Homemade Beef Cevapi
Servings: 4
Just a few simple, low-cost ingredients are needed to make these delicious Homemade Beef Cevapi. They make the ideal easy and hearty family weeknight dinner, and are especially delicious cooked on the barbecue grill.
Ingredients
- CEVAPI
- 800 g 1 lb 12 oz regular (20% fat) minced (ground) beef (see note 1)
- 1 brown onion grated using a box grater
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 egg can be left out and substituted with 3 tbsp sparkling water
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda baking soda
- 1 tsp chicken stock powder bouillon (optional, for extra “umami” flavour)
- 1½ tsp sea salt flakes
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup 60 ml water
- CABBAGE SALAD
- 2 cups 150 g finely shredded green cabbage
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
- TO SERVE
- Chopped or sliced red onion
- Ajvar roasted red pepper relish (see note 2)
- Pickled peppers from a jar, such as fefferoni (see note 3)
- Chopped parsley
- Pita bread
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the cevapi ingredients, except the olive oil and water, with your hands until combined.
- Using about 2 tablespoons of the mixture for each, shape into sausages, about 10 cm (4 inches) long and 2 cm (¾ inch wide).
- Arrange on a platter and refrigerate for 1 hour, or overnight if you have the time. This will allow the flavours to develop and make the cevapi easier to cook (as they will be firmer). If you don’t have time, you can cook them immediately (they will still be delicious but might be a bit fiddly to turn).
- While the cevapi are in the fridge, make the cabbage salad by combining all the ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and cook the cevapi, in batches if necessary, for 10–12 minutes, turning as needed until golden brown.
- Add the water in the last 3 minutes of cooking. This will deglaze the pan and create a delicious sauce, perfect for soaking up with bread!
- Serve with red onion, ajvar, pickled peppers, parsley and pita bread.
Notes
Note 1 – You could use a 50/50 mixture of minced (ground) beef and minced (ground) pork. The pork adds gorgeous flavour and texture!
Note 2 – Ajvar is an Eastern European condiment made from roasted red capsicum (bell peppers), sometimes including roasted eggplant (aubergine) and chillies. It ranges from sweet to tangy to hot. You can substitute it with another red pepper relish or your favourite condiment.
Note 3 – I use pickled, yellow fefferoni peppers, which are widely available from the supermarket in Australia. They vary in heat from mild to hot. If you can’t find them, try other pickled peppers like peperoncini, banana peppers, sweet peppers or whatever other pickled peppers you enjoy.
MAKE AHEAD
You can prepare the cevapi up to 24 hours before cooking and store in the fridge – this will allow the flavours to develop and make the cevapi easier to cook (as they will be firmer). You can also freeze uncooked cevapi for up to 2 months. Thaw completely in the fridge overnight before cooking.LEFTOVERS
Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Microwave to reheat. Not suitable to freeze.Scan for full recipe:
