Homemade Swojska Polish Kielbasa
User Reviews
5
Homemade Swojska Polish Kielbasa
Description
This Polish Kielbasa recipe relies on a mix of pork butt, beef chuck, and pork belly or back fat to achieve the right fat-to-lean ratio essential for a juicy and tender sausage. Seasonings include pressed garlic, dried marjoram, black pepper, kosher salt, and curing salt #1 (Prague Powder) to safely cure and preserve the meat.
The meat and fat are ground to a medium consistency, then combined with ice water and spices, which helps emulsify the mixture. Stuffing into small hog casings forms rings that are hung and dried at room temperature for a few hours, which firms the casing before smoking.
The sausages are smoked at a low temperature between 140°F and 175°F, starting with drying the exterior, then applying smoke for several hours until the internal temperature reaches 154°F, ensuring they are cooked and safe. Alternatively, after smoking, poaching in water at 167°F can be done for faster, even cooking. After cooling, the kielbasa is refrigerated or frozen for storage.
Using curing salt #1 is important for safely curing fresh sausages to prevent bacterial growth. The drying step before smoking helps create a good surface that absorbs smoke flavor efficiently and ensures a pleasant texture.
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 lbs pork butt about 2,000 g
- 1 lb beef chuck about 450 g
- 1 lb pork belly about 450 g; or back fat
- 3 garlic about 10 g; large, pressed, cloves
- 2 tsp marjoram about 1.2 g, dried
- 2 tsp black pepper about 4.5 g, ground
- 2 Tbsp kosher salt about 36 g; plus more to taste, if needed
- 1 1/3 tsp salt about 6.5 g; see notes, curing salt #1
- 1 cup water about 240 g, ice
Instructions
- Grind pork, beef and pork belly/back fat on a medium size plate, 4.5mm (3/16") - 6mm (1/4").
- Add the ice water, all of the spices and mix well.
- Stuff into small size hog casings (28-32mm), tie into rings and hang to dry at room temperature for 2-3 hours.
- Preheat smoker to 140F, or 150F-160F max if your smoker can't get that low.
- Hang sausages in the smoker and dry for 30-60 minutes, until the skin is dry to touch. Then apply smoke for 3-4 hours.
- Remove sausages once the internal temperature has reached 154F. If the internal temperature is not rising too well after 3-4 hours of smoking, raise the temperature to 170F-175F. You may have to go to 195F if necessary. Alternatively, poach the sausages in 167F water for 25 - 30 minutes or until the internal temperature is at least 154F. Poaching is a much quicker and more effective method.
- Cool the sausage down and store in a refrigerator or a freezer.Cooling can be achieved by placing sausage in an ice bath to cool it down quickly. It with result in a fuller, more plump product.Alternatively, you may let the sausage cool down at room temperature and then refrigerate. This will result in the sausage less plump and slightly wrinkled, but this this is my preferred method. Ice water bath removes smoke residue from surface making the sausage less smoky in flavor and pale in color.A reader suggested another effective cooling technique - placing the sausage flat on a cool surface, like a counter top.
Notes
- Use curing salt #1 (Prague Powder) specifically for fresh sausage curing; it prevents harmful bacteria growth and is different from curing salt #2 used for dry-cured sausages.
- Dry sausages at room temperature for 2-3 hours before smoking to help the casing form a pellicle that better absorbs smoke flavor.
- Monitor internal temperature during smoking; it must reach at least 154°F to ensure food safety.
- Poaching sausages after smoking is an effective method to reach desired internal temperature quickly and evenly.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8sausages
Amount Per Serving
Calories 735 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 735kcal | 37% |
| Carbohydrates | 0g | 0% |
| Protein | 64g | 128% |
| Fat | 51g | 78% |
| Saturated Fat | 18g | 90% |
| Cholesterol | 233mg | 78% |
| Sodium | 1975mg | 82% |
| Potassium | 1169mg | 25% |
| Fiber | 0g | 0% |
| Sugar | 0g | 0% |
| Vitamin A | 20IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 0.5mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 55mg | 6% |
| Iron | 4.7mg | 26% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
