Cârnați de Pleșcoi

What it is

Cârnați de Pleșcoi are thin, dark, dry, and spicy. They are made from sheep meat, seasoned with garlic and hot pepper; if the lamb is too fatty, up to one third of beef is allowed to be added.

They can be eaten cold, dried, as a snack, or hot — grilled or fried, served with mustard and bread.

The name comes from the village of Pleșcoi, now in the Berka commune of Buzău County, among the hills of the Subcarpathians in the Carpathian arc, not far from the famous mud volcanoes.

The sausages are sold in pairs, tied with string. When dried, they are hard and travel well. The protected geographical indication mark on the packaging means they are made in this area according to a traditional recipe.

History and name

The village was first mentioned on April 24, 1484, in a document by the voivode Vlad Călugărul. Trade records from Brașov merchants in the mid-16th century indicate the presence of sheep skins from Pleșcoi, suggesting a long history of sheep farming.

The sausages have long been sold at the Dregăica fair, which took place every June at the foot of Mount Penteleu. The claim that the recipe is over two thousand years old belongs to a local historian and is not supported by documents.

In the EU register: protected geographical indication (PGI), registered name «Cârnaţi de Pleşcoi», registered in 2019. Sources

Ingredients and allergens

MuttonMeat from sheep or ram. In ancient Hutsul cuisine, it is the main meat for smoking: the smoked lamb was described by Shukhevych as Hutsul budzhenyna.

GarlicA seasoning for bograch, kiselytsia, sausages, and trout.

Hot chili pepperDried hot pepper that gives sausages spiciness and a reddish color.

Also: natural casing, beef (up to one third, optional), salt

Contains allergens: none of the 14 major allergens in the traditional recipe
Diet: gluten-free

Ingredients of the traditional recipe; every cook and every place may do it differently — please ask when ordering. We cannot guarantee the absence of allergens or traces.

How it is made

The meat is minced or chopped, mixed with salt, crushed garlic, and hot pepper, and stuffed into thin lamb intestines. The sausages are tied in pairs, dried, and smoked.

Where it is eaten

The area is approximate and based on the sources below. The dish is cooked outside it too, and ethnographic borders are blurred.

The villages around Pleșcoi and Berka in Buzău County are part of the Subcarpathians. The map shows the entire county; the area is approximate.

When it is eaten

Occasions: Festivals · Everyday food

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