Making traditional kielbasa is a bit of a technical approach to cooking. The seasonings in this dish will serve to both preserve the meat as well as to add saltiness and sweetness. To do a recipe like this in the summertime is also awesome. You get to see these beautiful sausages seasoned and made with your own hands on the grill: what an amazing feeling.
| Level: | Advanced |
| Total: | 2 hr |
| Active: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 3 3/8 pounds ground lean beef
- 2 1/2 pounds ground pork fat (fatty belly or shoulder and back fat)
- 3/8 cup kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tsp white peppercorns, finely ground
- 1/8 cup mustard powder
- 1/2 tbsp Pink salt (curing salt, Instacure #1 brand)
- 1/4 tablespoon garlic powder
- 5/16 cup milk powder
- 3 tsp Dextrose
- Beef casing
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Small head of cabbage, trimmed and cut into thin strips
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cups chardonnay vinegar
- Caraway seeds, 2 tbsp
Instructions
- Note: Follow the written recipe for meat and ingredient measurements. Combine beef and pork fat in a stand mixture until it’s homogenized and “tacky”, about 2 minutes. Season the meat with salt, pepper, mustard powder, pink salt, garlic powder, milk powder and dextrose. Continue mixing on low speed until combined. Do not to overmix as it could result in rubbery texture. Refrigerate until ready to stuff the sausage.
- Set up the sausage stuffing attachment on a stand mixer. Place the beef casing over the nozzle, then cut and tie the end. Slowly feed the sausage through the attachment using gentle pressure to force it into the casing. To avoid air bubbles, pierce the casing as needed. When the sausage is formed, cut and tie the other end, then use the crease to twist into 6-inch links. Let the sausage air dry in the refrigerator while you get the poaching liquid ready.
- Prepare the poaching liquid by placing water in a large pot and heating it to 165 degrees F. Place sausage in the pot, turn off the heat and place the lid on and let it adjust to the sausage being added, 1 minute. Then, check the temperature again so it remains at 165 degrees. Continue poaching for 9-10 minutes until the internal sausage temperature is 160 degrees F. Take the sausage out and air dry in the refrigerator.
- After the sausages have cooled and the skin has air-dried, they can be browned in a skillet. Place olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and sear on all sides, 1-2 minutes. Once sausage is light brown, cover to heat through.
- For the sauerkraut: Remove sausage and serve with sauerkraut. Place the strips of cabbage in a large bowl and toss with the salt and toasted caraway. Massage the cabbage until it releases some of its liquid. Add the vinegar, and press the cabbage down in the bowl until liquid covers it. Place a plate over the cabbage to keep it submerged in the liquid. Refrigerate and allow to rest for 24 hours before serving.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 26 servings |
| Calories | 376 |
| Total Fat | 32 g |
| Saturated Fat | 11 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Protein | 18 g |
| Cholesterol | 72 mg |
| Sodium | 338 mg |