Small like in Buzau
Mititei, or Romanian sausages, are an essential delicacy at festive meals, especially on May 1st, when everything seems to become more festive. Spreading an inviting aroma, they are a perfect choice for any barbecue, whether you are by the water or in your own backyard. The recipe below will allow you to create delicious mititei at home, just as good as those from Buzău.
Ingredients:
- 1 kg ground beef
- 500 g ground pork
- 200 ml mineral water
- 100 g garlic (about 10 cloves)
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon or lime zest
- 1/2 cup red wine
Preparation:
Start by finely chopping the garlic, then place it in a large bowl. Add the ground beef and pork, mixing well to combine evenly. Add the salt, pepper, paprika, and thyme, continuing to mix. Including baking soda will help achieve a fluffy texture, while the mineral water will add juiciness.
To enhance the flavor, add the red wine and lemon or lime juice. These ingredients not only enrich the taste but also help tenderize the meat. Mix everything well until you obtain a homogeneous mixture. It is important to let the mixture rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, but ideally overnight. This allows the flavors to develop and penetrate the meat.
After the mixture has rested in the refrigerator, form the mititei. You can make them small, about 70-80 grams, being careful to give them an elongated shape. Make sure not to make them too large, so they cook evenly on the grill.
Preheat the grill and, when ready, brush it with a little oil to prevent sticking. Place the mititei on the grill and cook them over medium heat, turning them occasionally to achieve even browning and an appetizing crust.
When the mititei are well browned and have an inviting aroma, they are ready to serve. You can accompany them with mustard, fresh bread, and a cabbage salad, and the taste will be truly savory. Now, you can enjoy a delicious meal, bringing Romanian tradition and flavors directly to your table whenever you crave a memorable culinary experience.
The meat is minced using a medium sieve machine. From broken beef bones, a thick, normally salted broth is made. The garlic is crushed well and brought to a boil in a little bone broth. It is strained and left to cool down. The kneading begins, which must be done with a lot of patience and responsibility, during which we add the broth little by little until it is incorporated. The resulting paste must be homogeneous, the meat should not be granular and well-bound. Approximately 1/4 of the amount of broth should be added to the amount of minced meat. At the end, seasonings are adjusted, and baking soda dissolved in broth is added. The mixture for mici should not have any liquid leakage, as this indicates insufficient kneading. The use of paprika is not recommended, as it changes the taste. For one kilogram of minced meat, 50g of garlic is used. When the kneading is sufficient, the paste is left to marinate in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, without being frozen, at a temperature of 3-5 degrees. After at least 24 hours of marinating, it is passed through a thick funnel and portioned to the width of the palm, then placed on a platter that should be greased with oil. While handling the mici, the palms should be moistened with bone broth or cold water. They are cooked over charcoal, not too hot, so that the mici are cooked through and not charred. Mici are served with good cheer and friends, hot, with mustard or French fries.
Ingredients: beef neck, the same amount of pork neck, bone broth, garlic soup, baking soda, thyme or allspice and ground coriander, salt
