Sate kambing is a traditional dish and a type of satay prepared with goat or mutton as the main ingredient. The meat is cut into chunks or cubes and it's marinated in a combination of ingredients such as kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), galangal, ground shallots, pineapple juice, and (often) chili peppers. After it's been marinated, the meat is placed on skewers that are larger and thicker than the ones used for chicken satay as the texture and thickness of mutton or goat is tougher than chicken. The skewers for sate kambing are usually made from bamboo. The meat is grilled, then served with kecap manis sauce, peanut sauce, or chili sauce, consisting of shallots, bird eye chili peppers, and kecap manis. Some like to eat sate kambing with steamed rice or rice cakes on the side. This type of sate is especially popular in Java.
Oltu cağ kebabı is a horizontally roasted lamb kebab identified with the Oltu district of Erzurum Province in northeastern Türkiye, where the product took shape and continues to be defined by local practice and oversight. The kebab’s emergence is tied to sheep and lamb husbandry in Oltu and its surroundings, the availability of young lamb with a balanced fat profile, and a cooking method adapted to regional conditions that favored slow, controlled roasting on a horizontal spit rather than vertical stacking; over time, the name “Oltu” became inseparable from the product, and the name Oltu cağ kebabı is recorded in linguistic sources and in world culinary literature, a point that distinguishes it from similar regional preparations that may share techniques but not designation. Preparation centers on marinating carefully selected lamb, typically shoulder and leg cuts, with salt and restrained seasonings, then layering the meat onto a horizontal skewer and roasting it gradually over wood embers so the fat renders evenly and bastes the meat; as the exterior reaches doneness, thin slices are shaved off and served immediately, a service rhythm that prioritizes temperature and texture over batch holding. Serving is characteristically done on the cağ skewer itself, which functions both as utensil and presentation, and portions are often accompanied by flatbread and simple sides that do not compete with the meat; the method produces slices that balance exterior browning with a moist interior, and the horizontal orientation allows steady heat exposure that differentiates the cut and mouthfeel from vertical-spit kebabs. The product’s naming and oversight are formalized by the authorized supervisory body (Oltu Chamber of Commerce and Industry), which maintains standards tied to geographic identity and production criteria. Oltu cağ kebabı is commonly eaten as a shared table order served in successive cağs rather than a single plated portion, and it is paired most often with ayran, plain yogurt drinks, or lightly acidic beverages that refresh the palate, while bread and onions remain the customary accompaniments.
Grilled lamb chops are a traditional Greek dish that is popular throughout the country and usually enjoyed as the main course. Lamb chops are usually marinated in various combinations of olive oil, lemon juice, and a variety of fresh herbs before they are grilled on traditional charcoal barbecues. They are commonly paired with potatoes, salads, or the creamy and refreshing tzatziki sauce.
Beyti is a traditional kebab variety originating from Istanbul. It consists of ground lamb or beef that's seasoned with spices, grilled on a skewer, then served wrapped in lavash, cut into pieces, and topped with tomato sauce and yogurt. The ground meat is typically mixed with onions, eggs, garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, breadcrumbs, paprika, and black pepper. Lavash or phyllo pastry is brushed with butter, then wrapped around the grilled kebabs into a roll. The rolls are cut diagonally, then topped with a sauce consisting of tomatoes and butter, while the yogurt is usually served in the center of the rolls or on the side. Some people serve the dish with bulgur or steamed rice, while garnishes might include ghee and pistachios. This kebab variety was named after Beyti Güler, a restaurant owner from Istanbul who invented the dish in 1961.
Cordero al palo is a traditional lamb specialty that involves roasting a whole lamb on a spit, a cooking technique which has long been practiced in Chile and Argentina (especially Patagonia). The lamb is slowly cooked for several hours over a wood fire, all the while basting in its own juices and fat, resulting in succulent and tender meat surrounded by crispy skin. While cooking, the meat is often enhanced with a mixture of warm water, salt, and garlic. The dish can be found on the menus of numerous restaurants throughout the region, and it is typically served with pebre, a popular Chilean condiment. Other typical accompaniments to this dish include boiled potatoes, fresh salads, bread, and lots of fine red wine. This spit-roasted lamb delicacy is nowadays usually prepared on special occasions and for holidays.
Antikristo is a traditional technique of cooking meat on Crete. A young lamb (or a goat, on rare occasions) is cut into four pieces (called goulidia), salted, then placed on big wooden skewers that are arranged around the fire in a circular formation, taking into consideration the direction of the wind, the intensity of the fire, and the distance between the fire and the meat. This process lets the meat cook in its own fat and salt with the heat coming from the flames instead of coals. The name antikristo means across the fire, describing this unique technique. The meat is slowly cooked, sometimes up to 6 hours, and it develops different flavors in the process. In the past, antikristo was common in the villages of Psiloritis mountain, but nowadays it can be found anywhere in Crete. Traditionally, it's prepared and cooked exclusively by men, most often shepherds.
Hünkar beğendi is a traditional dish consisting of a flavorful lamb stew that is served on top of a creamy roasted eggplant purée. The purée is often thickened with milk and cheese, while the whole dish is sometimes topped with a tomato-based sauce or garnished with freshly chopped parsley. It is believed that the dish is native to Istanbul and was first prepared for the wife of Napoleon III in the late 19th century.
A specialty of the city of Bursa, İskender kebap is named after a butcher called İskender Efendi, who first prepared this flavorful dish. It consists of thinly sliced lamb that is grilled and combined with a spicy tomato sauce and pita bread, while melted sheep butter and yogurt are traditionally drizzled over the dish at the table. It is recommended to pair this kebap with şıra, a Turkish beverage that is known to aid digestion.
Kuzu şiş is a traditional type of kebab. This meat dish is made with chunks of lamb meat, mushrooms, green peppers, shallots, cherry tomatoes, and eggplants. The meat is usually marinated in a mixture of yogurt, olive oil, garlic, cumin, Turkish pepper paste, and black pepper. It's then placed on skewers, with diferent vegetables between each piece of meat. The skewers are then placed on the grill until done. Kuzu şiş is traditionally served hot off the grill.
Döner kebab is a delicacy that is known throughout the world, consisting of grilled pieces of meat that are shredded from a vertical skewer. The meat is typically seasoned with fresh herbs and spices. Originally, the meat used in döner was exclusively lamb, but today in Istanbul, there are kebabs prepared with a combination of lamb and beef, or sometimes only with beef. Meat that is grilled vertically on a skewer isn't a new thing, as it has been mentioned in the 18th-century Ottoman travel books. The sandwich form döner kebab, which means rotating kebab, appeared in the early 1970s in Berlin. It is believed that Kadir Nurman was the first to place the shaved pieces of meat into a flatbread and serve it with vegetables such as tomatoes, lettuce, onions, cucumbers, and a squirt or two of sauce, unlike before, when the ingredients were served on a plate. Along with many of the Turkish variations on döner kebab, there are also numerous other regional variations in countries such as Armenia, Vietnam, Austria, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot,
nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable.
For the “Top 100 Lamb and Mutton Dishes in the World” list until April 15, 2026, 16,581 ratings were recorded, of which 6,632 were recognized by the system as legitimate.
TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods,
instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.
