Bosnian Cevapi Grilled Sausages

Cevapi are the national grilled meat specialty and one of the most famous Bosnian brands. Specifically, the most familiar is the cevapi from Sarajevo. Cevap (pronounced tche-vaap) represent a piece of grilled minced meat, something like a meat dumpling, but in an elongated shape. In this post, I’ll share with you my traditional Bosnian cevapi recipe.

Many restaurants in Sarajevo translate cevapi as “minced meat fingers” as they look like that. The average length of cevap is two inches. The portions you can get are five, 10 and 15 cevapi, served in special bread called somun. It resembles pita bread, but much softer and sprinkled with black sesame seeds.

History of Cevapi

The cevap has a long history in the Balkans. The first cevap was brought by the Ottomans or inspired by the Ottoman kofta. Still, it is believed the Persians developed the recipe, but the Ottomans introduced the recipe to the Balkans. Although the Ottoman empire has not survived on the Balkans, the cevapi remained as the main meat delicacy and the most favorable grill dish.

There is a difference in the preparation between the cevap and kofta, although some believe it is the same. The cevap is made just with meat and simple spices, like salt and pepper, while the kofta may have other seasonings and additions. The cevapi are always grilled and served with somun. The kofta can be served with other side dished and besides grilling simmered in sauce.

At first glance, the cevapi look like some simple dish, and they are simple—but that is their beauty. Sometimes, the best things in life come in a simple manner.

Cevapi in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina has the longest history of cevap making and no wonder there are varieties among the cities. Each bigger city or region has its own recipe. While Sarajevo cevapi are the best and most popular, we cannot ignore the cevapi from Banja Luka (cevapi cooked in a block of four cevap) or Travnicki cevapi (3-inch cevapi served in a portion of 20 with somun soaked in broth).

The Beautiful City of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina | Mirza Causevic

Some like to consider the cevapi as Bosnian fast food, but we are not sure if we can call it like that. Cevapi look simple and there is second-class aura floating around it. But the cevapi are made form the best cuts of the meat and the taste is anything but the second class.

Cevapi are an almost sinful dish and there are people who swore not to eat the meat of any kind, except cevapi. So, occasionally, some vegetarians break their cruelty-free diet and sit down to enjoy cevapi and their greasy juices in special restaurants called cevabdzinice.

Cevapi in Other Balkan Countries

Besides Bosnia and Herzegovina, cevapi can be found in some other countries like Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, and Bulgaria. The difference between these is in the meat producers use and the serving. While Bosnians make this dish with beef and lamb, the other tends to make it with beef and pork. It is almost impossible to found pork cevap in Bosnia as it is just not a way of making it.

As explained, Bosnians like to serve cevapi with somun and sometimes (according to someone’s personal taste) with chopped onion. Others, however,  serve cevapi with cabbage salad, ajvar (paprika relish), and another condiment that just mask the flavor of the cevap. Serving cevap with anything else besides chopped raw onion and a creamy delicacy called kajmak (a creamy dairy product similar to clotted cream) is just blasphemy.

Bosnian Cevapi Recipe: The Meat

The key to this Bosnian cevapi recipe is in the meat. You must have a decent (not to say excellent) meat cut from the beef. Choose soft parts of the beef like tenderloin or rib-eye steak. Besides beef, you need to get some nice cut of lamb and mix these two in proportion 2:1.

Still, before mixing the meat together, it needs to be properly ground. You can ask your butcher to grind meat for you, and if doing it alone, cut the meat into larger chunks then grind twice. The finer the meat you get, the better results you have, but it does not mean you have to grind it more than two times. Another important part is to use the fatty part of the lamb as the fat will give juiciness and turn your cevapi into a pure delicacy.

Cevapi Recipe, Preparing the Meat | Anela Tripkovic

If you get a lean part of the meat you can add some tallow in the meat and grind together. Once you have combined your beef and lamb, season it with nothing else than salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.

If you cannot find lamb, you can use only the beef, and in that case, go with fattier meat cuts.

Cover the meat with a plastic foil and refrigerate overnight. The salt and pepper will tenderize the meat and make it easier to shape.

The genuine Cevap recipe is something you cannot find. Even those living in the Sarajevo cannot guess the right recipe from their favorize cevabdzinica. Some people like to add breadcrumbs or stale bread to get the texture, and some like to add baking soda to get fluffy cevapi, but the closest way is just to use the meat that has rested overnight.

Preparing Cevapi Sausages | Anela Tripkovic

Grilling Cevapi

Once you are ready for grilling, shape the meat mixture into 2 ½-inch long fingers. Cevapi are long 2-inches after grilling because they shrink. So, going with 3-inches is just the right measure. To get them perfectly shaped, oil your hands plain sunflower oil.

Plate of Cevapi Sausages | Anela Tripkovic

You cannot grill cevapi over an electric grill. Of course, it is possible, but just not the right way to do it. A charcoal grill is the right one as cevapi soak up all those wonderful smoky flavors and aroma coming from the sizzling fat on the charcoal. It will just not taste the same.

Bosnian Cevapi Recipe: Grilled Sausages

Anela Tripkovic

Cevapi, Bosnian grilled sausages, are also popular in other Balkan countries. They are often served with Bosnian flatbread and chopped onions.

5 from 7 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Balkan, Bosnian, Eastern European

Servings 4 people

Calories 300 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 onions, chopped

Instructions

 

• Combine beef and lamb in a large bowl.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper and work it with your fingers.
• Cover the meat mixture with a plastic foil and refrigerate overnight.
• Set your charcoal grill. Make sure heat is medium.
• Shape the cevapi into 2 ½-inch long fingers (they should be thick like a thumb). For easy shaping oil your hands with sunflower oil.
• Brush your grill with oil.
• Set your cevapi onto grill rack. Grill the cevapi for 10 minutes in total, turning during the grilling time, until they are evenly cooked.

Notes

If you don't have somun, it is perfectly okay. Pita bread will do fine.

Nutrition

Serving: 0gCalories: 300kcalCarbohydrates: 0gProtein: 0gFat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0gMonounsaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgPotassium: 0mgFiber: 0gSugar: 0gVitamin A: 0IUVitamin C: 0mgCalcium: 0mgIron: 0mg

Keyword Bosnian sausages, Cevapi

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