Polish blood sausage, known locally as ‘kaszanka’ or ‘kiszka’, is a much-loved traditional dish with deep roots in Polish culinary history. This hearty sausage is made from a mixture of pork, pork liver, buckwheat groats or barley and fresh pork blood, which gives the sausage its distinctive colour and rich flavour. Seasoned with aromatic marjoram and freshly ground black pepper, Kaszanka is a tasty and satisfying meal that has been enjoyed for generations.
Ingredients:
- 2lbs of well marbled pork shoulder
- 1 large pork liver
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 7 cups water, more if needed
- 3 cups buckwheat or barley grits
- Large, clean pork intestines (casings)
- 2 cups strained pig’s blood, mixed with 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
Method of cooking:
Cut the pork shoulder and liver into chunks.
Place the shoulder, liver and 1 teaspoon of salt in a large saucepan.
Add 7 cups of water (or enough to cover the meat) and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the meat is tender, about 1 hour.
While the meat is cooking, prepare the buckwheat or barley according to the packet instructions. This usually involves cooking in water until tender. Drain and set aside.
Rinse the pig’s intestines thoroughly in cold water. Soak them in water to soften them.
When the shoulder and liver are cooked and tender, remove from the pan and leave to cool slightly.
Reserve the cooking liquid.
Finely chop or grind the shoulder and liver in a mincer or food processor.
In a large bowl, combine the minced meat, liver, cooked buckwheat or barley and strained pork blood mixed with vinegar.
Add the remaining 1 tsp salt, freshly ground black pepper and dried marjoram.
Mix thoroughly. If the mixture seems too dry, add some of the reserved cooking liquid until it reaches a consistency that can be easily stuffed into the casings.
Tie one end of each pig casing with kitchen twine.
Using a sausage stuffer or funnel, fill the casings with the meat mixture. Take care not to overfill as the sausages will expand slightly during cooking.
Tie off the other end of the casings.
Bring a large pan of water to a gentle simmer. Do not let it boil.
Carefully place the sausages in the water and cook for about 30-40 minutes, until the sausages are firm and cooked through.
Polish black pudding can be served hot or cold.
It can be eaten as is or pan-fried for a crispy exterior.
Serve with your favourite side dishes such as sauerkraut, potatoes or mustard.
