the fresh sacrifice meat, and dishes like Yaprak Sarma - Stuffed Grape Leaves, Cheese Borek, and Walnut Baklava fill the rest of the table.
What is Kavurma?
Kavurma comes from the Turkish verb kavurmak, which means to roast or sauté. The word covers a whole family of meat dishes, and they all start the same way: diced meat cooked in its own fat over high heat.
One version is winter kavurma, which is closer to a confit. The meat is slow cooked in its own fat, packed into jars, and kept for the cold months.
In the past, it was made from sheep slaughtered in the autumn, and small amounts were used through the winter to flavor vegetable and rice dishes.
Sac Kavurma vs Çoban Kavurma
You will see this dish under two names, and they are mostly the same thing. Sac kavurma takes its name from the pan it is cooked on, while çoban kavurma, or shepherd's kavurma, takes its name from the shepherds who first made it.
In Turkey, both names are used for the same sauté of cubed lamb with onions, peppers, and tomatoes.
At a restaurant, it usually arrives sizzling on a small metal dish, and some places serve it straight on the sac.
Why This Recipe Works?
- You get tender meat in minutes, not hours. The high heat lets the lamb release its juices and then drink them back in, which is what keeps it soft.
- This is a real restaurant dish. It is what arrives sizzling on a metal plate at kebab restaurants in Turkey, and it tastes just as good made at home.
- The seasoning is simple: cumin, paprika, thyme, and black pepper. The lamb does the talking.
- Leftovers make delicious wraps. Pile the meat into Pita Bread or flatbread with some Sumac Onions and you have a second meal.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Lamb - I use a marbled cut with some fat, like shoulder or neck fillet. Lean cuts like leg dry out over high heat, so a bit of fat matters here. Cut the meat into small cubes and keep the trimmed fat, as that is what you render to cook the meat in.
- Lamb fat - Lamb tail fat is the traditional choice in Turkey, and it gives kavurma its real flavor. It is not easy to find here in the UK, so I trim the fat from the meat and render that instead. Your butcher may sell lamb fat if you ask ahead, and ghee works as a backup.
- Peppers - I use Turkish green peppers, the long thin ones from Turkish and Middle Eastern shops. Most are mild but the odd one has real heat. Bell peppers or Padron peppers work instead.
- Tomatoes - Ripe summer tomatoes are the best option because their juice loosens the pan juices into a light sauce. Out of season, use the reddest and juiciest ones you can find.
- Garlic - One clove is enough, as it should stay in the background. Turn it into a paste or grate it on a Microplane so it melts into the sauce rather than sitting in chunks.
- Tomato paste - A staple of Turkish cooking, and half a tablespoon is all this dish needs. It deepens the color and rounds out the sauce. You can find it in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops, or buy it online.
How to Make Sac Kavurma?
Heat a large pan (sac, wok, or cast-iron pan) on medium heat, add the lamb fat, let it gently warm up, and begin to liquefy. Stir it occasionally and keep it simmering until the fat becomes tiny bits.
Turn the heat up to high and then add the diced lamb. Cook the lamb for 8-10 minutes over high heat, stirring continuously.
Let it release its water and absorb it back. Add the cumin, freshly ground pepper, paprika, and thyme, and sauté for a minute.
Add the sliced onions and peppers to the meat and sauté for a few more minutes on high heat.
Toss in the tomatoes along with the tomato paste and then cook until they are slightly tender.
Add the salt, give it a good stir, and then serve it hot with Turkish Rice or Bazlama.
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- Cook the lamb on high heat and don't add the salt until the very end. Salt added early pulls the moisture out of the meat and makes it tough.
- Lamb tail fat is the traditional cooking fat and adds real flavor. If you can't find it, trim the fat from the meat and render that, or use ghee.
- Get the pan properly hot before the meat goes in, and stir with a wooden spoon rather than a metal one.
- Let the meat release its juices and keep cooking until it absorbs them all back. That stage is what makes kavurma kavurma, so don't rush it.
- You can make this recipe with goat, veal, beef, or chicken instead of lamb. The cooking time changes a little with the meat, so cook until the juices are gone and the meat is tender.
Serving Suggestions
Sac Kavurma always needs some bread on the side to mop up the juices.
