Bosnian Grilled Minced-Meat Rolls (Ćevapi)
Ћевапи ĆevapiSay it: CHEH-vah-pee
Ćevapi carry the smell of a Bosnian grill at dusk: small, succulent beef-and-lamb fingers with a crisp, smoky crust, stacked in warm somun with sharp raw onion and rich kajmak. The mixture is best when planned ahead—salt first, garlic water, a long cold rest, then a few hours at room temperature before shaping—so the texture stays loose and juicy instead of compact. Keep the seasoning lean and let the meat and fire lead.
Bosnian Grilled Minced-Meat Rolls (Ćevapi)
Ћевапи, Ćevapi
Pronounced CHEH-vah-pee
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the ćevapi
To serve
Method
Toss the cubed beef and lamb with the salt in a wide bowl until every surface is seasoned; leave it out while you make the garlic water.
Boil the garlic cloves in the water in a small pan, then take the pan off the heat and leave it until fully cold. Stir this liquid into the salted meat, seal the bowl, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or overnight.
After chilling, remove and discard the garlic cloves. Mince the meat in batches through a medium-fine grinder plate, or pulse it until it looks like coarse tartare rather than a paste. Scrape it back into the bowl, cover, and let it stand at room temperature for 4–5 hours.
Scatter the baking soda over the rested meat and knead with wet hands for 2–3 minutes, until the mixture turns tacky and slightly sticky.
Using wet hands, form about 30 finger-sized rolls, each roughly 3 in (7.5 cm) long and ¾ in (2 cm) thick, and set them on a tray as you work.
Set a charcoal grill for high, direct heat, or heat a cast-iron griddle until very hot; lightly oil the grate or griddle.
Cook the ćevapi in batches, rotating them every minute or two, for 6–8 minutes total, until browned all over and just done. Never press them down.
Warm and split the somun, fill each with 5 ćevapi per person, top generously with raw onion and a spoonful of kajmak, and serve straight away.
Regional variant: Banjalučki ćevapi (Banja Luka-style joined squares)
Use beef alone (about 2 lb / 900 g) and skip the lamb. Season it the same way, then, after the final rest, press the mixture into one square made of four connected rolls instead of separate fingers. Brown both flat sides of the square; serve with somun, onion and kajmak, and offer ajvar if wanted.
Cook's notes
- Wet hands and a wet bowl stop the sticky mixture from clinging during shaping.
- Avoid working the meat into a paste; a coarse chop before kneading keeps the rolls juicy.
- Charcoal gives the best flavour; indoors, use a cast-iron griddle heated until smoking.
Serve with
Warm somun flatbread, raw onion, kajmak or clotted cream; ajvar on the side if desired.
Make ahead and storage
Uncooked shaped ćevapi can be kept covered in the fridge overnight; cooked ones keep for 2 days chilled and reheat well on a hot griddle.
Questions cooks ask
What is ćevapi made of?
Ćevapi are made from 1⅔ lb (750 g) beef chuck or round and 9 oz (250 g) lamb shoulder or leg, both cut into 2 in (5 cm) cubes. The meat is seasoned with 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, garlic water made from 2 garlic cloves and 3½ tablespoons (50 ml) water, and 1 teaspoon baking soda.
How long do ćevapi take to cook?
Cook ćevapi on a charcoal grill set for high, direct heat or on a very hot cast-iron griddle. Cook them in batches, rotating every minute or two, for 6–8 minutes total, until browned all over and just done. Never press them down during cooking.
What is ćevapi served with?
Ćevapi are served in warm, split somun flatbreads, with 5 ćevapi per person, topped generously with raw onion and a spoonful of kajmak or clotted cream. Ajvar can be offered on the side if desired. Serve them straight away.
How long can ćevapi stay in the fridge?
Uncooked shaped ćevapi can be kept covered in the fridge overnight. Cooked ćevapi keep for 2 days chilled and reheat well on a hot griddle. Separately, the salted meat mixture is refrigerated for at least 12 hours or overnight before grinding.
