Do you love makanek? These Lebanese-style mini-sausages that are part of the mezze spread in every Lebanese restaurant, are sauteed with a bit of oil and cooked in their own juices, seasoned with lemon juice and finished with a generous drizzle of pomegranate molasses, providing the makanek with a thick, terrific brown gravy — a satisfying appetizer or meal served in a bowl accompanied with Lebanese bread. Watch the detailed video below.

Is it too tough to make makanek at home? No, it is not! It may take a few attempts but it is totally doable at home.

Busy cooks in Lebanon usually buy makanek from their local butcheries encased and hanged in strings ready to be cooked in a skillet at any minute, including the last minute. But how about learning the procedure of stuffing makanek into casings? I believe that it’s a highly respected culinary art and a safe food to make and consume at home because of the added effect of salt and vinegar. Makanek in their raw stage can be can be refrigerate and consumed within 3 days or alternatively, freeze for 3 months. In this post I have provided you with two ways to make makanek, one with casings, which is the classic and professional form, or a shortcut made with naked makanek where no casing is involved, yes less tedious, not as good looking as the original, but the taste is still good. It is totally up to you to choose either way the:  professional or the novice version.

What goes with the minced meat to make makanek?

Soak the casings for 1 hour in cold water and a few drops of vinegar, then rinse them out completely under running water. Work with them while they are still wet. It is easier to control.

Prepare the mixture.

In a bowl combine together the salt, coriander powder, paprika, ground nutmeg, cumin powder, grated black pepper, grated white pepper, clove powder and red vinegar. Add the minced meat and the pine nuts and stir well to homogenize the mix.

Who doesn’t like the classic look of makanek ropes or links?

Pipe the meat

Pull out a funnel and wet a bit, take one casing at a time and attach it to the tip of the funnel (it is a delicate process, so please be patient) fill the funnel with the meat and gently hold the casing in place on the funnel (or ask someone to hold it for you) applying just enough pressure. Exert pressure on the meat with one of your fingers to push the meat to the casing, watch the video tutorial. The meat mixture will start filling the casing. Hold the end of the casing and draw it out as it fills. When you get the end of the casing tie a simple knot. As the casing fills, it forms a rope. You’ll want it to be firm, but not so hard, overfilling will cause the casing to burst. If this happens, cut the casing where the tear is, and tie it off at both ends, then proceed filling the rest of the casing still on the stuffing funnel. If the tail isn’t long enough to tie a knot, squeeze out the last meat end from the casing and add it back to the ground meat mixture to use in the second batch of makanek.

Twisting makanek coil into links! It is best to make the links while the casing is still wet and pliable.

Decide the desire sausage link length, (usually 5 cm), press down lightly and begin to twist, twist well, continue twisting the link for an additional complete rotation. Go over until the entire coil has been made into links.

Heat the oil in a large skillet, add the makanek and sauté over medium heat for about 8 to 9 minutes, making sure to flip every few seconds. At this point the makanek starts to render its fats and juices, stir in the freshly squeezed lemon juice, cook for an additional 1 minute and drizzle with a generous amount of pomegranate molasses, toss the makanek around so that they are all fully coated, serve it with Lebanese bread and enjoy warm.

The pomegranate molasses added at the end creates a delicious gravy that gives the makanek a very subtle hint of sweet and tangy flavor.

Looking for more Lebanese meat-based recipes, we got you covered.

• Sujuk
• Lebanese Fried Kibbeh Balls
• Lebanese Beef Shawarma
• Arayes
• Grilled Kafta Kebabs
• Awarma, Lebanese lamb confit
• Sfeeha, Lebanese meat pies

Makanek are mini -style sausages from Lebanon, made of minced seasoned beef or lamb that are stuffed into a casing. Our handy video will teach you how to encase the makaneh like a pro without a sausage machine, we are just using a funnel, we also offered you another tailored and adaptable makanek version where no casing is involved, choose what’s good for you!

Serve it with our authentic hummus from scratch.

Watch the detailed video tutorial to learn all the tips and secrets of makanek making.

