Balkan Ćevapi
Seasoned ground meat grilled into tender, juicy sausage-shaped patties, served warm off the fire. A beloved Balkan street food that's quick to make and impossible to resist.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 32g
Ingredients
- ½ lb ground beef
- ½ lb ground pork
- ½ medium onion, finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper
Instructions
- 1
Place the ground beef, ground pork, minced onion, and minced garlic into a large bowl; mix with your hands until the meat and aromatics are evenly distributed throughout, about 1 minute.
- 2
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon paprika, 0.5 teaspoon salt, and 0.5 teaspoon pepper over the meat mixture.
- 3
Mix with your hands again for about 30 seconds until the seasoning is fully combined; do not overwork the meat or the ćevapi will become dense.
- 4
Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions by eye, roughly the size of a small apple.
- 5
Roll each portion between your palms into a log shape about 3 inches long and 1 inch thick, like a small sausage link.
- 6
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat, or until you can hold your hand 6 inches above the grate for only 3 seconds before the heat forces you to pull it away.
- 7
Lightly oil the grill grate by wiping it with a folded paper towel dipped in oil so the ćevapi won't stick.
- 8
Place the 8 ćevapi directly on the grill grate, spacing them 2 inches apart so heat can reach all sides.
- 9
Cook for 3 to 4 minutes without moving them, until the bottom develops a dark brown crust with light char marks.
- 10
Using tongs, roll each ćevapi a quarter turn to expose a new side to the heat.
- 11
Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until that side is also dark brown, then rotate again.
- 12
Repeat one more time, rotating for a final 3 to 4 minutes, until all four sides are browned and the meat feels firm but yields slightly when pressed with your finger—this means it is cooked through.
- 13
Transfer the cooked ćevapi to a serving plate and let them rest for 2 minutes so the juices redistribute inside.
Tools you’ll need
- large mixing bowl
- charcoal or gas grill
- grill grate brush or folded paper towel
- oil for grating
- long-handled tongs
- serving plate
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