Juicy Cypriot minced-meat parcels wrapped in caul fat and grilled until smoky, browned and crisp at the edges.
Sheftalia are a classic Cypriot grill specialty. Rather than using a sausage casing, seasoned minced meat is wrapped in caul fat, which bastes the filling as it renders over charcoal and creates the characteristic juicy texture.
- Prep
- 40 minutes
- Cook
- 15 minutes
- Total
- 55 minutes
- Serves
- 6
- Cuisine
- Cypriot
- Course
- Main Dish
The recipe
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Before you start
Mix the meat lightly with onion, parsley and seasoning, shape into compact cylinders, wrap each one in a single layer of caul fat and grill over charcoal or high direct heat until browned and fully cooked.
Ingredients
Quantities change with servings; cooking times stay the same.
Equipment
- Charcoal grill or grill pan paid link
- Mixing bowl paid link
- Chef’s knife paid link
- Cutting board paid link
- Tongs paid link
Method
-
Soak caul fat in cold water for 20 minutes, rinse well and drain. Spread carefully on a board and cut into pieces large enough to wrap each sausage.
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Combine pork, lamb, onion, parsley, salt, pepper and optional cinnamon. Mix only until evenly distributed.
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Divide into 18 portions and shape each into a short sausage about 8 cm long.
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Place each portion on caul fat and roll once, folding in the sides. Trim excess membrane; the caul fat should form a neat single covering rather than a thick layer.
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Heat a charcoal grill or grill pan to medium-high. Cook sheftalia for 12 to 15 minutes, turning regularly, until deeply browned and fully cooked through.
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Warm pita briefly on the grill.
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Serve sheftalia in or beside pita with lemon, sliced onion, tomato, cucumber and parsley.
Chef’s notes
- Caul fat tears easily; keep it cool and handle gently.
- Do not overmix the filling or the texture becomes dense.
- Turn frequently enough to render the caul fat gradually without burning it.
Tips and variations
- Charcoal gives the most characteristic smoky flavor.
- Some Cypriot recipes use pork alone or different pork-and-lamb ratios; use well-marbled meat for juiciness.
- Rest the shaped sheftalia in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before grilling if the caul fat feels very soft.
Serve with
Serve hot with pita, lemon, raw onion, parsley, tomato and cucumber. They are also commonly enjoyed as part of a Cypriot souvla or mixed-grill meal.
Storage
Shape and wrap sheftalia up to 1 day ahead and keep refrigerated. Cooked sheftalia can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated thoroughly.
Nutrition per serving (estimated)
- 560 kcal
- Calories
- 38 g
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbohydrates
- 32 g
- Fat
Allergens
The sheftalia mixture itself contains no major allergens. Pita contains gluten; check commercial bread for sesame and other allergens.
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Questions
What is caul fat?
Caul fat is the delicate lacy membrane surrounding the internal organs of an animal. It melts during grilling and bastes the meat.
Can sheftalia be baked?
They can be roasted at high heat, but grilling—preferably over charcoal—produces the traditional smoky exterior and better rendering.
