Panagyurska lukanka is a Bulgarian sausage made from pork and beef. The name Panagyurska is derived from the city of Panagyurishte, where it was first made. The term lukanka was coined in the 19th century to describe meat products containing onions, since lukanka (luk) is a Bulgarian word for onions.
Intrestingly, onions are no longer used to prepare this delicacy, but the name remained. In 1958, the recipe and quality standards for lukanka Panagyurska were published in Bulgarian State Standard Nr. 2589-58 and have not changed since. The sausage mixture is made from ground beef (replaceable by fresh buffalo meat) and pork with the addition of salt, black or white pepper, and cumin.
Gornooryahovski sudzhuk is a traditional sausage made in Gorna Oryahovitsa. In 1538, Suleiman the Magnificent issued a decree granting his grand vizier Rüstem Pasha Opuković lands and taxes from the production of sudzhuk in this area.
These sausages were also known as sara and smarlama, but in the 1940s, they were promoted under the name Gornooryahovski sudzhuk on the Bulgarian market, where they became a highly requested product due to their distinctive flavor.
Banski starets (meaning an old man from Bansko) is a traditional dry-cured pork salami originating from the Bulgarian town of Bansko. This meat specialty is typically made with a mixture of seasoned minced pork (fillet and tenderloin) that is stuffed into pork intestines, pressed, and then air-dried for at least 6 months before consumption.
Typical seasonings include cumin, black pepper, and salt. With a rich salty flavor, this pork sausage is available in folk taverns and restaurants in Bansko, as well as in Bansko’s supermarkets. Banski starets is a traditional meze dish that is typically served as a dry appetizer, and it is usually paired with a glass of Bulgarian wine or rakia (local schnapps).
As the name suggests, strandzhanski dyado is a meat delicacy that hails from the mountainous Strandzha region in Bulgaria. This raw and dried salami is typically made by combining ground pork and pork tripe with a blend of seasonings such as savory (chubritsa), paprika, salt, black pepper, and dried hot peppers.
The meat mixture is then usually stuffed inside a pig stomach and tied or sewn tightly before being pressed and left to dry for about 10 days. The surface of the meat is traditionally covered with ashes to accelerate the drying process. After this period, the meat is left to dry and mature in a well-aerated place for about 40 to 60 days, during which it develops its distinctive flavor.
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