This smoked Beef Shawarma recipe is as easy to make as it is delicious! From the authentic shawarma seasonings to the cilantro herb sauce to the yogurt tahini sauce, it is fabulous!
You can make some other fantastic meals featuring foods that originated in other countries. These BBQ Thai Mussels have all the flavors of Thailand in every bite! If you are looking for a healthy bite from the islands, why not check out these Hawaiian Grilled Tofu Skewers? The big, bold tastes might surprise you!

The marinade for this beef shawarma recipe not only adds a ton of authentic flavor to the beef but helps to tenderize the beef, too. Cooking it low and slow also adds to the tenderness of the beef. This is a recipe you are going to need to keep close by.
Best of all, you can make this at home, with no need for takeout; you don’t even need any special equipment. Shawarmas originated as a popular Middle Eastern street food but has become very popular the world over.
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WHAT IS IN a smoked beef shawarma?
It may appear at first glance that there are a lot of ingredients, from herbs and spices to vegetables to yogurt and tahini. But the depth of flavor in this recipe comes from the combination of all these ingredients. Once you taste the result, you will understand what I mean!

INGREDIENTS
Meat
- Flank Steak – This cut of beef is fairly thin, so it is perfect to stack. In addition, it is lean, so it lends itself to cooking low and slow.
- Garlic powder – You can substitute granulated garlic for the garlic powder.
- Kosher salt – Kosher salt is my salt of choice when I’m cooking, but you can substitute sea salt if you like. Make sure you 1/2 the amount if using sea salt, as it is much saltier than Kosher salt.
- Fresh ground pepper – Fresh ground has much more flavor than the pre-ground pepper you buy.
- Cumin – Adds a hint of Middle Eastern flavor.
- Cardamom – This spice is not used often in North American recipes but is found in many Indian dishes.
- Nutmeg – Adds warmth to this recipe.
- Cinnamon – If you have nutmeg, you have to have cinnamon.
- Paprika – Provides a subtle earthiness flavor with a sweet, peppery taste.
- Oregano – A staple in my kitchen. I add it to many dishes; we love the flavor it adds to everything.
- Ground cloves – Just a pinch or two because a little goes a long way.
- Olive oil – I always use extra virgin olive oil; it has a rich flavor.
- Lemon, juiced – For a hint of citrus.
- Yellow Onions – You could use white onions or sweet onions.
Cilantro Herb Sauce
- Cilantro bunch – Helps create the perfect sauce with its lemon peppery taste.
- Green onions – Often called scallions, they add a sweet oniony flavor.
- Jalapeno – For a hint of heat in the sauce.
- Garlic cloves – Enhances the taste of this sauce.
- Cumin – Adds a savory nutty flavor.
- Kosher salt – Brings out all the other flavors in the sauce.
- Fresh ground pepper – Just a pinch or two add to the flavor of the sauce.
- Zest and Juice of a lime – The citrus notes bring all the flavors to the forefront.
- Olive oil – Use good quality olive oil, as you will taste the difference in the sauce.
Lemon Yogurt Tahini Sauce
- Greek yogurt – Has a tangy taste, perfect for this recipe.
- Tahini – Adds an earthy flavor to the sauce.
- Kosher salt – Just a pinch, again, helps bring out all the other flavors in the sauce.
- Zest and Juice of a Lemon – Citrus brings all the flavors together.
- Garlic paste – You can use finely minced garlic if you don’t have garlic paste.
To Serve
- Pita bread – You can also use flatbread.
- Tomatoes – Diced, adds a splash of color to the wrap.
- Olives – You can choose either black or green olives.
- Cucumber – Diced, the cool, crisp taste of the cucumber is perfect for the wrap.
- Feta cheese – A must for any Mediterranean recipe.
- Cilantro – A tasty garnish for your wrap.
How to make smoked beef shawarma



Start by combining all the dry spices for the flank steak meat in a medium bowl, then drizzle the lemon juice and olive oil over top. Mix until it has formed a paste. Cut the flank steak into 5-6 pieces. They don’t have to be the same size.
Add the steak pieces to the spice paste, and using your fingers, rub the paste all over each piece of steak, making sure everything is evenly coated. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.



Take the marinated flank steak out of the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before you build the shawarma. Preheat your smoker to 300 – 325 degrees F.
Cut the ends off both onions and cut each of them in half. You need 3 half onions. Place 2 of the onion halves flat side down on a plate or baking sheet. Poke 1 wooden skewer in each of the 2 onion halves. Place them about 3 inches apart with the poky ends pointing up.
Starting with the largest piece of flank steak, start to build your spit by poking the meat onto the skewers. Push the meat down to the top of the onion. Repeat with the remaining pieces of meat using the next largest piece and finishing with the smallest piece.
Push the pieces of meat down until they are just touching; don’t squeeze the meat together. Also, don’t stack the meat perfectly; you want the meat uneven so the pieces sticking out can char a little more. Your spit will cook better this way. Top with the last of the 3 onion halves to hold everything together.

You can place the onion beef spit directly on the grates of your smoker, or you can place it on a baking sheet and then put it in the smoker. I like to use hickory or apple wood to smoke the flank steak, but you can use whatever wood you prefer.
You want to smoke the beef until the internal temperature of the middle pieces of meat reaches 110 – 115 degrees F. This may take 60 – 90 minutes or longer. Once the meat reaches this temperature, turn your smoker up to 425 degrees F or transfer the spit to a 425 degrees F preheated gas grill.
Continue to cook the beef for another 10 – 20 minutes. This will help you get some crunchier edges. Check the temperature again. The center of the meat should have an internal temperature of 120 – 125 degrees F for medium rare. If you want your meat cooked more, continue to cook until it reaches your desired temperature.
Making the sauces
While your flank steak spit is cooking in your smoker, you can make the sauces for your shawarma.



