Romanian Mici Juicy Spiced Sausages (Printable)

Spiced ground meats shaped and grilled to tender perfection with a crisp finish.

# Ingredient List:

→ Meats

01 - 1.1 lb ground beef (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio)
02 - 0.66 lb ground pork
03 - 0.44 lb ground lamb (optional)

→ Aromatics & Spices

04 - 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
05 - 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
06 - 1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
07 - 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
08 - 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
09 - 1 tsp dried thyme
10 - 1 tsp baking soda
11 - 2 tsp salt

→ Liquids

12 - 6.8 fl oz cold beef stock or sparkling water

→ Optional

13 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil (for shaping and grilling)

# How to Make:

01 - In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the ground beef, pork, and lamb until evenly mixed.
02 - Add minced garlic, smoked paprika, black pepper, coriander, cumin, thyme, baking soda, and salt; mix until evenly distributed.
03 - Gradually pour in cold beef stock or sparkling water while kneading the mixture for 5 minutes until sticky and cohesive.
04 - Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, preferably overnight, to allow flavors to develop.
05 - With lightly oiled hands, form the mixture into small cylinders approximately 3 to 4 inches long and 0.8 inches in diameter.
06 - Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate to prevent sticking.
07 - Cook mici for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning to evenly brown all surfaces until fully cooked and crisp on the outside.
08 - Serve hot, traditionally accompanied by mustard and fresh bread.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They're grilled to crispy-outside, juicy-inside perfection—the kind of textural contrast that keeps you reaching for another.
  • One batch feeds a crowd without fussing over plating or sauces because they're already complete.
  • Your kitchen will smell like a Romanian street fair, which isn't a small thing.
02 -
  • The baking soda is not a typo—it's what separates mediocre mici from ones that taste like they came from a Bucharest grill stand, so don't leave it out thinking it's optional.
  • The mixture needs to be cold before shaping, and your hands need to be cold too, otherwise the fat starts to soften and everything becomes impossible to work with.
  • These absolutely must be grilled, not baked; baking gives you cooked meat, but grilling gives you the crispy char that defines the whole experience.
03 -
  • If your mixture feels too wet after adding the stock, let it refrigerate for 30 minutes first—sometimes the meat absorbs the liquid and firms up on its own before you even shape.
  • The sparkling water trick is real; the bubbles create tiny pockets that keep things impossibly juicy, so if you have a choice, use it instead of beef stock.
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