Bulgarian Fried Meat Patties (Kyufte)
Кюфте / кюфтета kyufte / kyuftetaSay it: KYOOF-teh / kyuf-TEH-tah
Kyufte appear at Bulgarian home meals, grill restaurants and street counters, usually eaten hot from the pan. The patties taste of onion, parsley, cumin and savory, with a soft middle and a browned crust. A 20-minute chill makes the mixture easier to shape, so the recipe fits neatly into a make-ahead cooking plan.
Bulgarian Fried Meat Patties (Kyufte)
Кюфте / кюфтета, kyufte / kyufteta
Pronounced KYOOF-teh / kyuf-TEH-tah
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 1 hr 5 min
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the patties
For frying
Method
Put the bread pieces in a small bowl, cover with the milk, and leave for 5 minutes until fully softened. Gently press out extra milk, then throw away the liquid.
In a big bowl, mix the pork, beef, softened bread, onion, egg, parsley, salt, pepper, cumin, savory, and rakia if you are using it. Use your hands to work everything for 3–4 minutes; the blend should become smooth, tacky, and begin to separate from the bowl.
Cover and chill for 20 minutes so the seasoning spreads through the meat and the mix firms up for shaping.
Cut the mixture into 12 even pieces. Roll each one into a ball, then press it into a round about 2 1/2 inches (6 cm) across and 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) high; an oval shape is also traditional.
Put the flour on a plate. Give every patty a thin coat, tapping off loose flour.
Add oil to a deep skillet to a depth of about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) and warm over medium-high heat until it shimmers or reaches 340°F (170°C). A small scrap of the meat mix should bubble at once when dropped in.
Fry in batches, leaving room between patties, for 3–4 minutes on each side. Turn them once and continue until they are deep golden and cooked through, reaching 160°F/71°C at the center.
Let the kyufte rest on paper towels for 1–2 minutes, then serve while hot.
Regional variant: Grilled kyufte (kyufte na skara)
Prepare the same meat mixture, but skip the flour coating. Press the patties to about 1/3 inch (8 mm) thick and lightly oil both sides. Cook over medium-high charcoal or on a ridged griddle for 3–4 minutes per side, until marked with char and just cooked through. This smoky style is the classic summer version at Bulgarian grill restaurants.
Cook's notes
- Work the meat mixture long enough to make it tacky; that texture helps the patties stay moist and hold together instead of splitting in the pan.
- Keep the skillet uncrowded. Cook in batches and let the oil come back up to heat between batches so the outside browns properly.
- For a lighter cooking method, arrange the shaped patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20–25 minutes, turning them over halfway.
Serve with
Bring them to the table hot with shopska salad, French fries or rustic potato salad, lutenitsa, pickled green chillies, and a cold Bulgarian beer.
Make ahead and storage
The raw meat mixture can be covered and kept in the fridge for up to 1 day; form and fry the patties shortly before serving. Once cooked, kyufte stay good in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be warmed in a 350°F (175°C) oven.
