The following is from BTSC regular Steel Canuck who’s spearheading a pretty awesome project. Check it out:
Hopefully, you’re aware that, a few weeks ago, Jeff posted an article about creating the ultimate Steelers Fan Guide (LINK HERE). One idea for part of the fan guide was a ‘cookbook’. This cookbook would be a conglomeration of go-to gameday eats highlighted by awesome tailgating food. I offered to champion the cookbook, as my love of food is bested only by my love of family. Food is right up there with my love of 80’s hairbands, the Montreal Canadiens and, of course, our beloved Steelers.
This post aims to generate serious and not so serious talk about what food you eat on gameday. I’m sure that many of you have specific go-to items that your family and friends rave about. This week I’m asking for your recipe for your favorite, go-to gameday food. This recipe can be suitable for home or tailgating. So please, give up that secret for those killer Atomic Buffalo Turds, Uncle Mike's Pulled Pork, Mac n Cheese or Dads Firehouse Chili.
On that note, I give you my homemade Cevapcici recipe.
Cevapcici is essentially the Balkans version of a skinless sausage or a hamburger-like hot dog. They’re truly a little gift from God. My heritage is Croatian but my father was very careful to raise us Canadian and leave the politics (and the trouble associated with that) back in Croatia. The downside to this was that, when growing up, I didn’t experience much of the culture or foods of my forefathers. But I was fortunate enough to come across these bad boys at a friend’s parents’ barbecue years ago. Fast forward to my marriage, the birth of my kids and the natural questions about their grandparents. Given my love of food, I thought what a great way to introduce them to their heritage.
Homemade Cevapcici
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 large finely grated onion
- ¾ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 5 large cloves of garlic freshly minced (about 3 medium cloves)
- 1 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 3 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Directions
In a large bowl, mix together beef, lamb, pork, onion, parsley, garlic, paprika, salt, pepper, and baking soda by hand until thoroughly combined. Mix well but, try not to over mix or to pound the meat together. Let the mixture sit, covered, as long as overnight to allow the spices to marinate the meat (the garlic will really benefit from this).
Form meat mixture into finger-length sausages 3/4-inch in diameter (before forming I always fry up a small sample to ensure these bad boys are seasoned properly and adjust seasoning if necessary).
Grill sausages over medium-high, direct heat until well browned on all sides and just cooked through, about 8 minutes total. Remove onto a plate and cover loosely with tin foil. Let rest for 5 minutes and then serve immediately.
Serve them on a pita bread smothered in Avjar (a sweet pepper sauce) topped with thinly-sliced, sweet onion, tomato slices and lettuce and have a wonderful dinner or lunch. Alternatively, serve it as stand-alone appetizers and watch your family and friends quickly line up for more.
A FEW THINGS ABOUT THE RECIPE
I recommend getting fresh, local lamb as the New Zealand stuff is pretty bland.
I HIGHLY recommend getting local garlic and NOT using the bagged stuff from China. I find the mass produced stuff cannot hold a candle to the local stuff.
As noted in the recipe, making your mixture the night before and letting it sit gives you a much more flavorful end result.