How to Cook Kielbasa?
-by Abhrajita Mondal
–Reading Time – 7 min Approx
Before you find out how to cook Kielbasa, you need to know what it is. Moreover, it is not a very common gastronomic term. Sausage is more common. It basically goes back to its roots in Poland. Furthermore, any meat sausage from Poland is called Kielbasa. It is a food staple there. Polish citizens love their sausages. They make it out of a dozen materials like beef, chicken, lamb, veal, pork, and turkey, as well. Moreover, you will find them gorging on these delicacies in smoked, or fresh form. The sausages are made at home. Furthermore, you will come across myriad varieties of recipes for Kielbasa.
While in Poland, if you come across the Kielbasa, you will find it being served in several ways. Some of the polish people have them garnished with fried onions, and some have them cut into pieces. Moreover, you can also have them boiled, cold, grilled, fresh, or smoked. You can even cook it in soups. Pea soups and bean soups are quite common. If you cook it with sauerkraut, it tastes heavenly. Additionally, you will find it being served as an appetizer at parties. People in Poland often have it with Vodka.
The White Fresh is one popular variety of the Kielbasa. It is generally found fresh and uncooked, in the market. You can prepare the dish by boiling, frying, or boiling in the soup. The taste is simply ecstatic. You must be excited to know more about it. And, we can find your drooling, already. Now, that the enthusiasm is building up, we will tell you, how to cook Kielbasa.
How to Cook Kielbasa?
We will tell you, how to cook Kielbasa. You can cook Kielbasa like other sausages. It is also good to eat in a variety of recipes. If you are planning to use it in a casserole or a soup, you have to remove the casing. Moreover, you can cook it whole or cut up into pieces. It tastes good in either way. Furthermore, you should always cook it at 160-degree F. Most locals make it at home. Today, we will first unearth, how to cook kielbasa on stove. Well, it is quite easy. Take a frying pan, spray some cooking oil, and put it on low-medium heat. Stir in some chopped onion rings till it turns translucent. Add the Kielbasa, and stir for another 5 minutes. You have to allow it to brown slightly. Serve the sausages whole or sliced up, with some more stir-fried vegetables. It tastes delectable.
You can even boil it in a vessel, placed on the stove. Boil some water, add the Kielbasa, and allow it to simmer for 5-10 minutes. You can test the temperature of the water with a thermometer. Moreover, the pressure test also does well. It can take up to a maximum of 30 minutes to get ready. Once done, it should be soft but firm to your touch. It should not shrivel up. Once done, you can use tongs to pick up the Kielbasa from the boiling water. So, now you know how long to cook kielbasa on stove top.
How to Cook Kielbasa in An Air Fryer?
You can cook Kielbasa in an air fryer as well. This is one of the healthiest recipes, that you can try. With an air fryer for company, you will get the sausages with crispy outer skin and soft interior. You can slice the Kielbasa, and cook it at 400-degree F for 7-8 minutes. After, cooking the Kielbasa from one side, you can turn it to the other side. In total it takes 14 minutes, for both sides. Moreover, they should be brown and ready to go into your stomach. Serve with a nice tomato ketchup, or mustard sauce. It is the easiest way to cook Kielbasa, without dropping any oil anywhere on the granite top. You can even add some chopped potatoes inside the air fryer, when the Kielbasa is getting cooked. The aroma of the Kielbasa will enter the potatoes, and make them as tasty. These are amazing sausages that you can have on the move, with sandwiches as well. Slice the sausages with sliced air fried potatoes and you are good to go. So, that answers your question, how to cook kielbasa in an air fryer?
How to Cook Kielbasa on Grill?
Yes, it is absolutely possible to cook Kielbasa on a grill. If you are attending a Polish BBQ party, you will definitely find it there. This is one recipe, that is quite easy to make. You can buy smoked Kielbasa for this recipe. Since, it is already half cooked, you do not have to spend a great deal of time. Just char-grill it and see it make you all drool. Always go for a natural sausage casing, when you are buying kielbasa to grill. Moreover, ensure that they have a 20 percent fat ratio to say the least.
