Konya Tandır Çebiç

Konya Tandırda Çebiç is a geographical indication mark registered on 01.10.2021 with registration number 910 following an application submitted on 17.09.2020 by the province of Konya. The registering authority is the Konya Metropolitan Municipality. The dish is prepared by roasting the meat of a lamb under one year old (çebiç) or a young lamb in a tandır oven and serving it atop bulgur pilaf.

Product Characteristics

Konya Tandırda Çebiç is prepared using lamb meat during summer months and çebiç meat during winter months, depending on seasonality. Before cooking, the meat is coated with a mixture of strained yogurt, tomato paste, dried onion, garlic, and salt. The bulgur pilaf served alongside the dish is prepared using the fat and juices that drip from the meat into a pot during roasting, along with the offal (liver, heart, and kidney) cooked inside the animal’s abdominal cavity. Konya Tandırda Çebiç is a dish rooted in the region’s culinary tradition and is traditionally preferred on special occasions. The dish’s reputation is based on its geographically specific production method and the mastery required to execute it.

Production Method

The production process of Konya Tandırda Çebiç consists of the following stages:

• The çebiç or lamb, slaughtered on the day it is to be roasted, is skinned without separating the head, and its internal organs are removed. The meat is not washed to prevent moisture loss; if washed, it is dried with a clean cloth.
• Finely sliced dried onion (2 pieces), crushed garlic (5 cloves), strained yogurt (400 g), tomato paste (225 g), and salt (60 g) are mixed together. This mixture is applied both inside and outside the meat.
• Chopped onion and garlic are inserted into the thicker parts of the animal’s flesh using a knife.
• The liver, heart, and kidneys are placed inside the abdominal cavity, and the animal is left to rest on a tray for two hours.
• The animal’s four legs are tied together with wire, the head is placed between the legs, and a sturdy iron skewer is inserted through the body. A wire is also passed around the waist to prevent the animal from falling during roasting.
• The tandır oven is lit and heated to medium temperature (bread-baking heat). A pot, half-filled with water, is placed at the bottom of the oven to collect the meat’s juices.
• The animal is hung inside the tandır with its back facing downward. The oven’s opening is sealed with a metal sheet and then coated with clay to prevent air from entering. The air vent at the bottom (kullesi) is also sealed.
• The cooking time varies depending on whether the animal is lean (1–1.5 hours) or well-fed (2.5–3.5 hours). Throughout the process, any areas allowing air to enter are checked and sealed with clay.
• Once cooked, the meat is removed from the tandır and the wires are cut.
• Bulgur (850 g) is added to the fatty liquid collected at the bottom of the pot in the tandır, along with the offal that has been cooked inside the animal and cut into small pieces, to prepare the pilaf.
• The pilaf is placed on a large tray, and the roasted çebiç or lamb, with its head removed from between the legs, is placed on top for serving.

Geographical Boundary

The production of Konya Tandırda Çebiç is tied to a geographically specific method requiring specialized skill and a reputation linked to its geographical origin. Therefore, all stages of production must be carried out within the boundaries of the province of Konya.

Monitoring

Monitoring is conducted by a five-member oversight body composed of one expert each from the Konya Metropolitan Municipality, the Konya Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, the Konya Gastronomy and Tourism Association, and the Faculty of Tourism at Necmettin Erbakan University, under the coordination of the Konya Metropolitan Municipality.

Monitoring is carried out annually on a regular basis, as well as upon complaint or when deemed necessary.

The monitoring criteria are as follows:

• The çebiç or lamb used in production must have been slaughtered on the same day,
• The suitability of the ingredients and their quantities,
• Compliance with the production method, including cooking and serving procedures,
• Proper use of the designation "Konya Tandırda Çebiç" and the geographical indication emblem.

The oversight body may obtain services from public or private institutions or qualified experts during monitoring.