Polish National Dishes

Biała kiełbasa parzona: Polish poached white sausage

Pork, garlic and marjoram make a tender Polish white sausage, gently poached and served hot.

Polish National Dishes
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A wide view of „Biała kiełbasa parzona: Polish poached white sausage“ arranged on a table for serving.
Yield About 12–14 short links
Serving basis 8 servings of about 120–125 g cooked sausage each
Difficulty Moderate
Dietary classification Pork; no major regulated allergens intentionally included
About biała kiełbasa parzona

Biała kiełbasa parzona: Polish poached white sausage

This pale Polish sausage is prepared fresh and cooked without smoking. Pork, garlic, marjoram and pepper give it a savoury aroma, while a natural casing holds the ground filling together as it poaches. The links should remain plump and juicy rather than brown or crisp.

Polish white-sausage traditions vary: some versions use pork alone, while other local versions combine pork and beef or adjust the grind and seasoning. This recipe uses a simple pork-only mixture and keeps the links un-cured, in keeping with the character of white parboiled sausage.

Gentle poaching matters because a rolling boil can split the casing and squeeze out juices. Keep the water around 80–85 °C and check the centre temperature of several thick links. Serve the sausages hot on their own, with horseradish, or in żurek.

Tips for success

Tips for success

  • Keep the meat, grinder parts and bowl cold so the pork stays firm while grinding and mixing.
  • Weigh the salt and spices; small differences are noticeable in a simple sausage.
  • Mix the filling until tacky so it holds together inside the casing.
  • Fill the casing evenly without stretching it tight; the links need room to expand as they heat.
  • Keep the poaching water below a vigorous boil and verify the centre temperature with a probe.
Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 750 g lean pork shoulder, trimmed of separable fat
  • 250 g fatty pork shoulder or pork trimmings
  • 18 g fine salt
  • 12 g garlic, finely grated or crushed
  • 2 g dried marjoram, rubbed between the fingers
  • 2 g finely ground black pepper
  • 120 ml ice-cold water
  • About 2.5 m natural pork casings, 24–26 mm diameter, rinsed and soaked according to the package directions
  • 3 L water; keep it at 80–85 °C while cooking
Method

Method

Directions

  1. Chill and portion the pork.Keep the pork at or below 4 °C. Cut the lean and fatty portions into 2–3 cm cubes, keeping them in separate chilled trays. Weigh the salt, garlic, marjoram and pepper.

  2. Grind and season.Grind both pork portions through an 8 mm plate into a chilled bowl. Add the salt, garlic, marjoram, pepper and ice-cold water. Mix until evenly seasoned and tacky, keeping the mixture below 4 °C.

  3. Stuff the casings.Rinse the soaked casing and fit it onto the stuffer nozzle. Fill evenly without large air pockets or over-tight packing. Twist into about 12–14 short links, roughly 15 cm long. Prick only visible trapped air bubbles with a sanitized sausage pin.

  4. Poach gently.Heat the 3 L water to 80–85 °C; do not let it boil vigorously. Lower in the links without crowding and keep the water in that range. Turn the links once if needed. Poach for about 20–30 minutes, checking several of the thickest links with a thin probe inserted from the side into the centre. Continue cooking until each tested centre reaches at least 71.1 °C / 160 °F.

  5. Rest and serve.Lift the sausages with clean tongs and rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot. If not serving promptly, cool safely, cover and refrigerate at or below 4 °C.

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

  • The meat smears in the grinderStop and chill the pork, grinder plate and bowl until firm, then continue.
  • The filling feels looseMix it until tacky and keep it cold; do not add extra water beyond the listed 120 ml.
  • Large air pockets appear in the casingPrick only the visible pockets with a sanitized sausage pin before poaching.
  • A casing splits in the potLower the water temperature to 80–85 °C and avoid crowding or a rolling boil.
  • The centre is below 71.1 °CContinue poaching and recheck the thickest links with the probe from the side.
Nutrition per serving

Nutrition per serving

  • Serving sizeAbout 120–125 g
  • CaloriesAbout 215 kcal
  • CarbohydrateAbout 1 g
  • ProteinAbout 24 g
  • FatAbout 12 g
  • Fibre0 g
  • SodiumAbout 960 mg

Estimated nutrition per serving: The estimate uses generic USDA pork-shoulder composition values and the listed salt divided across eight servings. The fat in purchased shoulder, cooked yield and salt retention vary, so these values have not been laboratory-tested.

Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Serving, storage, and make-ahead: Serve the sausages hot, with horseradish or as part of żurek. For a main portion, plan on about 120–125 g cooked sausage per person. The links can be cooked shortly before serving; keep the raw mixture chilled and stuff it on the day you plan to poach it.

Serving, storage, and make-ahead: Refrigerate cooked leftovers promptly at or below 4 °C and use them within 3–4 days. Freeze cooked links for longer storage, then thaw them in the refrigerator and reheat until steaming hot. Do not leave cooked sausage at room temperature for extended periods.

No major regulated allergens are intentionally included. Keep raw pork at or below 4 °C, wash hands and sanitize the grinder, stuffer, probe and work surfaces after raw-meat contact. Do not taste the raw filling. Cook the ground pork links until several of the thickest centres reach at least 71.1 °C / 160 °F on a calibrated food thermometer; colour and poaching time alone do not confirm safety. Refrigerate cooked links promptly at or below 4 °C and use within 3–4 days, or freeze for longer storage.

Serve the links hot after poaching and check the centre temperature before serving.

Keep raw pork separate from cooked food and clean all meat-contact equipment promptly.