Cookbook:Bulgarian Fresh Sausage (Kebapcheta)

Ingredients

 * 1 kg minced meat (approximately 60% pork + 40% beef)
 * Salt to taste
 * ½ teaspoon cumin
 * ½ teaspoon black pepper
 * 2–3 tablespoons water

Procedure

 * 1) Salt the meat, and mix well with spices and water.
 * 2) Cover, and let stand in the refrigerator for 1–2 days. This is the most important and tricky part of the recipe, as the goal is to allow the meat to ferment.
 * 3) Form mixture into oblong rissoles (skinless sausages) by passing through a grinder with a funnel at the end.
 * 4) Grill sausages on medium-high heat. Do not flip more than once when grilling—flipping multiple times will produce a dry instead of juicy product.
 * 5) Serve hot with your choice of sides. They are best with golden French fries and cold beer.

Notes, tips, and variations

 * If the minced meat is very lean, modify the ratio to 75% pork + 25% beef—otherwise the kepabcheta will be dry. The target fat content should be about 30% fat, like a US style burger.
 * Kebapche does not contain onion, which is found in the related dish called Kyufte.
 * When the meat is well fermented, the cooked product looks puffed (compare to a Walmart burger, which shrinks when cooked).