Ćevapi

Serbian Ćevapi (Grilled Minced-Meat Sausages)

Skinless minced-meat sausages of beef and lamb, grilled over charcoal and tucked into warm somun bread with raw onion and a smear of ajvar - the classic Serbian street-food plate.

Prep

30 min

Cook

15 min

Total

45 min

Serves

4 (about 16 sausages)

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •400 g (14 oz) minced beef (moderate fat, ~20%), not extra-lean; some fat is essential for juiciness
• •100 g (3½ oz) minced lamb, traditional ratio is roughly 4:1 beef to lamb; all-beef is also common
• •6 g (1¼ tsp) fine sea salt
• •2 g (¾ tsp) baking soda, helps the sausages puff and stay tender; a Serbian-grill standard
• •1 g (½ tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• •1 g (½ tsp) sweet paprika, ground, not smoked
• •2 g (1 tsp) garlic, very finely grated or crushed to a paste
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) sparkling water, cold; keeps the mix light
• •4 whole somun or lepinja flatbreads, soft Balkan flatbread; small pita or naan is the closest home-kitchen substitute
• •1 whole large white onion, very thinly sliced or finely chopped, for serving
• •120 g (⅔ cup) ajvar, red-pepper relish; roasted-jarred red pepper puree thinned with a little olive oil is a workable substitute
• •60 g (¼ cup) kajmak (optional), clotted-cream-style dairy; mascarpone lightly whipped with a pinch of salt is the closest substitute

Steps

1. 1 Place the minced beef and lamb in a large bowl set over a smaller bowl of ice. Add the salt, baking soda, pepper, paprika, garlic and sparkling water.
2. 2 Mix gently with one hand for about 2 minutes only, just until the mixture feels tacky and slightly puffed. Do not knead or overwork, or the sausages will be tough. Cover and chill for 1 hour (or up to overnight) to let the baking soda do its work. Keep the mix cold throughout; warm minced meat is the quicker way to trouble.
3. 3 Meanwhile, light a charcoal grill and wait until the coals are glowing red with a thin layer of grey ash; the target cooking temperature is a hot, radiant medium heat (roughly 200-230°C / 400-450°F at grill level). For a grill pan, preheat it until very hot and well ventilated.
4. 4 Wet your hands with cold water. Take a portion of about 30 g (about 2 tbsp) of the mixture and roll it between your palms into a short cylinder roughly 6-7 cm long and 2 cm thick, pressing gently to seal any cracks. Repeat with all of the mixture, dipping your hands in water as needed to keep them from sticking. Keep the rolled sausages chilled until they go on the grill.
5. 5 Arrange the sausages directly over the hottest part of the grill. Cook for 4-5 minutes on the first side, turning every minute or so, until well seared and charred in spots; these are thicker than a thin patty and need more time than a quick turn.
6. 6 Check doneness with an instant-read thermometer pushed into the centre of the thickest sausage: it must read at least 74°C / 165°F. Keep turning them over the heat until every sausage reaches that temperature, which usually takes 8-10 minutes in total. Never judge by the outside char alone, and never serve one that is still pink or cool at the centre. Minced meat must be cooked right through.
7. 7 While the sausages cook, warm the somun flatbreads for about 30 seconds on the cooler edge of the grill, or in a dry skillet, until soft and pliable.
8. 8 Split each warm flatbread open and arrange 4 sausages inside. Top with a generous handful of raw sliced onion and a big spoonful of ajvar. Add a slice of kajmak if using. Fold and eat with your hands while still hot. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and reheat until piping hot.