A dry, dense fermented sausage of ground beef or beef-and-lamb packed with garlic, cumin, fenugreek, paprika and allspice, stuffed into casings and air-dried until firm and flattened. Sliced thin as a meze or pan-fried until the fat sizzles. Intensely spiced and a fixture of the Armenian appetizer table.
The Armenian version of sujuk, a dry fermented sausage found across the Balkans, the Caucasus, the Middle East and Central Asia; yershig is a long-standing staple of Armenian charcuterie eaten cold or fried.
Firm and chewy with a garlicky, cumin-heavy punch and a tangy edge from the fermentation. Fried, it turns juicy and crisp at the edges, with melting beads of spiced fat. Bold, salty and unmistakably savory.
Fermentation and air-drying lower moisture and acidify the meat, preserving it and building tangy depth. Pressing the sausage flat speeds even drying and gives the characteristic shape.
Variations
Beef-only or beef-lamb blends, spicier versions with extra chili, fried with eggs, simmered into bean stews
On the Palate
Where Yershig (Armenian Sujuk) sits in the Armenian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 10
How it's made
7 steps · 45 min
- 115 min
Grind beef and a little lamb fat together, keeping everything very cold.
Watch outKeep the meat and fat near-frozen while grinding — if the fat warms and smears, the sausage turns greasy and won't dry cleanly.
- 25 min
Mix in crushed garlic, ground cumin, sumac, paprika, salt and a curing salt.
- 3480 min
Knead the spiced meat thoroughly until sticky, then chill overnight to develop flavor.
- 420 min
Stuff the mixture firmly into natural casings, pricking out any air pockets.
Watch outStuff firmly and prick out every air pocket — trapped air spoils and leaves hollow, moldy spots as it dries.
- 510 min
Tie into links or loops and press flat between boards to shape.
- 628800 min
Hang in a cool, airy place to ferment and dry for two to four weeks until firm.
Watch outIt's ready when firm all the way through with a tangy smell and no soft spot — a squishy center means it's still raw inside.
- 78 min
Slice thinly to serve as a cold meze, or pan-fry slices over medium heat until browned and the fat renders.
