Homemade Kielbasa Recipe

Introduction

Making homemade kielbasa is a rewarding way to enjoy a classic Polish sausage with rich flavors and a satisfying texture. This recipe guides you through creating traditional kielbasa using a simple blend of pork, beef, and spices. With just a little patience and care, you’ll have delicious sausages to impress family and friends.

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 (as needed)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Use a blender to puree the garlic with 2 tablespoons of water. Set aside.
2. Step 2: In a small bowl, measure 2 tablespoons of water and dissolve the salt and Morton’s Tender Quick meat cure in it.
3. Step 3: Add the salt and cure mixture to the garlic-water puree. Stir in the pepper and liquid smoke, if using.
4. Step 4: Combine all the meats—the cubed pork, ground pork, and ground beef—in a large mixing bowl.
5. Step 5: Pour the garlic-pepper-salt-cure-water mixture over the meat and mix thoroughly with your hands.
6. Step 6: Continue mixing the meat by hand, adding water 1 teaspoon at a time, until the mixture is sticky and adheres well to your hands. Test by squeezing a handful and inverting your hand; the meat should stay attached.
7. Step 7: Stuff the meat mixture into sausage casings using a sausage stuffer, or shape into cylinders about 1½ inches in diameter and 12 inches long if you don’t have casings.
8. Step 8: Refrigerate the sausages in a single layer, whether in casings or wrapped in plastic and foil, for 24 hours to let the cure penetrate and the shape set.
9. Step 9: Preheat your oven to 325°F.
10. Step 10: Remove any plastic wrap and foil if used, and place the sausages or stuffed casings on an oven-safe rack over a baking sheet.
11. Step 11: Bake in the preheated oven until the internal temperature reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 45–60 minutes.
12. Step 12: Remove from the oven and allow the sausages to cool.
13. Step 13: Slice and enjoy your homemade kielbasa.

Tips & Variations

• Use fresh, high-quality pork and beef for the best flavor and texture.
• If you don’t have a sausage stuffer, form the meat into cylindrical shapes and wrap tightly in plastic wrap before refrigerating and baking.
• Adjust the amount of liquid smoke to your taste, or omit it for a milder flavor.
• Chill your meat mixture before stuffing to make handling easier and improve texture.

Storage

Store fresh sausages in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before cooking. Once cooked, keep them wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to 4 days. You can also freeze cooked kielbasa for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm gently in a skillet or oven until heated through to maintain moisture and flavor.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use only pork or only beef for this kielbasa?

Yes, you can use just pork or just beef, but traditional kielbasa benefits from a mix of meats for flavor and texture balance. Using all pork or all beef will change the taste and fat content but will still produce a tasty sausage.

Is it necessary to use Morton’s Tender Quick Meat Cure?

Using Morton’s Tender Quick helps preserve the sausage and develop its characteristic flavor and pink color. If you prefer to avoid curing salts, you can omit it, but the sausage will have a different texture and shelf life.

Homemade Kielbasa Recipe

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4.5 from 118 reviews

This homemade kielbasa recipe combines ground pork, ground beef, and cubed pork with a flavorful blend of garlic, salt, pepper, and a special meat cure. The mixture is stuffed into sausage casings or shaped into cylinders, cured in the refrigerator, and then baked to perfection, resulting in savory, juicy homemade sausages with an authentic taste.

• Author: Cleo
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 45-60 minutes
• Total Time: 25 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: About 5–6 sausages, 1½ inches diameter each, 12 inches long 1x
• Category: Sausage
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Polish

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Meat

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

Seasoning and Cure

• 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)

Other

• Water as needed for blending and mixing

Instructions

1. Puree Garlic: Use a blender to puree the garlic with 2 tablespoons of water until smooth. Set this mixture aside temporarily.
2. Dissolve Salt and Cure: In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of water with the salt and Morton’s Tender Quick Meat Cure, stirring until completely dissolved.
3. Mix Seasoning Liquids: Add the salt and cure solution to the garlic puree. Follow with the addition of pepper and liquid smoke if you choose to use it. Stir to combine all the liquid seasoning thoroughly.
4. Combine Meats: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cubed pork, ground pork, and ground beef evenly.
5. Add Seasonings to Meat: Pour the garlic-pepper-salt-cure-water mixture into the combined meats. Mix everything together by hand until the seasoning is evenly distributed throughout the meat.
6. Adjust Texture with Water: Continue hand mixing the meat while gradually adding water one teaspoon at a time. Stop once the mixture becomes tacky and sticky enough that when you squeeze and invert a handful, the meat adheres to your hand without falling off.
7. Stuff the Sausages: Transfer the mixture to a sausage stuffer and carefully fill your casings or form the mixture into cylindrical shapes approximately 1½ inches in diameter and 12 inches long if you are not using casings.
8. Cure in Refrigerator: Arrange the sausages in a single layer on a tray, cover with plastic wrap and foil if not using casings, and refrigerate for 24 hours. This curing step allows the meat cure to penetrate and the sausage to set.
9. Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 325°F (163°C) in preparation for baking the sausages.
10. Prepare for Baking: Remove any foil and plastic wrap from sausage tubes if used. Place the sausages or casing-filled sausages on an oven-safe rack set over a baking sheet to allow even cooking.
11. Bake the Sausages: Place the rack with sausages into the preheated oven and bake for 45 to 60 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C), confirming they are fully cooked.
12. Cool Down: Remove the sausages from the oven and let them cool to room temperature to allow flavors to settle and handle safely.
13. Slice and Serve: Slice the cooled kielbasa as desired and enjoy your authentic homemade sausage.

Notes

• Morton’s Tender Quick Meat Cure is essential for curing the sausage and achieving proper texture and flavor; it can be purchased online if unavailable locally.
• Liquid smoke is optional but adds a traditional smoky flavor to the kielbasa.
• Water is gradually added to achieve the right sticky consistency which helps bind the meat mixture for stuffing.
• If you don’t have a sausage stuffer, you can shape the sausage mixture into logs and bake them without casings.
• Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the sausage reaches the safe internal temperature of 160°F.
• Let the sausages rest after baking to enhance texture and flavor before slicing.

Keywords: Homemade kielbasa, Polish sausage, sausage recipe, cured meat sausage, baking sausage, kielbasa recipe