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    You Are Here Home » Middle Eastern Recipes

    Published: Feb 12, 2017 Updated: Sep 30, 2021 by Hilda Sterner | This post may contain affiliate links 4 Comments

    Basturma Recipe| Middle Eastern Breakfast Sausage

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    basturma breakfast sausage

    As the title suggests, Basturma is a popular Middle Eastern breakfast sausage. Basturma is usually served with eggs. The Basturma recipe I'm going to be sharing with you is much quicker to prepare than the traditional way of making this tasty Middle Eastern sausage.

    basturma and eggs

    Why This Recipe Works

    This homemade recipe is so much simpler than the long process needed to make store-bought basturma. However, the taste is quite similar. This means you don't have to wait days to enjoy this delicious sausage!

    I don't have many memories of my childhood. However, the memories I do have usually revolve around food. Big surprise, right?

    I have wonderful memories of eating masgouf, and memories of my aunt Alice's delicious custard. I also have memories of my dad bringing home basturma. This was always exciting because it wasn't something we had often.

    The fact that mom didn't make her own basturma made it even more special. These days you can buy it on Amazon like everything else.

    How to Make Basturma

    Place meat in a medium-sized bowl. Add garlic and spices to the meat. Use your hands to distribute the spices throughout the meat.

    ground beef in a bowl, along with spices in a wooden bowl, both on a green napkin with measuring spoons and a bulb of garlic

    Fry a small portion of the meat and adjust the spices if necessary.

    a sausage patty in a brown pan

    Feed the meat through the casings, if available. If not, wrap the meat in saran wrap, and freeze partially to make slicing easier.

    raw basturma sausage wrapped in plastic

    Place the slices on a tray and freeze them before storing them in a ziplock bag.

    basturma sausage slices, uncooked

    To cook, simply defrost a few slices, and fry in an oiled pan, along with some eggs.

    egg and sausage sandwich on a blue willow plate

    Recipe FAQs

    How is traditional Basturma prepared?

    A choice cut beef fillet is covered with a thick layer of salt and cured for a few days. During this time, a heavy object is placed on the meat to aid in pressing the moisture out of the meat. This is done in order to remove as much moisture from the meat as possible.

    The salt is then rinsed off, and the meat patted dry. A paste is prepared using a mixture of spices. This paste is slathered on the meat, forming a thick crust.

    Lastly, the meat is pierced with a hook and hung up in a cool location to air dry. The entire process can take anywhere from two weeks to a month to complete. You know what I say? Ain't nobody got time for that!

    seasoned raw bastruma roast

    What Does Basturma Taste Like?

    The taste of Basturma is a little hard to describe. There's nothing else quite like it. However, if I had to try to describe the taste, I'd say the flavors resemble that of shawarma.

    Basturma is highly seasoned with spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. Additionally, it has a strong garlic flavor, and a bit of a spicy kick from the cayenne pepper.

    It's important to mention that the Iraqi Basturma I remember from my childhood is different from Armenian Basturma. 

    Armenian Basturma is cured, sliced, and enjoyed as a cold cut or appetizer. Moreover, the spices used are not the same as Iraqi basturma. 

    What do you need to make Basturma?

    There are some tools, however, that you may find helpful in preparing basturma
    • The first thing I recommend is a Meat Grinder
    • Next, you need the sausage-making attachment
    • You also need sausage casings to stuff the meat into

    Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.

    You can also stay in touch with me through social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

    dogs eating sausage
    Dogs love basturma too!

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    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.

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    egg and sausage sandwich on a blue willow plate

    Middle Eastern Breakfast Sausage (Basturma)

    Homemade Iraqi Basturma recipe (breakfast sausage)
    4.75 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Assyrian, Middle Eastern
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 4 minutes
    Total Time: 14 minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 168kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ lb. ground lamb or ground beef
    • 4 cloves garlic (crushed)
    • ½ tsp. Middle Eastern 7 Spice
    • ½ tsp. paprika powder
    • 1 tsp. black pepper
    • ¼ tsp. cardamom powder
    • ¼ tsp. cinnamon
    • ⅛ tsp. ground cloves
    • 1 ½ tsp. salt
    • ¼ tsp. cayenne

    Instructions

    • Place meat in a medium-sized bowl.
    • Add garlic and spices to the meat. Use your hands to distribute the spices throughout the meat.
    • Fry a small portion of the meat and adjust the spices if necessary.
    • Feed the meat through the casings, if available. If not, wrap the meat in saran wrap, and freeze partially to make slicing easier.
    • Place the slices on a tray and freeze them before storing them in a ziplock bag.
    • To cook, simply defrost a few slices, and fry in an oiled pan, along with some eggs.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 485mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @HildasKitchenBlog or tag #HildasKitchenBlog!
    Homemade Yogurt Recipe (Mesta) »

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. chrysoulla says

      July 01, 2022 at 6:51 am

      5 stars
      Good day, Hilda! I made your Basturma Blend, then the beef roll. I am so impressed! I was born on the island of Cyprus but live in Ohio, USA where I cannot get the pastourma sausage that is available in Cyprus. I cannot believe how awesome your recipe is. We loved it! Thanks, ever so much!

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        July 01, 2022 at 7:13 am

        Hi Chrysoulla, Thank you so much for your sweet comment! Every now and then you have a recipe that flies under the radar that no one seems to notice. I feel like my Basturma recipe is one of those recipes. I'm so glad to hear someone is enjoying it! 😉 Thanks again for the review!❤️

        Reply
    2. Ruth says

      May 23, 2019 at 9:40 am

      Would Middle Eastern 7 Spice be similar to Chaldean Baharat, and how are these compared to Indian Baharat?

      Reply
      • HildaSterner says

        May 23, 2019 at 10:41 am

        Hi Ruth,
        Yes, Middle Eastern 7 spice should be the same as Chaldean/Assyrian Baharat. This "baharat" mix usually includes paprika, cumin, cloves, cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg. This should be the same mix that is used in Indian cooking. However, Indians also use curry, and garam masala in a lot of their dishes. Hope that answers your question!

        Reply

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