Kielbasa is a kind of meat product that is known throughout the world. As this meat product originates from Poland, Kielbasa is a popular Polish sausage also known as Polish Smoked Sausage. This type of sausage is perfect for dinner.
Anyone can make his own version of Kielbasa or other Polish sausages. In fact, Polish sausage is available in many supermarkets in the USA, but the Kielbasa stands out from the rest.
Origin
The term “kielbasa” is used to describe a thick, dark-colored sausage. This means that kielbasa is a heavily smoked sausage. This smoked sausage was tied a few feet in length and seemed like a rope sausage.
Polish Kielbasa (Polish Sausages) and black pudding – street market trading
It is commonly seen on dinner tables of people of higher stature and merchants also carry kielbasa during long travels.
Since kielbasa originates from Poland, you can find a hundred types of this sausage in the market of Poland.
What is Kielbasa Sausage?
Kielbasa sausage is a meat product that is usually in a long link and tied. The traditional kielbasa is stuffed in a hog casing.
Polish households prepare kielbasa in the dining table not only on holidays but even on a regular weekday. This type of sausage can be eaten cold or heated and complements sandwiches, scrambled eggs, vegetables, or soups.
Kielbasa is also an ideal food item for camping and you can cook it either on a grill or campfire. Polish restaurants usually serve kielbasa. There are several varieties of kielbasa that you can find in Poland. But, the most popular variety is the dried and normal sausage.
Dry kielbasa or such retains its original flavor and lasts longer and can be consumed cold. On the other hand, regular kielbasa can be eaten cold or fried. The normal kielbasa is highly commonly used in some Polish dishes.
How is Kielbasa made?
The traditional Polish kielbasa is originally made of pork, but some varieties are made of beef, lamb or turkey. In making kielbasa, the main ingredients are ground meat and spices. After mixing the ingredients, it is stuffed in hog casings before it is smoked.
Today, you can use machines to make your own kielbasa. Aside from the original ingredients, the secret to achieving a flavorful kielbasa is the way it is smoked. You can use a wood or charcoal smoker and should be in low temperatures at 160 – 165°F.
Kielbasa Sausage Recipes
1. Hot Coleslaw & Kielbasa Skillet
This is a winner of a recipe from Taste of Home magazine. Colleen makes it by mixing kielbasa and cabbage together. The vinegar-honey-mustard sauce makes this really a “hot coleslaw”!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 TBS. honey
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1 TBS. olive oil
- 1 pkg. (14 oz) Kielbasa sausage, sliced
- 3-4 Russet potatoes, cubed
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 4 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp. beef buillon granules
- 1/2 head cabbage, shredded
2. One Pan Honey Garlic Kielbasa
It’s a great one-pan honey garlic kielbasa with potatoes and broccoli recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 Pork Kielbasa Sliced
- 1 Sweet Potato chopped
- 4 Small Potatoes in any variety chopped *see note
- 2 Heads of Broccoli chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1-2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
- Pinch of Black Pepper
3. Smoked Sausage Frittata with Spinach & Mushrooms.
This is a great dish for getting vegetables into picky kids too.
Ingredients
- 10 oz spinach raw
- 1 tsp ghee
- 4 oz mushrooms sliced
- 14 oz smoked sausage uncured, chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- salt & pepper to taste
- 8 eggs
5 Interesting Facts
If you want to try kielbasa, it makes sense to know some interesting facts about this Polish sausage.
- The original Polish kielbasa was mainly made of pork. The second version of kielbasa was introduced by the Polish Government in 1964 that was made of 20% beef and 80% pork. Other ingredients include salt, sugar, pepper, marjoram, and garlic.
- Before mixing the recipes, it is essential to cure first the meat.
- The kielbasa is stuffed in 36-38 mm hog casing.
- The traditional way to cook kielbasa is through the cold smoke for a day so that it will last longer.
- In some Polish restaurant and households, the smoking process is done in hot smoke.
Just like any other meat products, you can make your own kielbasa recipe. The good thing is that you can experiment and add other ingredients to your recipe, but make sure to retain the original ones.
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