Barbequed Sausages
Submitted by Steve0
Sheftalia are traditional Cypriot barbequed sausages: ground pork and veal seasoned with onion and parsley, wrapped in caul fat, and grilled over charcoal until the caul melts into the meat.
YIELD
50 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
15 minREADY
45 minThese are sheftalia, the Cypriot answer to the supermarket sausage, and they are infinitely better. Ground pork and veal (or lamb) get seasoned simply with chopped onion, parsley, and salt, then wrapped in panna, the lacy caul fat that surrounds a pig’s stomach. The caul melts as the sausages cook, basting the meat from the inside and adding rich, savory flavor that you can’t get any other way.
Finding caul fat is the hard part of this recipe. Ask a good butcher, especially one who works with whole animals, or a Greek or Cypriot market. Soak it briefly in warm water to make it pliable enough to roll without tearing.
Don’t overpack the meat mixture. A loose, tablespoon-sized log lets the seasoning distribute evenly and produces a tender sausage. Compact meatballs turn dense and rubbery on the grill.
Cook over glowing coals, not flaming wood. Sheftalia need a moderate heat to cook through without burning the outside. The caul is high in fat and will flare aggressively if you let drips hit live flame. Keep a small bottle of water nearby for flare control.
Thread onto flat sword skewers, not round ones. Round skewers let the sausages spin when you flip them, which is maddening.
Chef Tips
- Chill the wrapped sausages 30 minutes before grilling. Cold caul holds shape better on the grill.
- Turn frequently, about every 90 seconds. Even cooking keeps the outside browning evenly without scorching.
- Serve in warm pita bread with chopped tomato, onion, and a squeeze of lemon.
- The recipe scales beautifully for parties. Freeze raw wrapped sausages and grill from thawed.
Variations
- Swap veal for ground lamb for a more traditional Cypriot taste.
- Add a teaspoon of dried mint to the meat mixture for an herbal note.
- Stir in a half teaspoon of ground cumin and the zest of a lemon for a Middle Eastern lean.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine pork with veal or lamb, onion, parsley, salt and a generous grinding of black pepper.
Dip panna into a bowl of warm water for a minute or two, remove and carefully open out a piece at a time, laying it out flat on work surface.
Cut with kitchen scissors into pieces about 10 cm (4 inches) square.
Take a good tablespoon of meat mixture and shape into a thick sausage about 5 cm (2 inches) long.
Place towards one edge of piece of panna, fold end and sides over meat and roll up firmly.
Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Thread sausages on flat sword-like skewers, leaving space between them.
Number on each skewer depends on their length.
Cook over glowing charcoal, turning frequently.
Do not place too close to heat as sheftalia must cook fairly slowly so that the inside is well cooked and the outside nicely browned without being burnt.
The panna melts during cooking, keeping the meat moist and adding flavour.
Excessive flaring of fire can be controlled by a sprinkle of water on the coals.
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