Mici
Mititei: Romanian skinless grilled sausages of beef, lamb and garlic
Every Romanian park, beer garden and May Day picnic smells of mici, the little skinless rolls of minced beef and lamb that sizzle on charcoal grills from Bucharest's Obor market to the Black Sea coast. The mince is beaten with garlic, thyme, a strong beef stock and a little bicarbonate of soda, which makes them springy and juicy inside with a crusty outside. They come in tens, with plenty of mustard, fresh bread and sometimes chips. The usual error is cooking them straight after mixing: the mince needs a night in the fridge for the bicarbonate and garlic to work. Chef's tip: shape them with oiled hands on an oiled tray, and grill them no thicker than your thumb so the middle cooks before the outside burns.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the mici
To serve
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 1 ½ lb beef mince and 10 ½ oz lamb mince in a large bowl with 6 garlic cloves, 2 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp sweet paprika, ½ tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp ground allspice, 1 tsp ground black pepper and 2 tsp salt.
Step 2: Dissolve 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda in half of the stock and pour it over the meat. Knead with your hand for 5 minutes, adding the rest of ¾ cup cold beef stock a little at a time, until the mixture is very soft, sticky and pale.
5 minStep 3: Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight. Never leave it out at room temperature while it rests.
480 minStep 4: Rub a tray and your hands with some of 1 tbsp sunflower oil. Shape the cold mixture into rolls 10 cm long and 2.5 cm thick (about 18). Chill on the tray for 20 minutes so they hold together on the grill.
20 minStep 5: Heat a charcoal grill or ridged griddle pan until very hot, then brush with the rest of 1 tbsp sunflower oil. Grill the mici for 10–12 minutes, turning every 2–3 minutes, until browned all over and firm.
12 minStep 6: Check one: the middle should be juicy with no pink, and 160°F on a thermometer. Rest for 2 minutes, then serve hot with 6 tbsp mustard and fresh bread (gluten-free if needed).
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mici take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of bicarbonate of soda?
- Baking powder, three times the amount (the bake may taste slightly different).
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