Romanian Juicy Spiced Rolls (Print View)

Tender spiced ground meat rolls grilled to perfection with a crisp exterior and juicy interior.

# Components:

→ Meats

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

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, thoroughly mix ground beef, pork, and lamb.
02 - Incorporate garlic, smoked paprika, black pepper, coriander, cumin, thyme, baking soda, and salt. Mix evenly.
03 - Gradually add cold beef stock or sparkling water while kneading the mixture for five minutes until sticky and well blended.
04 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, to develop flavors.
05 - With lightly oiled hands, form the mixture into finger-sized cylinders approximately 3–4 inches long and 0.8 inches thick.
06 - Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates.
07 - Cook mici for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning to brown all sides until cooked through and crisp on the outside.
08 - Serve hot, traditionally accompanied by mustard and fresh bread.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're crispy on the outside and impossibly juicy inside—no dry sausage disappointments here.
  • The spice blend is bold without being aggressive, and somehow tastes even better the next day.
  • You can make a batch on Sunday and grill them all week for quick dinners or late-night snacks.
  • They're naturally gluten-free and feel fancy enough to serve at a dinner party, casual enough for a weeknight.
02 -
  • The baking soda is not a typo—it's the secret to keeping the mici tender and preventing them from becoming dense, so don't skip it or substitute it with anything else.
  • Cold stock matters more than you'd think; room temperature or warm stock will start cooking the meat too early and make everything heavy and compressed.
  • The refrigeration step isn't optional—rushing this means the flavors haven't melded and you'll end up with mici that taste like separate ingredients instead of one cohesive bite.
  • Don't flip them constantly on the grill; let each side develop a proper crust before moving them around, or you'll lose all that beautiful browning.
03 -
  • If your mici are falling apart on the grill, the mixture probably needed more kneading time or the stock was too warm when you added it—go back to a batch left in the fridge and try again.
  • Invest in good smoked paprika; it's the difference between a good mici and one that people remember, and it costs only a few dollars more than the regular kind.
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