A flat, dry-cured beef sausage seasoned with cumin, black pepper, and chubritsa, pressed into its distinctive flattened shape and air-dried for weeks until firm and intensely flavorful.
Ingredients
1kg lean beef, coarsely ground
300g beef fat, finely diced
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tsp dried chubritsa (savory)
1/2 tsp saltpeter (curing salt)
Natural beef casings
Instructions
1Coarsely grind the lean beef. Finely dice the beef fat by hand for a more interesting texture than grinding.
2Mix the ground beef and diced fat with salt, cumin, black pepper, chubritsa, and curing salt. Knead thoroughly.
3Stuff the seasoned meat into natural beef casings, packing tightly and tying off at about 30cm lengths.
4Press the stuffed sausages between two flat boards with heavy weights for 24 hours to achieve the characteristic flat shape.
5Hang in a cool, well-ventilated space (10-15C) for 40-60 days. A white mold bloom on the surface is normal and desirable.
6When firm and the surface feels dry, the lukanka is ready. Slice very thinly on a diagonal and serve as meze with cheese and wine.
Did You Know?
The town of Smyadovo claims to make the best lukanka in Bulgaria and holds an annual festival celebrating this dry-cured specialty.