MITTITEI (Grilled Romanian
Hamburger)
 
2 lbs. lean ground beef
2 tsp. finely chopped garlic
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. crumbled dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c. beef stock, fresh or canned
Vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients except oil in a deep bowl. Knead vigorously with both hands until ingredients are well blended. Then pour in the stock and beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Taste for seasoning. Divide the mixture into 18 equal portions and roll each one into a cylinder about 3 1/2 inches long and 1 inch thick, moistening your hands with cold water as you proceed.

Grill or broil on the highest setting about 3 inches from the heat for about 8 minutes, turning them with a spatula or tongs every few minutes until they are crisp and brown on all sides.

recipe reviews
Mittitei (Grilled Romanian Hamburger)
 #43702
 Me, myself and I (Romania) says:
I dunno, but I'd never associate this with hamburgers. Its origins are Turkish, although so much changed that turks would never recognize it.

Traditionally, the meat is of several sorts (beef, pork, sheep - never lamb, and, if available, about 1/8 of the total meat should be horse or donkey - slaughtered of old age, not specifically for the meat, young meat of these animals doesn't contribute the right way to the flavor).

Also traditionally, in order to obtain a nicer texture, you should chop the meat, not grind it. Grinding presses the juices out, and leaves the meat with a saucy texture, but that's not the real thing anymore.

Allspice ... cannot be. This must be a modern and foreign addition in your recipe.

You should leave the meat mixture overnight in the fridge to have the spices' flavors invade the meat. You can afterwards taste the difference.
This can be a healthy dish. Broiling them in oil turns them into an unhealthy one. So you should never broil them, and not grill them on the highest setting. And definitely not until they are crisp, but just until they feel like a rare or medium done steak. Being minced or chopped meat, they're close to being burnt if you grill them until they're crisp. By loosing fat, they become somewhat spongy during grilling, and need not be feeling like well done before they are really done.

Also, try not to turn them that often - turning them once only is ideal. You risk breaking them and spreading the minced/chopped meat all over the grill. When you place them on the grill, they will instantly stick to it. They are rare the moment they un-stick themselves (due to the melting fat), so you shouldn't turn them before that.

 

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