Our favorites are Turkish Pide Bread - Ramazan Pidesi, Garlic Naan - Indian Flatbread, and Lavash Bread.
It is also great over rice or with potato dishes such as Crispy Sauté Potatoes with Garlic, Bulgur Pilaf, Batata Harra (Lebanese Potatoes), and Turkish Rice.
To turn it into a feast, add some Çoban Salatası or a cooling Cacik.
Storage and Make Ahead Instructions
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container, or freeze them for up to 3 months. Let the kavurma cool down completely before it goes into the freezer, and thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.
To reheat, warm it in a hot pan with a splash of water, or microwave it covered with a damp paper towel for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring halfway.
It is also a great dish to make ahead for guests. Cook it earlier in the day and reheat it in the pan just before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Usually the salt went in too early or the heat was too low. Early salt draws the moisture out of the meat, and low heat makes it stew instead of sauté.
About 40 minutes from start to finish: 10 minutes of prep and around 30 minutes in the pan.
Yes. Traditional recipes use lamb fat, but plenty of Turkish home cooks make it with oil and a knob of butter. You lose a little of the traditional flavor, but the dish still works.
Not as written. The spices season the meat without heat. If you want it spicy, add the optional red chilli or a pinch of chilli flakes from the recipe card.
Yes, but use your widest pan or cook the meat in two batches. A crowded pan turns the sauté into a stew.
Related Recipes
For more delicious traditional Turkish Recipes why not try:
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I hope you enjoy the process of making this delicious traditional Sac Kavurma - Turkish Lamb Sauté as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
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Sac Kavurma - Turkish Lamb Sauté
Ingredients
- 3½ oz lamb fat or ghee (100 grams)
- 1¾ lbs diced lamb (800 grams)
- 1 large onion (sliced)
- 2 Turkish green peppers (or 1 green bell pepper) (sliced)
- 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
- 2 large tomatoes (small diced)
- ½ tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 red chilli (or ½ teaspoon chilli flakes) (optional)
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme or oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat a large pan (sac, wok, or cast iron pan) on medium heat, add the lamb fat and let it gently warm up, and begin to liquefy.
- Stir it occasionally and keep it simmering until the fat becomes tiny bits. Turn the heat up to high and then add the diced lamb.
- Cook the lamb for 8-10 minutes over high heat, stirring continuously. Let it release its water and absorb it back.
- Add the cumin, freshly ground pepper, paprika, and thyme, and cook for a minute.
- Add the sliced onions and peppers to the meat and sauté for a few minutes on high heat.
- Toss in the tomatoes along with the tomato paste and cook until they are slightly tender.
- Add the salt, give it a good stir and then serve it hot with some bread on the side to soak up the juices.
Notes
- Cook the lamb on high heat and don't add the salt until the very end. Salt added early pulls the moisture out of the meat and makes it tough.
- Lamb tail fat is the traditional cooking fat. If you can't find it, trim the fat from the meat and render that, or use ghee. Oil with a knob of butter also works.
- Get the pan properly hot before the meat goes in, and stir with a wooden spoon rather than a metal one.
- Let the meat release its juices and keep cooking until it absorbs them all back before adding the vegetables.
- You can use goat, veal, beef, or chicken instead of lamb. Cooking time varies a little with the meat.
- Not spicy as written. Add the optional red chilli or chilli flakes for heat.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a hot pan with a splash of water.
Tirina says
Made this yesterday since I had some lamb. I tried following everything as outlined, came out really incredible. Thank you so much!
Sandy says
This recipe is such comfort food and has amazing flavour. I’ve made it twice. Half the meat the first time and now per recipe. My family loved it! This recipe is a keeper. Thank you!!
Jenn says
Absolutely fantastic! Followed recipe exactly, except I did have to buy bone in shoulder so cut the meat off.
Neil says
Fantastic recipe with great instructions. Thank you!
Ayla Clulee says
You’re welcome, Neil! Thank you for your review.
Best wishes
Ayla x
Gerome says
It turned out so delicious! I served it with couscous and went down really well.
Ashley says
I love this recipe, and usually make it with chicken. I will try the lamb version, looks absolutely amazing.