Ingredients:

For the Makanek:

• 1 kg /2 lb 4 oz ground beef or lamb, 30 percent fat
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon clove powder
• 1/4 cup red vinegar
• 1 tablespoon salt, or to taste

• 2 tablespoons canola or sunflower oil, to fry the makanek
• 1/3 cup pomegranate molasses
• 4 tablespoons, freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• Edible Sheep’s casings, ask your butcher to provide it it for you
• A funnel with a tip of 1/2 inch diameter

Directions:

Makanek with casings:

1. Soak the casings for 1 hour in cold water and a few drops of vinegar, then rinse them out completely under running water. Work with them while they are still wet. It is easier to control.
2. In a bowl combine together the salt, coriander powder, paprika, ground nutmeg, cumin powder, grated black pepper, grated white pepper, clove powder and red vinegar. Add the minced meat and the pine nuts and stir well to homogenize the mix.
3. Pull out a funnel and wet a bit, take one casing at a time and attach it to the tip of the funnel (it is a delicate process, so please be patient) fill the funnel with the meat and gently hold the casing in place on the funnel (or ask someone to hold it for you) applying just enough pressure. Exert pressure on the meat with one of your fingers to push the meat to the casing, watch the video tutorial. The meat mixture will start filling the casing. Hold the end of the casing and draw it out as it fills. When you get the end of the casing tie a simple knot.
4. As the casing fills, it forms a cable.  You’ll want it to be firm, but not so hard, overfilling will cause the casing to burst. If this happens, cut the casing where the tear is, and tie it off at both ends.   Then proceed filling the rest of the casing still on the stuffing tube. If the tail isn’t long enough to tie a knot, squeeze out the last meat end from the casing and add it back to the ground meat mixture to use in the second batch of makanek.
5. Decide the desire makanek link length, (usually 5 cm), press down lightly and begin to twist, twist well, continue twisting the link for an additional complete rotation. Go over until the entire coil has been made into links. Now your makanek are ready to go to the frying pan.
6. Heat the oil a large skillet, add the makanek and sauté over medium heat for about 8 to 9 minutes, making sure to flip every few seconds. At this point the makanek starts to render its fats and juices, stir in the freshly squeezed lemon juice, cook for an additional 1 minute and drizzle with a generous amount of pomegranate molasses, toss the makanek around so that they are all fully coated. Pomegranate molasses is a big deal in makanek. Serve it with Lebanese bread and enjoy warm.

You can obviously see the difference between the picture above and the one below. The one above is made with casings, and the one below no casing is involved.

Naked makanek: (this is way less tedious, but not as perfect in shape as the ones made with casings, it also needs refrigerating for at least 24 hours before cooking, the taste is great as well.

1. In a bowl combine together the salt, coriander powder, paprika, ground nutmeg, cumin powder, grated black pepper, grated white pepper, clove powder and red vinegar. Add the minced meat and the pine nuts and stir well to homogenize the mix.
2. Portion the meat to 10 equal mounds, transfer one mound of the meat, to a piece of plastic wrap, shape it into a long rope single sausage about 3/4 inch in diameter and place it on the near edge of the plastic wrap. Try to create links using your hand to cut the meat rope to individual mini makanek. Smooth each with your hands, they won’t be as perfect in shape as the ones incased. Refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours and a maximum of 48, this will help keep your makanek more firm.
3. Transfer your makanek to a skillet (the naked makanek should be cold right from the fridge) but please don’t crowd the skillet, or you can divide the makanek in two wide skillets. Add a drizzle of oil, and cook covered over low heat for about 10 minutes; the meat and fat inside the makanek will cook and some shrinkage may occur, because here the meats themselves are holding in the juices not the casing. Raise the heat to high, allowing the juices to considerably evaporate, add some lemon juice and drizzle a generous amount pf pomegranate molasses. Enjoy.

If you make "Makanek", leave a comment below, or share your pictures on Facebook! I would love to see your creations!! Hashtag, #Hadia’s lebanese Cuisine