Thin doner shavings, crisp golden edges and a warm pitta packed with salad. This homemade doner kebab follows the bottle-mould method: pack seasoned mince into a cut plastic bottle, firm it up, remove the bottle, then shave and pan-fry the meat.
Mix your mince with Baharat Doner Kebab Seasoning, pack it tightly into the bottle mould, then shave off thin slices and cook them in a hot frying pan. No rotating spit needed.
Get the seasoning: Doner is included in our Kebab Dinner Collection, 3 flavours and Favourite Collection, 4 flavours.
Serves: 4 pittas
Prep: 15 minutes
Freezer time: approximately 2–4 hours, until firm enough to slice
Cooking: 10–15 minutes in batches
Total: approximately 2 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the doner meat
- 500g lamb mince, or 250g lamb mince mixed with 250g beef mince, ideally around 15–20% fat
- 2 level tablespoons Baharat Doner Kebab Seasoning
- 1–2 teaspoons olive oil for the pan, only if needed
To serve
- 4 pitta breads
- 100g iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
- 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons garlic sauce or plain yoghurt (optional)
- Chilli sauce, to taste (optional)
- Lemon wedges (optional)
Equipment
- 1 clean, empty, straight-sided food-grade plastic bottle, around 750ml–1 litre, suitable for freezing
- Kitchen scissors, a mixing bowl, a sharp knife, a stable chopping board and a large frying pan
Method
- Season the mince. Add the Baharat Doner Kebab Seasoning to the cold mince. Knead for 3–5 minutes until evenly seasoned, sticky and well combined.
- Prepare the bottle mould. Wash and dry the bottle, then carefully cut off the top section to leave an open cylinder with the base still attached, as shown in the video. The bottle is only a cold shaping mould and must be removed before cooking.
- Pack in the meat. Add the seasoned mince a little at a time. Press each layer down firmly with your fingers or the back of a spoon to remove air pockets. Fill the bottle and press the top flat so the mince forms a compact cylinder.
- Firm it up. Cover the open top and freeze until the meat is firm enough to shave into thin slices but not rock hard. Allow approximately 2–4 hours, checking after 2 hours; the timing depends on the bottle's diameter and your freezer. This is a suggested timing, as the video does not specify a chilling or freezing time. If too soft, return it to the freezer for another 30 minutes. If frozen solid, soften in the fridge until it can be sliced safely.
- Remove the bottle. Carefully snip down the side and peel the plastic away from the firm meat, as shown in the video. Remove the base and all plastic completely, checking that no fragments remain.
- Shave the doner. Place the meat cylinder securely on a stable chopping board. Use a sharp knife to shave thin slices down the outside, around 1–2mm thick. Keep the meat cold and refrigerate it between batches.
- Pan-fry the slices. Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add a little oil only if needed. Lay the meat in a single layer and cook in batches for approximately 2–4 minutes, turning as needed, until browned and thoroughly cooked. Avoid overcrowding. Cooking times are a guide: check that the thickest pieces reach 75°C for at least 30 seconds with a clean food thermometer.
- Fill the pittas. Warm the pitta breads according to their packet instructions. Fill with shredded lettuce, tomato and red onion, then add the hot doner meat. Add garlic sauce, yoghurt, chilli sauce or lemon if you like. Serve immediately.
How to get thin, juicy doner slices
- Use mince with some fat. Very lean mince can turn dry before the edges brown.
- Work the mixture well. A sticky, tightly packed mixture is the key to slices that hold together.
- Slice thinly. Thick chunks will take longer to cook and give a different texture.
- Keep the pan hot and uncrowded. Small batches help the meat brown instead of steam.
- Cook only until done. Thin shavings can dry out quickly if left in the pan.
Serving ideas
Swap the pitta for flatbreads, serve the meat over rice with chopped salad, or make a doner bowl with chips and your favourite sauces.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Pack the seasoned mince into the bottle mould while the mince is within its use-by date, cover the open top and freeze promptly. For best quality, use within 2–3 months and follow any freezing instructions on the mince packaging. If frozen solid, soften in the fridge just enough to slice; cook the whole log once softened rather than repeatedly thawing and refreezing it.
Cool cooked leftovers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Eat within 48 hours or freeze. Reheat only once, until steaming hot throughout. Store salad and sauces separately.
Which Baharat bundle do I need?
The Kebab Dinner Collection includes Doner, Chicken Shish and Kofte. Choose the Favourite Collection for those three blends plus Shawarma. Both include the Doner seasoning used in this recipe.
Cooking and leftover guidance follows UK food safety advice. Check ingredient labels for allergens, including the seasoning, bread and sauces.