For the cilantro herb sauce, add the cilantro, green onions, jalapenos, garlic, cumin, Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, lime juice, and lime zest to a blender. Pulse about 10 times, stirring as needed, until it starts to become a sauce.
With the machine running on low, drizzle in the olive oil and continue blending for about 15 seconds. You want the olive oil to combine with the herbs. Pour the sauce into a small bowl and set aside.


To make the lemon yogurt tahini sauce, simply add all the ingredients to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set it aside until you are ready to serve.
Serving your Beef shawarma
Once your beef has reached the desired temperature, remove it from the smoker or grill and allow it to rest for 15 – 20 minutes.

Using a sharp carving knife, start to cut the meat and onion off the skewers. Cut in small pieces from the top down. Make sure you rotate the spit as you cut. Once you reach the middle, remove the skewers and continue to cut the meat and onions into small pieces.

Once you have the beef and onion cut into pieces, it’s time to build your beef shawarma wraps!

Spread the beef and onions down the center of your pita. Add whatever toppings you like: tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, feta, and cilantro. Then add your sauces, lemon yogurt tahini, and cilantro herb sauce.

If you are making a bunch of beef shawarmas for the family, you can roll them up and wrap them in small bags or waxed paper.


Pro Tips
- You can use any cut of beef steak you like, but I prefer flank steak.
- Alternatively, you can cook this in your oven or on your BBQ grill. Use the same temperature guidelines; the results should be good.
- You can make the sauces a day or two in advance and refrigerate. Take the cilantro herb sauce out an hour before serving so it can come to room temp. You will also need to give it a stir.
- If you find your spit unstable, you can add a third onion half and a third skewer to the base, like a tripod.

Pin it HERE!!

Pin it HERE!!


Smoked Beef Shawarma
Ingredients
Meat:
- 2 pound flank steak
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon kosher salt or ½ tablespoon sea salt or table salt
- ½ Tablespoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ lemon juiced
- 2 large yellow onions
Cilantro Herb Sauce:
- 1 bunch of cilantro bottom stems cut off
- 2 green onions white and green parts cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 jalapeno with ½ the seeds, roughly cut into about 6 pieces
- 2 cloves garlic chopped in half
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or ½ teaspoon sea salt or table salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- Zest and juice of one lime
- ½ cup olive oil
Lemon Yogurt Tahini Sauce:
- 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or 1/8 teaspoon sea salt or table salt
- ½ lemon juiced and zested
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
To serve:
- 8 flatbreads or pita pockets
- Tomatoes diced
- Olives sliced
- Cucumbers diced
- Feta crumbled
- Cilantro chopped
Instructions
Cilantro Herb Sauce
- To a blender, add the cilantro, green onions, jalapeno, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and lime juice and zest.
- Pulse about 10 times, stirring as needed till it’s starting to become a sauce.
- Drizzle the olive oil into the blender while on low and continue blending for about 15-20 seconds after all the olive oil is in till nicely combined.
Lemon Yogurt Tahini Sauce
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, tahini, Kosher salt, lemon juice, lemon zest and garlic paste.
Meat
- Combine the dry spices in a medium mixing bowl and then drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice over the top. Mix till you get a paste.
- Cut your flank steak into 6 pieces (they don’t have to be evenly cut).
- Add the steak pieces to the bowl with the paste, and using your fingers, rub the paste over all the sides of each piece to coat evenly.
- Cover and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Remove the meat from the fridge for about 15 minutes before you build the shawarma.
- Turn your smoker to 325 and let it heat up for 15-20 minutes while you build your shawarma spit.
- I like to use Hickory or apple wood to smoke the beef.
- Cut the ends of both onions off, and then cut the whole onion in half. You need 3 half onions. Save the other half onion for a different recipe.
- Place 2 of the 3 onions flat side down on a plate or baking sheet and poke 1 wooden skewer in each of the 2 onion halves, about 3 inches apart, with the poky ends pointing up.
- Starting with the biggest piece of meat and ending with the smallest piece of meat, build your spit by poking the meat onto the skewers. Don’t push the meat pieces together firmly, but do have them touching.
- You don’t want the meat to be perfectly stacked but have some pieces sticking out more than others. This way, it will cook better. Top with the last of the 3 onion halves.
- You can cook this directly on the grate of the smoker or keep it on the baking sheet. If your smoker is short, you may have to trim the top of the skewers off.
- After 50-60 minutes in the smoker, the center of the middle piece should register about 110-115 degrees. If it doesn’t, then continue cooking a bit longer.
- Turn the smoker up to 425 and continue smoking for 10-15 minutes. This will help you get some crunchier edges. The center of the middle piece should register at least 120-125.
- This will get you meat that is medium rare. If you want your meat more cooked, cook until your desired temperature.
- Rest meat for 15-20 minutes before cutting.
- Cut the meat and onion off the skewer by starting at the top and cutting down to the bottom.
- Cut in small pieces, rotating the spit as you go. Remove from the skewers once you get to the middle and continue cutting.
- Serve on flatbread or pita pockets; add a spoonful of each sauce and all your desired shawarma toppings.
- Best enjoyed right after it’s cut.
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