Kebapche
Bulgarian finger shaped grilled sausages of minced pork and beef seasoned with cumin and salt, cooked for 15 minutes.
Photograph credit: Kebapche bg (image of Kebapche on Wikidata Q16852506) by Ikonact · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · this resized copy is shared under the same licence
Ground meat, cumin, salt: that is all the seasoning, and the finish is a grill and a pinch of patience. Kebapche is the Bulgarian grilled meat finger, one of the national dishes of grill houses and festivals, and the lack of spices is what lets the flavour of the meat show. They are not sausages and have no casing.
Mix minced pork and beef in a ratio of about 2 to 1, with a good proportion of fat, since lean meat comes out dry. Add salt, black pepper, cumin, a little sparkling water and baking soda. Knead the mixture for 5 minutes and chill it for 30 minutes, because the kneading binds the mince and the chilling makes it easier to shape. With wet hands, roll into fingers about 10 cm long and 3 cm thick.
Grill over a medium high heat, or on a ridged pan, for 12 to 15 minutes, turning, until browned and cooked through. Serve with fries, a grilled pepper, sliced onion and a pinch of savory or cumin, and a bowl of lyutenitsa. They are best eaten as they come off the grill, with a glass of cold beer.
Quick Answers
How long does Kebapche take to make?
15 minutes of preparation and 15 minutes of cooking, plus 30 minutes of chilling, so allow 1 hour from start to finish. The recipe serves 4.
The Method for Kebapche
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Mix the pork, beef, salt, pepper, cumin, sparkling water and baking soda and knead for 5 minutes. Chill for 30 minutes.
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With wet hands, shape into 12 fingers, 10 cm long.
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Heat a ridged pan or grill to medium high and brush with the oil.
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Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning, until browned and cooked through.
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Serve with the onions and flatbreads.
Tips That Matter
- Use mince with some fat.
- Knead and chill before shaping.
- Turn often on a medium high heat.
Serve It With
Chips · Grilled pepper · Lyutenitsa · Cold beer
Keeping and Reheating
Keeps for 2 days in the fridge.
Nutrition per Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.
Your notes on this recipe
Cooked this? Keep a note for next time
Compiled by Turab
Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked.
First published ; last changed .
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