Oven Beef shawarma

A Lebanese restaurant has recently opened near the place I work, and we went there with some colleagues to grab a shawarma. We did not adore the Beef shawarma though ; everything about it was nice, except the meat itself, quite elastic and dry.  

I kept thinking about this meal later, as the flavours, which were on point, made me crave for more. Suddenly, it dawned on me ; I needed to make one myself, and see if I could beat the restaurant's version!

I researched my subject as much as I could. I wish I had a vertical roaster to make proper shawarma like in Middle-Eastern eateries ; it's also interesting though to try and make it easy for any home-cook, as it forces you to become creative.

Here I replace the vertical roaster with the horizontal grill from my standard oven, on high heat ; the result is not the same, but it cooks the meat quickly without drying it, which is what you aim for ! 

You could also pan-fry it if you wish, using a cast-iron pan ideally.

Then all that's left to do is to assemble your pita, with a quickly-made tarator sauce, a few veggies, a bit of parsley ; et voilà ! You're ready to devour. 

Oven Beef Shawarma - Recipe

Ingredients - Advice & key points

• Be careful to account for the marinade time ! It's best to prep this dish the day before you cook it.
• Beef :
  • If choosing from a butcher, I recommend using a good cut of beef, like ribeye or tenderloin, but you can also use flank steak ; the marinade will help tenderizing it. It is important to choose a cut that is not too lean so that the meat remains tender.
  • Also, remember to cut against the grain to get a tender texture.

• Spices :
  • You will most likely need to visit an Arabic store to find the spices you need -especially for items like powdered cloves, caraway, or cardamom- and pita bread, as well as for the optional pink turnip pickles. 
  • You can either buy each spice separately, or use a Shawarma mix if you happen to find one. 
• The remaining ingredients are either basic pantry items or produce you can easily find at the grocery store.

How to eat your Oven Beef Shawarma

• I definitely recommend eating your Beef Shawarma with pita bread and tarator sauce (a tahini-based sauce with lemon).
• Other veggies that you can choose amongst, for the pita bread assembly, are the following :
  • tomatoes;
  • red onion;
  • cucumber;
  • radishes.
• Don't forget to sprinkle parsley, and hot sauce if you feel like it ; there you go ! 
• You can also make bulgur or rice bowls with the same ingredients, if so wished, which makes it easier to reheat for lunch or later use.

Let's dig into it !