Testi Kebab (Testi Kebabı) — Turkish Pottery Kebab Slow-Cooked in a Sealed Clay Jug

• 900 gboneless lamb shoulder, cut into 3 cm cubes (trim excess surface fat but keep some for flavor)
• 200 gyellow onion, finely diced
• 150 ggreen bell pepper, diced
• 150 gred bell pepper, diced
• 350 gtomatoes, peeled and diced (or use high-quality canned diced tomatoes)
• 12 ggarlic cloves, minced
• 30 gtomato paste
• 2 tspAleppo pepper (for gentle heat and fruitiness)
• 2 tspground cumin
• 2 tspsweet paprika
• 1 tspdried thyme
• 1 leafbay leaf
• 10 gfine sea salt
• 1 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
• 30 mlolive oil
• 250 mlbeef or lamb stock (low-sodium preferred)
• 80 gflatbread dough or thick flour-water paste (used to seal the jug mouth; dough is traditional)
• 15 gfresh parsley, chopped (optional but classic)

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the clay jug (testi) in cool water for 10 minutes if it is unglazed, then drain well. Preheat the oven to 170°C and set a rack in the lower-middle position so the jug sits stable and heats evenly.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, combine the lamb with onion, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, tomato paste, Aleppo pepper, cumin, paprika, thyme, bay leaf, salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Mix for 60 seconds until the paste and spices coat every piece, because even seasoning is what makes the final juices taste balanced.

3. 3

   Spoon the mixture into the clay jug, pressing lightly to remove large air gaps but without compacting it too tightly. Pour in the stock, then wipe the rim clean so the seal adheres properly and steam cannot escape.

4. 4

   Seal the mouth of the jug with the dough or paste, forming a 1 cm-thick ring that fully covers the rim and slightly overlaps the outside. Cover the top tightly with a double layer of foil and press it into the dough for a second seal, because Testi Kebab depends on trapped steam to tenderize the lamb.

5. 5

   Place the jug on a sturdy baking tray to catch any drips and to make it safer to move. Bake at 170°C for 2 hours 15 minutes, keeping the oven closed so the internal heat stays steady and the meat braises gently.

6. 6

   Remove the tray from the oven and rest the jug for 10 minutes so bubbling calms and juices thicken slightly. At the table or over the tray, carefully crack or cut open the sealed top (or the jug neck if it is designed to be broken), then stir the contents and sprinkle with parsley for a fresh finish.