Homemade Smoked Polish Sausage {Kiełbasa Wędzona}
There are about one bazilion (technical term) types of smoked Polish sausage. Some of the most popular types of sausage found in any Polish grocery store are: śląska, grilowa, swojska, chłopska, czosnkowa, krakowska, myśliwska, jałowcowa, biała, kaszanka, on and on. Some are raw (unsmoked), some come smoked and some are smoked and dried. Generally they are made of pork or pork and beef mixture (unless specifically marked) and there is a general understanding what each of the types is.
Mark and I briefly talk about it here:
Today, I’m sharing a recipe for a typical homemade sausage. This basic recipe follows a common approach to a smoked Polish sausage making: lots of garlic, salt & pepper and notice, no sugar.
Smoked Polish Sausage
Ingredients
- One 8 oz / 227 g package of natural 32 mm hog casings
- 9 lbs / 4 kg of pork (shoulder or butt)
- 2 lbs / 1 kg of pork belly or pork fat
- 1 qt / 1 l of water
- 5 tbsp / 80 g of fine sea or rock salt
- 1 tsp curing salt*
- 5 tbsp of ground pepper
- 5-10 garlic cloves
Instructions
Grind pork (shoulder / butt) using the largest-opening grinding plate. Grind pork belly / fat using the smallest grinding plate.
Place ground meat in a large container, add water, salt, curing salt, and pepper and massage with your hands until sticky (about 10-15 minutes). Refrigerate for 24 hours.
When ready to stuff, add crushed garlic and massage again until well combined.
Stuff into casings tightly, separating into desired links.
Hang to dry for 2 hours in cool, well-ventilated room.
Smoke at 120-140°F / 50-60°C for 3 hours, then parboil at 170°F / 75°C for 20 minutes.
Hang dry in well-ventilated room until cool.
Refrigerate laid out or loosely wrapped in parchment paper until ready to eat.
Enjoy sliced on sandwiches, grilled, oven roasted with onions or over a fire.
Notes
Homemade "kiełbasa" will keep in the fridge, loosely wrapped in paper, for 3-4 weeks.
*Make sure to reference manufacturer's recommendation for amount of curing salt per pound / kilo of meat. Each product may vary.
What type of bread did you have with your sausages?
My Bubcha made it and baked it in the oven. Do I have to smoke it? or can i do it her way?
Anna,
My husband and I made your sausage this weekend following your directions exactly. It came out delicious! Will definitely be making this again. Because my parents are immigrants of Germany, sausage making is not new to us and have always wanted to try a polish sausage recipe. I’m so glad I found you and your wonderful recipes. I just love making all kinds of international cuisine.
Thank you for sharing your heritage.
Alice, how much garlic do you normally put into this recipe?
I made this recipe over the weekend. This is a simple and fun recipe with amazing flavor, perfect texture, no shrinkage, moist and delicious hot or cold. WOW! I highly recommend this to anyone looking for an authentic Kielbasa recipe. I have tried other recipes and this is by far the BEST!!
Thank You for sharing!
What wood is traditional to use for smoking the Kielbasa?
I just got a meat grinder from my father in law and I’ve been looking forward to making this!
Is the curing salt used for the smoking step? If I’m boiling the raw sausage, there’s no need to use curing salt, correct?