✅ Ingredients (Traditional Kielbasa)
Meat Mixture
- 2 lbs (900 g) pork shoulder, cold and cut into cubes
- 1 lb (450 g) pork belly or fatty pork, cold and cubed
- 1 lb (450 g) beef chuck (optional but traditional)
- 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp marjoram (essential for Polish flavor)
- ½ cup ice-cold water
Casings
- Natural hog casings, soaked and rinsed
🍳 How to Make Homemade Polish Sausage (Kielbasa)
1. Chill Everything
- Keep meat very cold to grind easily and avoid smearing.
- Place grinder parts in the freezer for 15 minutes.
2. Grind the Meat
- Use a medium or coarse grinding plate.
- Grind pork shoulder, pork belly, and beef together into a large bowl.
3. Mix the Seasoning
Add to the ground meat:
- garlic
- salt
- black pepper
- marjoram
- ice-cold water
Mix very well for 3–5 minutes until meat becomes sticky and fully combined.
4. Prepare the Casings
- Rinse hog casings under cold water.
- Flush inside the casing to remove salt.
- Keep submerged in warm water until ready to use.
5. Stuff the Sausage
- Load casing onto your sausage stuffer nozzle.
- Carefully stuff the meat mixture into the casing, keeping it firm but not too tight.
- Form long coils or twist into links (about 6-inch links).
6. Let the Sausage Dry
- Hang sausages for 1 hour at room temperature or overnight in fridge.
- This helps them firm up before cooking or smoking.
🔥 Cooking Options
1. Smoke It (Traditional Method)
Smoke at 165–180°F (75–82°C) for 2–3 hours until internal temp reaches 155°F (68°C).
Cool fully before storing.
2. Boil
Simmer gently (don’t boil hard) for 25–30 minutes.
3. Grill
Grill over medium heat until browned and cooked through.
4. Pan Fry
Slice or cook whole in a skillet until golden.
⭐ Flavor Variations (Authentic Kielbasa Styles)
- Kielbasa Wiejska → Add 1 tsp nutmeg + smoke heavily.
- Kielbasa Mysliwska (Hunter’s Sausage) → Add juniper berries + double-smoke.
- Kielbasa Biala (White Sausage, Fresh) → Skip smoking; boil or grill only.
- Spicy Polish Sausage → Add cayenne or crushed red pepper.