Spiced dried beef sausage seasoned with garlic, cumin, fenugreek, and red pepper, air-dried to concentrated intensity. Armenian sujuk is sliced thin and eaten as meze or fried until the edges crisp for breakfast.
Ingredients
1 kg ground beef
6 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp hot paprika
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp fenugreek
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp allspice
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup red wine
Natural beef casings
Instructions
1Mix ground beef thoroughly with garlic, both paprikas, cumin, fenugreek, pepper, allspice, salt, and red wine.
2Cover and refrigerate the mixture for 24 hours to allow flavors to meld and develop.
3Rinse natural beef casings in cold water. Stuff the spiced meat tightly into casings, avoiding air pockets.
4Tie sausages into 15cm links. Pierce any visible air bubbles with a needle.
5Hang sausages in a cool, well-ventilated space for 1-2 weeks until firm and dried, with a dark mahogany color.
6Slice thin and eat raw as meze, or fry slices until edges crisp and serve with eggs for a hearty breakfast.
Did You Know?
Armenian sujuk was essential provisions for long journeys and trade caravans, providing concentrated protein that could last months without refrigeration in the mountain climate.