Furthermore, you should never prick your Kielbasa, before grilling. It tends to dry them out. You can still make a few cuts, if you want to make them crispy. It is always advisable to buy slightly smoked ones, so you do not need to grill is much. You can also bake or pan-fry Kielbasa. It takes around 5-10 minutes for the Kielbasa to get nicely grilled. You should make it a point to have the delicacy within 4 hours. It might lose its taste afterward. Now, you know, how to cook kielbasa on grill.
But there are more ways to cook these sausages and have them, too. How to cook kielbasa with sauerkraut? Now, that sounds like a great combination. If you want to make a one-pot meal, then it will be better to go for it. Sprinkle some salt and brown sugar into the mixture of sliced kielbasa and sauerkraut, and it will feel great. Brown both these power ingredients. The process will help to mingle the flavors. You can add more tang and punch by adding bell peppers, potato cubes and peas. It will also make the dish more filling. If you do not know what sauerkraut is, you will know now.
It is made from cabbage. Moreover, a little heat and pepper make the best one today. You can chop the pre-grilled Kielbasa into coin-sized pieces. Brown the sausage coins in a skillet having vegetable oil. Add the sauerkraut to the same skillet after some time. Furthermore, you can add pepper flakes, red chili flakes, salt, and brown sugar to it. Stir both together, and drain any excess liquid that comes out. If it gets dry, you can add some chicken stock. Let the dish simmer for some time. After you are done, you can allow them to stay on, to absorb flavors. Now, you know how to cook kielbasa with sauerkraut.
The final dish will surely taste heavenly. You can make this dish in a skillet, frying pan, crockpot, or just about any utensil. Now, are you wondering, which is the best way to cook kielbasa? Well, there is no one way. You can boil it, fry it, roast it, sauté it, grill it, or have it as cold cuts. It will taste heavenly. You should always add some onions for extra flavor. Onions and Kielbasa go hand in hand.
Types of Kielbasas You Can Try:
Kielbasa tastes like other sausages, with the tender meat inside and the casing and all. Sometimes, you will find it served in a spiced manner. Smoked sausages generally pick up the taste of the wood on which it is smoked. There are several varieties of Kielbasa.
The first one that we will tell you about is the Biala Kielbasa. It is nothing but white Kielbasa. It is the fresh, and uncooked sausage. You will be able to find more about it, if you happen to visit the place, where it is all made. The white Kielbasa is made from pork shoulder. Moreover, veal and beef are often added. The Kielbasa is seasoned with pepper, salt, garlic, and a bit of marjoram. Kabanosy is another variety of Kielbasa. It is a delectable combination of pork, caraway, pepper, garlic, and salt. Furthermore, many Polish people make it with chicken as well. If you ever went out hiking, it has to be Kabanosy for you in the tiffin.
Serdelki is another variety that you will find in Poland. They resemble more like hot dogs. They consist of casings that contain veal and pork. Grilled, pan-fried or broiled, they simply taste wonderful. Krupniok is another wonderful Kielbasa. It is basically a blood sausage. It was originally made with ears, snouts, and organ meats of pigs. The flesh was mixed with barley and grounded. Then the mixture was cooked and stuffed into the large intestine of pigs. You can serve it grilled or pan-fried. Onions can make a huge accompaniment for it.
Apart from Poland, there are quite a few Polish food stores online that sell them. You can order online. However, if you are visiting Poland, you should have it at the local eateries. This sausage is an identity of sorts for Polish cuisine. Moreover, you can get it in chicken, veal, eggs, and tofu formats, as well. So, vegetarians can also have it. You really cannot miss it out. So, buy it from a store near you and enjoy it today.
-by Abhrajita Mondal