Homemade Kielbasa Recipe

Introduction

Homemade kielbasa is a savory and satisfying sausage that brings authentic Eastern European flavors to your kitchen. This recipe combines a blend of pork and beef with a special cure and seasoning to create a delicious, hearty sausage perfect for grilling or baking.

Ingredients

• 0.2 oz. garlic
• 1.25 oz. salt
• 0.25 oz. Morton’s Tender Quick Meat Cure
• 0.15 oz. pepper
• 1 drop liquid smoke (optional)
• 2 lbs. cubed pork, ½” cubes
• 1.5 lbs. ground pork
• 1.5 lbs. ground beef
• Water

Instructions

1. Step 1: Use a blender to puree the garlic with 2 tablespoons of water. Set aside for a moment.
2. Step 2: In a small bowl, measure 2 tablespoons of water. Dissolve the salt and the Morton’s meat cure in this water.
3. Step 3: Add the salt and cure mixture to the garlic and water mixture. Then add the pepper, and the liquid smoke if using, to this mixture as well.
4. Step 4: Combine all the meat in a large mixing bowl.
5. Step 5: Add the garlic-pepper-salt-cure-water mixture to the meat and mix with your hands.
6. Step 6: Continue mixing the meat with your hands, adding water one teaspoon at a time, until the mixture becomes sticky and adheres well to your hands. The meat should stick inside your hand when squeezed and inverted.
7. Step 7: Place the mixture into a sausage stuffer and stuff into casings following the stuffer’s instructions. Alternatively, shape the meat into cylindrical forms about 1½ inches in diameter and 12 inches long without special equipment.
8. Step 8: Refrigerate the sausages in a single layer for 24 hours to allow the cure to penetrate and the shape to set. Wrap in plastic and foil if not using casings.
9. Step 9: Preheat the oven to 325°F.
10. Step 10: Remove foil and plastic wrap if used. Lay the sausages on an oven-safe rack over a baking sheet.
11. Step 11: Bake the sausages until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F, about 45–60 minutes.
12. Step 12: Take the sausages out of the oven and let them cool.
13. Step 13: Slice and enjoy your homemade kielbasa.

Tips & Variations

• Use liquid smoke sparingly to enhance smoky flavor without overpowering the sausage.
• If you don’t have a sausage stuffer, shape the meat mixture tightly by hand into logs and wrap well before cooking.
• Adjust the pepper amount to suit your preferred spice level.

Storage

Store homemade kielbasa in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. When reheating, warm gently in the oven or on the stovetop to maintain moisture and flavor.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use different types of meat for this kielbasa?

Yes, you can experiment with different ratios of pork and beef or try adding other meats like veal for variation. Just keep the total meat weight similar.

Do I need special equipment to make this sausage?

While a sausage stuffer makes the process easier, you can form the meat into logs by hand and bake wrapped tightly if you don’t have one.

Homemade Kielbasa Recipe

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This Homemade Kielbasa recipe guides you through making traditional Polish sausage using a flavorful blend of pork and beef, seasoned with garlic, pepper, and a special meat cure. The sausage is carefully mixed, stuffed into casings or shaped by hand, cured overnight, and then baked to perfection, resulting in a rich, savory sausage ideal for slicing and enjoying on its own or in your favorite dishes.

• Author: Maya
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45-60 minutes
• Total Time: 24 hours 1 hour 20 minutes
• Yield: Approximately 6–8 sausages, each about 12 inches long and 1½ inches in diameter 1x
• Category: Sausage
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Polish

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Seasoning Mix

• 0.2 oz. garlic
• 1.25 oz. salt
• 0.25 oz. Morton’s Tender Quick Meat Cure
• 0.15 oz. pepper
• 1 drop liquid smoke (optional)
• Water (as needed)

Meat

• 2 lbs. cubed pork, ½” cubes
• 1.5 lbs. ground pork
• 1.5 lbs. ground beef

Instructions

1. Puree Garlic: Use a blender to puree the garlic with 2 tablespoons of water. Set this mixture aside momentarily to prepare other ingredients.
2. Dissolve Salts and Cure: In a small bowl, measure 2 tablespoons of water and dissolve the salt and Morton’s Tender Quick Meat Cure into it thoroughly.
3. Combine Seasonings: Add the salt and cure solution to the garlic puree. Then add the pepper and liquid smoke (if using), mixing well to create a uniform seasoning blend.
4. Prepare Meat: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cubed pork, ground pork, and ground beef thoroughly by hand.
5. Add Seasoning to Meat: Pour the garlic-pepper-salt-cure-water mixture into the meat bowl and mix extensively with your hands to distribute the seasoning evenly.
6. Adjust Texture: Continue mixing the meat; add additional water one teaspoon at a time until the mixture becomes sticky and tacky enough to adhere to your hands. Test this by squeezing a handful and inverting your hand; the meat should stay adhered.
7. Stuff or Shape Sausage: Load the seasoned meat into a sausage stuffer and fill casings, or form the sausage mixture into cylinders about 1½ inches in diameter and 12 inches long by hand if no equipment is available.
8. Refrigerate to Cure: Arrange the stuffed or shaped sausages in a single layer, cover with plastic wrap and foil if uncased, and refrigerate for 24 hours to allow the cure to penetrate and shape to set.
9. Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 325°F (163°C) and allow it to fully heat while preparing for baking.
10. Prepare Sausages for Baking: Remove any plastic wrap or foil from the meat carefully. Place the sausage cylinders or casings on an oven-safe rack set over a baking sheet to catch drippings.
11. Bake Sausages: Bake in the preheated oven until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C) as measured by an instant read thermometer, approximately 45-60 minutes.
12. Cool and Serve: Remove the sausages from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before slicing and enjoying.

Notes

• If you don’t have sausage casings or a stuffer, you can shape the sausage meat into logs and wrap tightly with plastic wrap followed by foil before refrigerating and baking.
• Using Morton’s Tender Quick Meat Cure ensures safer curing and helps develop traditional kielbasa flavor and color.
• Liquid smoke is optional but adds a subtle smoky depth reminiscent of smoked sausages.
• Make sure to use a meat thermometer to confirm proper internal cooking temperature for food safety.
• Resting the sausage overnight allows flavors to meld and the meat to firm up for better texture.
• Wear disposable gloves when handling sausage meat and curing salts to maintain hygiene and safety.

Keywords: homemade kielbasa, Polish sausage, sausage recipe, baked sausage, sausage curing, pork sausage, ground beef sausage