Leskovac Mixed Grill Platter (Leskovački voz)
Лесковачки воз Leskovački vozSay it: les-KOH-vahch-kee VOHZ
Leskovački voz, 'the Leskovac train', is the showpiece mixed grill of southern Serbia's barbecue heartland. A long wooden board is lined with warm flatbread and loaded, carriage by carriage, with ćevapi, a pljeskavica, pork neck steaks and sausages, all grilled over charcoal. It arrives with kajmak, ajvar and raw onion and smells of smoke and sweet pepper. The meat is juicy with charred edges, the bread soaks up the juices, and everyone eats from the same board — Serbian hospitality at its most generous.
Leskovac Mixed Grill Platter (Leskovački voz)
Лесковачки воз, Leskovački voz
Pronounced les-KOH-vahch-kee VOHZ
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- 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 and pljeskavica
For the grill
To serve
Method
Put the ground beef, ground pork, grated onion, garlic, 1 1/2 tsp salt, pepper, baking soda and mineral water in a large bowl. Knead vigorously for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is sticky and pulls cleanly away from the sides, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
With damp hands, shape two-thirds of the meat mixture into 12 finger-thick ćevapi, each about 3 inches (8 cm) long, and press the rest into one pljeskavica about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) thick. Keep them cold until grilling.
Pat the pork neck steaks dry, rub them with the 1 tbsp oil and season with the remaining 1 tsp salt and a little pepper. Have the pricked sausages, pepper halves and tomato halves ready on a tray.
Heat a charcoal grill or a heavy grill pan over medium-high heat until lightly smoking, then brush the grates with oil. Grill the pork neck steaks for 4–5 minutes per side, until deeply browned with clear char lines and just cooked through, then set aside to rest.
Grill the sausages for 10–12 minutes, turning often, until evenly browned and firm to the touch. Grill the peppers and tomatoes cut side down for 8–10 minutes, until softened and blistered at the edges, and set aside.
Grill the ćevapi for 3–4 minutes per side, until dark golden and springy when pressed, and the pljeskavica for 5–6 minutes per side, until charred outside and juicy within. Move everything to a warm plate as it comes off the grill.
Warm the flatbreads on the grill for about 30 seconds per side, until soft and lightly toasted at the edges.
Line a large wooden board or platter with the flatbreads and pile the ćevapi, pljeskavica, pork neck steaks, sausages, peppers and tomatoes on top. Spoon over the kajmak and ajvar, scatter with sliced onion and parsley, and serve at once.
Regional variants
Some grill houses add chicken fillets, pork ribs or a lamb chop to the platter, and in summer the peppers and tomatoes are grilled right alongside the meat. At home, a heavy cast-iron grill pan gives good results when charcoal is not an option.
Cook's notes
- Rest the meat mixture in the fridge for at least 2 hours (overnight is better) so the ćevapi hold together and stay juicy on the grill.
- Keep the grill at a steady medium-high heat: too hot and the sausages and pljeskavica char before the middle cooks, too cool and the meat steams instead of searing.
- Warm the board and flatbreads before piling on the meat so the bread soaks up the juices without going soggy.
Serve with
Warm flatbread, sliced raw onion, kajmak and ajvar, with a cold beer or a glass of Prokupac red wine.
Make ahead and storage
The ćevapi mixture can be mixed and refrigerated up to 24 hours ahead; shape and grill the meats just before serving. Leftovers keep 2 days refrigerated and reheat well in a hot pan.
