The registered dish is linked to Zorkun Plateau in Osmaniye and dates to the 1960s, when it began as a tradespeople's meal before spreading through the plateau's cooking culture. TÜRKPATENT registered Osmaniye Zorkun Tava as geographical indication number 1477 in 2023. Its defining method is restrained: cubes from the lamb leg or shoulder are layered with red onion, green and red peppers, garlic and peeled tomato. Tail fat covers the top, while ground red pepper and salt provide the seasoning. A covered stone oven is traditional; this version uses a tightly covered home oven and keeps the protected ingredient logic intact.
Osmaniye Zorkun Tava — Recipe Card
Osmaniye-Style Lamb and Vegetable Tray Bake
Makes 8 servings · Serves 8 generously as a main course.US cup = 240 ml · tablespoon = 15 ml · teaspoon = 5 ml. Cup and weight conversions are approximate. Australian cooks: use a 15 ml measuring tablespoon.
Ingredient quantities and servings are scaled. Cooking times, pan sizes, frying oil depth, and temperatures stay the same; cook larger batches as needed.
Ingredients
How to make Osmaniye Zorkun Tava
Heat the oven and prepare safely
Heat the oven to 190°C/375°F with a rack in the middle. Wash the tomatoes and peppers under running water before cutting. Use a separate board and knife for the raw lamb, then wash your hands, tools and work surface thoroughly. Pat the lamb dry and cut it into even 3 cm/1¼-inch cubes.
Build the tray in layers
Spread the lamb in a single layer in a shallow 35–38 cm/14–15-inch metal roasting tray. Scatter over the sliced red onions, garlic, green peppers and red peppers. Sprinkle evenly with the ground red pepper and salt. Spread the peeled chopped tomatoes over the vegetables, then distribute the tail-fat pieces across the top. Do not add water, oil or tomato paste.
Cover and slow-bake
Cover the tray very tightly with a lid or a double layer of foil, crimping the edges so steam cannot escape. Bake for 75 minutes. The tomatoes should collapse and release enough juice to surround the lamb and vegetables.
Brown and check the lamb
Carefully remove the cover, keeping clear of the hot steam. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, until the tail fat is lightly browned and the lamb is tender. Check several of the largest lamb cubes with an instant-read thermometer; they must reach at least 63°C/145°F.
Rest and serve from the tray
Remove the tray from the oven, tent it loosely and rest for 10 minutes, which exceeds the 3-minute safety rest for whole-cut lamb. Spoon the tomato-rich pan juices over the meat and serve hot directly from the tray, with bread or yogurt on the side if desired.
Bring this recipe to your kitchen with a printable copy.
Print recipeRecipe from MyTurkishRecipes · https://myturkishrecipes.com/turkish-lamb-tray-bake-osmaniye-zorkun-tava. Quantities reflect your selected serving scale. Cooking times are estimates; follow the doneness cues.
A few helpful kitchen notes
Regional identity
TÜRKPATENT registration 1477 specifies lamb leg or forequarter, tail fat, red onion, tomato, green and red peppers, garlic, ground red pepper and salt. It also records the dish's association with Zorkun Plateau and its history from the 1960s.
Home-oven adaptation
The registered method covers the tray with a sac and bakes it in a stone oven for about 1½ hours. A tightly fitted lid or double foil in a 190°C/375°F home oven reproduces the moist covered environment; the short uncovered finish adds color without changing the ingredient list.
Heat level
Mild when all 10 g ground red pepper is sweet. For medium heat, use 5 g sweet and 5 g hot pepper; for a distinctly spicy tray, use 10 g hot pepper. Keep the quantity unchanged so the seasoning balance remains consistent.
Dietary notes
The ingredients are naturally free of gluten as written. Choose ground pepper and salt with labelling appropriate to your needs and check cross-contact information when required; this is not a certification of suitability for coeliac disease.
Food safety
Wash produce under running water and keep it separate from raw lamb during preparation. Cook the largest lamb cubes to at least 63°C/145°F, then rest for at least 3 minutes. Chill leftovers within 2 hours in shallow containers, refrigerate for 3–4 days and reheat to 74°C/165°F.
How to store and reheat Osmaniye Zorkun Tava
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow airtight containers within 2 hours of cooking and keep at 4°C/40°F or colder for 3–4 days. Reheat only the amount needed until it reaches 74°C/165°F throughout. Freeze for up to 2 months for best quality; thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Osmaniye Zorkun Tava: questions and answers
Can I omit the lamb tail fat?
Tail fat is part of the registered Osmaniye method and supplies the cooking fat, so omitting it changes the defining result. If it is unavailable, use well-marbled lamb shoulder and explain that the tray is a practical variation; do not replace it with added vegetable oil and call it the registered version.
Why is there no water, oil or tomato paste?
The registered method expressly excludes liquid oil and tomato paste, and it does not add water. Ripe tomatoes release the cooking liquid, while tail fat carries flavor and keeps the lamb moist under the cover.
Which peppers work outside Türkiye?
Use Turkish sivri biber or another long green pepper, such as a mild Anaheim, plus red kapya peppers or red pointed sweet peppers. A red bell pepper works when pointed peppers are unavailable, though it is thicker and slightly sweeter.
