Ground meat brick: the crispy recipe
A perfectly crispy ground meat brick depends on two things: filling that is cooked and cooled before folding, and a sheet brushed with oil rather than soaked in it. Lukewarm filling releases water, softens the sheet, and causes the brick to burst during cooking. A cold, well-drained filling, on the other hand, gives it that desired crisp shell. The rest—folding it into a triangle or a cigar, frying it in a pan or baking it in the oven—is simply a matter of format. This guide provides the proportions for ten bricks, the folding method that keeps them from opening, and the two cooking methods, along with their cooking times.
The filling: proportions and pre-cooking
For ten bricks, allow 300 grams of ground meat, one onion, two cloves of garlic, a generous handful of flat-leaf parsley, and one egg. The meat must be finely ground: coarse filling will tear the sheet when folded. Beef remains the classic choice, lamb gives a more pronounced version, and a beef-veal mix provides a softer texture.
| Version | Meat for 10 bricks | The characteristic addition | Recommended cooking method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic | 300 g of beef | parsley and onion | pan |
| With fresh cheese | 250 g of beef | plain fresh cheese | oven |
| Moroccan | 300 g of beef or lamb | cumin, coriander, cinnamon | pan |
| Tunisian with egg | 200 g of beef | one whole egg in the brick | short frying |
| Light | 300 g of veal | drained grated zucchini | oven |
Sauté the onion, add the meat, let it release its water, then brown it for five minutes. Season, add the parsley off the heat, then spread the filling on a plate so it cools quickly. The texture of the meat depends directly on how finely it is ground, as we explain in our guide to preparing homemade ground meat.
How many bricks per person?
The filling proportions are calculated based on the number of guests. Allow two to three bricks per person as a starter, and four to five as a main course with a salad. The 300 grams of meat in the basic recipe, which makes ten bricks, therefore serves three to four people as a starter or two people as a main course.
Grinding finely without creating a paste
A brick filling requires a fine grind, but not a blended one. The difference lies in the tool: a fast-spinning blade appliance heats the meat and emulsifies it, while a grinder with a plate pushes it against a screen and cuts it cleanly. Pass the meat through a fine screen, or twice through a medium screen if you want an even more distinct texture.
Always work with very cold meat, taken out of the refrigerator at the last moment or chilled for fifteen minutes in the freezer. The fat will then remain in distinct grains instead of coating the screw. If you use a bowl grinder, work in short bursts and stop as soon as the texture is even. These bowl models are featured in our collection of electric grinders.
Which sheet to use: brick, filo, or spring roll pastry?
The choice of sheet matters as much as the filling for achieving crispiness. The brick sheet remains the most suitable, as it is thicker and holds up better when folded. Filo pastry, which is very thin, requires two overlapping layers to hold the filling. Rice paper is not suitable: it sticks and does not crisp up in the same way.
The fold that never opens
The fold determines how well the brick holds together during cooking. Here are the steps to follow, from triangle to cigar, then the two rules that prevent the sheet from opening.
- Lay the sheet flat and lightly brush it with oil.
- Place one tablespoon of filling a third of the way from the edge.
- Fold it into a triangle by alternating left and right, like a flag.
- Seal the last point with a little egg white or flour and water.
For a cigar, roll it by first folding the sides inward. Two rules prevent it from opening during cooking: do not overfill, one tablespoon is enough, and place the brick point down in the pan or on the baking sheet. Its weight then keeps the seal closed during the first few seconds, when everything is decided. A regular fold also requires a filling with a consistent texture, which is what the screen appliances in our collection of meat grinders provide. The beef samosa is also folded into a triangle using half a brick sheet.
Pan or oven: two different results
In a pan, allow two to three minutes per side in one centimeter of hot oil, around 170 degrees. The result is the crispiest, and this is the traditional cooking method. Drain on a rack rather than on absorbent paper, otherwise the steam will soften the bottom.
In the oven, brush both sides with oil and allow 15 minutes at 200 degrees, turning halfway through. The sheet browns and the brick remains firm, without reaching the crispness of frying. This is the most practical version for large quantities, like the ideas in our article on using half a kilo of ground meat. For a dough that rises in the oven, try our ground meat puff pastry instead.
Can bricks be prepared in advance?
Yes, and it is convenient when you have guests. Folded and uncooked, they can be kept for 24 hours in the refrigerator on a floured tray, without touching. They also freeze very well raw and can then be cooked directly, without defrosting, by adding two to three minutes of cooking time.
Crispiness is decided before cooking
A cooked, drained, and cooled filling, a fine but not blended grind, one tablespoon per sheet, and oil brushed on: everything is decided before the brick touches the pan. For the filling, we recommend a screen grinder, because it cuts the meat cleanly without heating it or turning it into a paste. The choice of appliance also depends on its power, a subject we detail in our guide on the power of an electric grinder.
All our grinders for preparing your homemade fillings are featured on Hachoir Cuisine.