Beyran soup originated as a soup served to travelers staying in historical inns and caravanserais in Gaziantep Turkey. According to records, the first beyran shop in Gaziantep bazaar was opened in 1885. Beyran soup, which we do not call soup in Gaziantep, we just call it beyran, is a local dish with a geographical indication.
Beyran is a very difficult soup to make. It is preferred for breakfast in the early hours, especially in winter. For this reason, it is generally not made at home. There are shops that only make beyran.
I wanted to share this recipe for those who come to Gaziantep and do not have the opportunity to drink beyran, but want to try it. It was necessary to introduce and explain such a delicious and nutritious dish. I must admit that although it is not as good as the ones sold in Beyran shops, it is quite close in taste.
Gaziantep cuisine is one of the richest and most delicious cuisines in Turkey. It has a rich cultural heritage bearing the traces of many civilizations. One of the most important reflections of this cultural richness is Gaziantep cuisine. Gaziantep cuisine is included in UNESCO‘s “Creative Cities Network”. We have approximately 500 cauldron dishes. Beyran soup, which has a special place among these magnificent tastes, is one of the sources of pride of Antep, a gastrocity.
When you come to Gaziantep, while wandering the streets of the city, be sure to stop by a beyran restaurant and try this unique taste. The taste of Beyran soup will remain on your palate.
When to Eat Beyran Soup?
In Gaziantep, Beyran soup is consumed for breakfast. In places that sell beyran, there will be no beyran left at noon.
For another flavor from Gaziantep Cuisine, check out the recipe for “Turkish Dolma | Stuffed Dried Eggplants and Peppers“.
Ingredients
Shank and/or neck meat: We used only sheep shank in this recipe. Because we generally use mutton in Gaziantep. You can use lamb shank or neck instead for a similar taste.
Marrow bone: If you want it to be more nutritious and aromatic, you can add extra marrow bones.
Tallow: We did not use it in this recipe. But in the original, 50 grams of ground fat is added to every 2 kg of meat.
Rice pilaf: Approximately 1 tablespoon of rice pilaf is put on each plate. We put very little pilaf so as not to dominate the meal. It is originally cooked without oil and salt (kel pilaf). Afterwards, kel pilaf is roasted with the melted oil accumulated on top of the cauldron. The other ingredients are added later. Since we did not use tallow, we made classic white rice by adding olive oil and a little salt.
Garlic: It is one of the main ingredients. Dried winter garlic is added to Beyran soup.
Red pepper flakes: Tomato or pepper paste is definitely not included in Beyran soup. It gets its color from red pepper flakes. You can add as much pepper as you can tolerate. Those who have gastrointestinal problems can drink Beyran without hot pepper flakes. This kind of service is also available in Beyran restaurants in Gaziantep.
Copper pan/plate: One of the most important features of beyran is that it is served hot. After the ingredients are placed in copper plates, the plates are heated over the fire. This way all ingredients give their flavors to each other. Pliers are used to hold the copper plates. Check out the note below to make a presentation without a copper pan.
How to Make Beyran Soup?
Making Steps:
1.Step: Shank meat with bones (you can also add extra marrow bones and neck meat) should be soaked in water for 1-3 hours. You should pour and renew the bloody water several times.
2.Step: Then add enough water to cover the meat and start boiling. You should boil it for a long time on low heat. This way the broth will be more nutritious and aromatic. It is ideal to cook it over very low heat for 10-12 hours. But if you don’t have such patience, I recommend boiling it for at least 3-6 hours.
3.Step: There will be plenty of kef from meat with bones. Kef is the sediment that floats to the surface of the water while boiling. To make the water of your Beyran soup clear, remove the kef with a colander.
4.Step: Do not add salt to the boiler at first as it will raise the boiling point of the water. After you clean the kef of the meat, you can add salt.
5.Step: Crush the garlic and puree it.
6.Step: Meanwhile, prepare the white rice pilaf.
7.Step: If the meat shreds easily, it means it is cooked. Then, separate the meat from the bones and set aside.
8.Step: You can strain the broth to make it clear and remove sediment.
9.Step: First add rice, garlic, chili pepper and meat to the pan. Then heat the pan on the stove.
10.Step: Meanwhile, add 3-4 ladles of the reheated bone broth to the pan. Let all the ingredients boil and combine for a few minutes. You can carefully remove the copper plate with pliers and serve.
– Note –
If you wish, you can first add bone broth to chili peppers, rice and garlic, boil thoroughly. Then add the meat and serve. If you are not going to use a copper pan, add all the ingredients you prepared except rice to the bone broth. Boil for a few minutes. You can serve the rice on the plates first and add the broth on top.
How to Serve Beyran Antep Style?
Beyran soup is ready. So how should the presentation be? There is a very familiar serving method in restaurants selling Beyran. Beyran is accompanied by lemon, Antep green pepper and Antep pita bread. Copper pans are heated over high heat and served hot. The classic presentation is like this.
If you want to try Beyran soup, you can easily prepare it by following the recipe above, step by step. Bon Appetit!
Beyran Soup
Equipment
- copper pans
- pliers
Ingredients
For Broth:
- 4 sheep shanks, lamb shanks/neck meat are also suitable
- 2 tsp salt
For Rice Pilaf:
- 1 cup rice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Other Ingredients:
- 1 head of garlic pureed
- 4-5 tbsp chili pepper
Instructions
Preparation:
- Shank meat with bones should be soaked in water for 1-3 hours. Pour and refresh the bloody water several times.
- Add enough water to cover the meat and boil it. It should be cooked for a long time on low heat. It should be boiled for at least 3-6 hours, ideally for 10-12 hours.
- Remove the kefs with a colander.
- After removing the kef of the meat, add salt.
- Crush the garlic and puree it.
- Meanwhile, prepare the white rice pilaf.
- If the meat shreds easily, it means it is cooked. Then, separate the meat from the bones and set aside.
- You can strain the broth to make it clear and remove sediment.
Service:
- First add rice, garlic, chili pepper and meat to the pan. Then heat the pan on the stove.
- Add 3-4 scoops of the heated bone broth to the pan. Let all the ingredients boil and combine for a few minutes. You can carefully remove the dish with pliers and serve.