Balkan Burger
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You don’t have to know how to pronounce it to enjoy eating it. Pljeskavica. If this long, meandering string of letters makes you stutter, just clap your hands, because that’s what Pljeskavica means – the sound of hands clapping as the “Balkan burger” patties are formed. And this is not just a big word. This is big food. This is the original “super-size.” Not only are the patties large enough to cover a small plate, they contain as many as 6 cuts of meat from three different animals. Everyone has their variation and you’ll typically find beef, lamb, and pork (for non-Muslims) in every bite. The entire animal is fair game. You can’t help but smile as your mouth stretches open with every bite. While each region (country, town, family, person!) has their own variation, most chow down on pljeskavica with a knife and fork. More recently, tucking the patty inside lepina, or thick pita bread with onion and tomato, is gaining popularity. Either way, don’t forget to slather each bite with roasted ajvar spread!
Servings Prep Time
6-8 people 20 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
6-8 minutes 2-8 hours
Servings Prep Time
6-8 people 20 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
6-8 minutes 2-8 hours
Balkan Burger
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
You don’t have to know how to pronounce it to enjoy eating it. Pljeskavica. If this long, meandering string of letters makes you stutter, just clap your hands, because that’s what Pljeskavica means – the sound of hands clapping as the “Balkan burger” patties are formed. And this is not just a big word. This is big food. This is the original “super-size.” Not only are the patties large enough to cover a small plate, they contain as many as 6 cuts of meat from three different animals. Everyone has their variation and you’ll typically find beef, lamb, and pork (for non-Muslims) in every bite. The entire animal is fair game. You can’t help but smile as your mouth stretches open with every bite. While each region (country, town, family, person!) has their own variation, most chow down on pljeskavica with a knife and fork. More recently, tucking the patty inside lepina, or thick pita bread with onion and tomato, is gaining popularity. Either way, don’t forget to slather each bite with roasted ajvar spread!
Servings Prep Time
6-8 people 20 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
6-8 minutes 2-8 hours
Servings Prep Time
6-8 people 20 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
6-8 minutes 2-8 hours
Ingredients
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 lb ground pork sausage
  • 1 lb ground lamb
  • 1/2 small onions , minced
  • 2 cloves garlic , grated
  • 1 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 cup carbonated wter
Accompaniments
  • tomatoes
  • onions
  • ajvar
  • pita bread
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Next, combine the three meats (I love the added extra spicy oomph that comes with using ground pork sausage, instead of just plain ground pork)
  2. Use your hands to mix in the onion, garlic, paprika, salt, pepper, and bubbly water. Just like laughter helps lighten the mood, bubbly water helps lighten the Balkan Burger’s texture. Cover and refrigerate a few hours or overnight.
  3. Cook the patties on a hot grill (3-4 minutes per side for medium rare, or to desired doneness).
  4. Serve with a happy mountain of sliced tomatoes, onions, ajvar and soft pita bread (unless you can find the more traditional lepina).