Polish Sausage (Kielbasa) 🐖🧄🌿✨
A classic homemade sausage recipe with rich pork flavor, garlic, and marjoram—perfect for smoking or baking.
Ingredients
Meat
- 4 lbs (1.8 kg) pork shoulder (well-marbled, not trimmed lean)
- 1 lb (450 g) pork back fat or fatty pork belly
- Optional: Replace 1 lb pork with beef for a pork/beef blend
Seasoning
- 5 cloves garlic, finely minced (~2 tbsp)
- 18 g kosher salt (about 3 tsp)
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp dried marjoram
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp paprika (optional, for color)
- 2 tsp cure #1 (Prague powder) – optional, if smoking cold
Extras
- ½ cup ice-cold water (to help mix)
- Natural hog casings (32–35 mm), soaked and rinsed well
Equipment Needed
- Meat grinder (medium plate ~4.5 mm)
- Sausage stuffer
- Smoker (or oven if skipping smoke)
- Meat thermometer
- Bowl + scale for accurate weighing
Instructions
- Prepare Meat: Cut pork and fat into 1-inch cubes. Keep very cold (partially frozen is ideal). Chill grinder parts, bowl, and tools.
- Grind: Grind meat and fat together through a medium (4.5 mm) plate. Optional: double grind for smoother texture.
- Mix: Add garlic, salt, pepper, marjoram, sugar, paprika, cure #1 (if using), and ice-cold water. Mix thoroughly until sticky and well combined.
- Stuff: Load mixture into sausage stuffer. Fill hog casings evenly, avoiding air pockets. Twist into 6–8 inch links.
- Cook/Smoke:
- Smoking: Smoke sausages at 160–180°F (70–80°C) until internal temp reaches 155°F (68°C).
- Oven: Bake at 350°F (175°C) until internal temp reaches 160°F (71°C).
- Serve: Cool slightly, slice, and enjoy with mustard, bread, or sauerkraut.
Tips
- Texture: Keep meat cold to ensure firm, well-bound sausage.
- Flavor boost: Add crushed caraway seeds or smoked paprika for depth.
- Storage: Refrigerate cooked sausage up to 5 days or freeze uncooked links for later.
Caption & Engagement
Caption: “Homemade Polish Sausage—garlic, herbs, and smoky flavor in every bite! 🐖🧄🌿✨”
- Comment prompt: “Would you smoke it or bake it?”
- Rotating closers: “Save for your next charcuterie project.” • “Tag a friend who loves homemade sausage.” • “Traditional flavor, crafted with care.”