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    Home / Dinner / Jerusalem Mixed Grill

    Jerusalem Mixed Grill

    Charred, spice-rubbed bites of chicken, hearts, and liver sizzled with onions — the smoky signature of Jerusalem’s open-fire grill houses.

    ⏱ 20 minPrep time
    🔥 15 minCook time
    🍽 4Servings
    🏷 DinnerCategory
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    Jerusalem Mixed Grill

    Meorav Yerushalmi, or Jerusalem mixed grill, was born in the open-fire grill houses of the city’s Mahane Yehuda market. Butchers there began chopping the day’s leftover chicken parts, hearts, and livers and searing them with onions over high heat. It became a working-class legend, served in pita with amba and pickles, and it is still the taste of Jerusalem’s bustling market stalls, especially late at night.

    Smoky, sizzling bits of the grill house

    The dish is all about char and spice: turmeric, cumin, and cardamom coat the meat, while a screaming-hot pan gives everything a smoky, caramelized crust that perfumes the whole kitchen. The hearts and livers turn rich and tender against the crisp-edged onions, and the mix of textures keeps every bite interesting. Served in warm pita with a spoonful of amba, it is street food at its most honest. If organ meats are not your thing, all-chicken-thigh versions are just as beloved, and a squeeze of lemon over the top wakes up all those warm spices.

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    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Toss the chicken thighs, hearts, and livers with the turmeric, cumin, paprika, cardamom, salt, and pepper. Let sit 10 minutes.
    2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking.
    3. Add the seasoned meats in a single layer and sear without moving until deeply browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
    4. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
    5. Add the remaining oil and the onions to the skillet. Cook over high heat, scraping up the browned bits, until the onions are golden and crisp at the edges, 4 to 5 minutes.
    6. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
    7. Return the meats to the skillet, toss everything together, and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Season to taste and serve immediately with pita.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    A screaming-hot pan is the whole trick — the meats char before they have a chance to toughen. If hearts are hard to find, use all thighs and livers.

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    Recipe details

    Prep20 min
    Cook15 min
    Servings4
    CategoryDinner
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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