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Chevapchichi in a skillet at home
Instructions
In a deep mixing bowl, crack one whole chicken egg. The egg acts as the binder that holds the meat sausages together during the brief cooking step in the skillet without falling apart in the pan.
Add the minced garlic to the egg in the bowl using a garlic press. The press produces the most evenly distributed garlic flavour throughout the finished sausages, while crushing also releases the maximum aromatic oils from the cloves.
Mix the egg and garlic together thoroughly with a fork until completely combined. The combined liquid mixture distributes more evenly into the minced meat than separate egg and garlic additions would.
Add the prepared egg-garlic mixture to the minced meat in a separate large mixing bowl. The combined pork and beef mince produces the proper richer flavour profile of authentic Balkan-style chevapchichi compared to using either meat alone.
Season the minced meat with one teaspoon of the Georgian khmeli-suneli spice blend. Khmeli-suneli is a complex traditional Caucasian blend that contributes the proper warm aromatic foundation to the finished sausages.
Sprinkle half a teaspoon of ground ginger into the minced meat. Ground ginger adds a beautifully warm slightly spicy note that complements the savoury richness of the pork-beef blend perfectly without overpowering the other flavours.
Add one teaspoon of curry powder to the minced meat. Curry contributes a beautifully golden colour and a warm complex spice note that works in beautiful harmony with the other seasonings in the finished sausages.
Season the minced meat with salt, pepper mix, and grated nutmeg to your personal taste preference. Start with cautious quantities and adjust upward if needed during a small test-fry of a single sausage before committing to cooking the full batch.
Add one and a half tablespoons of plain flour to the seasoned minced meat. The flour acts as an additional binder alongside the egg and helps the sausages hold their shape properly during cooking.
Mix the seasoned minced meat thoroughly with clean hands until completely uniform throughout the entire batch. Then cover the bowl with cling film and place in the refrigerator to rest for 20 minutes. The brief chill helps the spices infuse the meat properly and firms up the mixture for easier shaping.
After 20 minutes, take the chilled minced meat out of the refrigerator and start forming the sausages. For perfectly even shapes, use a clean plastic bottle: cut off the top part and use it as a funnel. Pour the minced meat into the funnel and squeeze it through the neck to form sausages. Alternatively, simply shape the sausages by hand with cupped palms.
Preheat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and pour in enough vegetable oil to evenly cover the bottom of the pan. Lay out the formed sausages with space between them and fry on both sides until properly golden brown all over.
Remove the cooked fried sausages from the heat and transfer them to a serving plate lined with paper towel to drain off any excess oil briefly. The brief draining step keeps the sausages crispy and prevents them from sitting in greasy puddles on the serving plate.
The chevapchichi in the skillet at home are now ready to serve. Arrange them attractively on warm serving plates and serve immediately with a generous portion of marinated onions on the side. A small bowl of fresh parsley scattered over the top adds the perfect finishing touch. Bon appetit!
Tips
- 1
Use a combination of pork and beef mince rather than either meat alone for the most authentic richer flavour profile of traditional Balkan chevapchichi. The pork contributes tenderness and fat for juicier results, while the beef provides the deeper meaty foundation. A roughly equal mix of the two works perfectly. Avoid lean ground beef alone, since the resulting sausages will be too dry and lack the proper traditional character.
- 2
Rest the seasoned mince in the refrigerator for at least the recommended 20 minutes before shaping, since the brief chill helps the spices infuse properly and firms up the mixture for easier handling. To pair these beautiful Balkan sausages with another satisfying meat dish for variety in the weekly menu, try our crowd-pleasing oven-baked pork ribs as a heartier alternative for celebration meals.
- 3
Use a sharp knife or a clean plastic bottle as a piping funnel to form perfectly even cylindrical sausages, since uniform shapes cook through at the same rate and produce a noticeably more attractive presentation on the serving plate. Wet your hands with cold water during the shaping step to prevent the soft mince from sticking to your palms and produce neater more professional-looking sausages.
- 4
Serve the finished sausages with a small bowl of marinated red onions, fresh chopped parsley, and a dollop of homemade ajvar (Balkan red pepper relish) for the proper authentic experience. For another flavourful sausage-based recipe to add variety to your menu, try our beautifully glossy chicken wings in sweet and sour sauce on the skillet as a finger-food appetizer alternative.
FAQ
Can I cook these sausages on the grill? +
Absolutely. Chevapchichi traditionally cook over a hot grill or open fire in their Balkan home, which produces a beautifully smoky finished result. Brush the formed sausages lightly with oil and grill over medium-high heat for about 4 to 5 minutes per side, turning carefully to develop even browning all over. The grill version produces noticeably more authentic flavour and the characteristic smoky char that defines properly grilled chevapchichi at celebration meals.
What if I cannot find khmeli-suneli spice blend? +
Make a simple homemade substitute by combining equal parts of dried thyme, dried marjoram, dried savory, dried basil, ground coriander seeds and ground fenugreek seeds, with a small pinch of bay powder if available. The substitute will not be exactly authentic but produces a similar warm complex aromatic profile in the finished sausages. Italian seasoning blend or Greek herb blend also work as quick substitutes in a pinch when khmeli-suneli is unavailable.
How long do these sausages keep? +
Store leftover cooked sausages covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to three full days for best results. Reheat gently in a frying pan over low heat or in a moderate oven for about ten minutes per side. The sausages also freeze well for up to two months in airtight containers, which makes them ideal for batch cooking on a quiet weekend. Form and freeze the raw sausages flat on a tray first to prevent them sticking together during freezing.
Can I make these sausages with just one type of meat? +
Yes, but the flavour and texture will differ noticeably from the traditional pork-beef blend. Pure beef mince produces a leaner firmer sausage with a more pronounced meaty flavour, while pure pork mince gives a fattier juicier richer result. Lamb mince also works brilliantly for an unusual variation that suits guests who do not eat beef or pork. Whichever meat you choose, the seasoning and cooking technique stays exactly the same throughout the recipe.
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