Tortilla kebab with honey sauce on the grill

Introduction

This is one of those viral recipes you may have seen on YouTube or TikTok and assumed was more gimmick than dinner. In this case it actually tastes properly good: crisp tortilla edges, juicy lamb, and a sweet-hot glaze that works far better than it has any right to.

The method is simple. Build thin layers of tortilla and seasoned meat, cut the block into cubes, and thread them onto skewers before grilling. The result lands somewhere between kebab, barbecue, and party food, especially when served with salad and a sharp sauce on top.

Step-by-step

Ingredients

• 800 g ground lamb (1.8 lb)
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 red chili, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 pack flour tortillas, about 8 large tortillas
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 120 g butter (4.2 oz)
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 extra garlic clove, finely grated
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 20 g honey (0.7 oz)
• 1 small green salad for serving
• Sriracha mayo or kebab sauce for topping

Method

1. Mix the lamb, onion, chili, garlic, cumin, coriander, ground ginger, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until the filling is even and slightly sticky.
2. Stack the tortillas and trim off the rounded edges so you get squares. Save the scraps if you want to fry them into tortilla chips later.
3. Put one tortilla on the board, spread on a thin layer of meat, and continue alternating tortilla and filling until you have a compact block. Press each layer lightly so the meat stays thin.
4. Cut the block into strips about 3 cm wide. Stand the strips upright, cut again into equally wide pieces, and thread the cubes tightly onto skewers.
5. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and add lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, chili flakes, and honey. Bring to a boil, then take off the heat.
6. Grill the skewers over medium-high heat for 8 to 12 minutes. Brush often with the honey sauce and turn often, because the honey can catch and burn quickly.
7. Take the skewers off when the meat is cooked through and the tortilla edges are crisp with dark grill marks. Rest for 2 minutes before serving.

Serving note

• Serve with a fresh salad to cut through the fat and sweetness from the skewers.
• Sriracha mayo gives more heat, while classic kebab sauce gives a rounder and more familiar takeaway-style finish.
• This also works very well with ground chicken if you want a lighter version. In that case, add a little more chili or a bit more smoked paprika.
• Keep the meat layers thin. That is what helps the tortilla and meat cook evenly and hold together on the skewer.