Homemade Kielbasa Recipe

Introduction

Making homemade kielbasa is a rewarding way to enjoy flavorful, juicy sausage crafted to your taste. This recipe guides you through using simple ingredients and a hands-on approach to create classic kielbasa that’s perfect for grilling, frying, or adding to your favorite dishes.

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, dissolve the salt and Morton’s Tender Quick Meat Cure in 2 tablespoons of water.
3. Step 3: Add the salt and cure mixture to the garlic puree. Stir in the pepper and liquid smoke if using.
4. Step 4: Combine all the meats (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 by hand, adding water one teaspoon at a time, until the mixture is sticky and adheres to your hands. Test by squeezing a handful and inverting your hand—the meat should hold.
7. Step 7: Stuff the mixture into sausage casings using a sausage stuffer, shaping cylinders about 1½ inches in diameter and 12 inches long. If you don’t have a stuffer, form the sausage shapes by hand.
8. Step 8: Refrigerate the sausages in a single layer, wrapped or in casings, for 24 hours to allow the cure to penetrate and the shape to set.
9. Step 9: Preheat your oven to 325°F.
10. Step 10: Remove any wrapping and place the sausages or casings on an oven-safe rack over a baking sheet.
11. Step 11: Bake until the internal temperature reaches 160°F using an instant-read thermometer, about 45 to 60 minutes.
12. Step 12: Remove from oven and allow to cool.
13. Step 13: Slice and enjoy your homemade kielbasa.

Tips & Variations

• Add a teaspoon of crushed red pepper for a spicy kick.
• Use natural sausage casings for a traditional texture or skip casings and form patties instead.
• Letting the sausages rest in the refrigerator overnight helps develop deeper flavors and better texture.
• Experiment with smoked paprika or marjoram for a different flavor profile.

Storage

Store homemade kielbasa tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze the sausages in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Reheat gently by pan-frying or baking until warmed through.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use other meats besides pork and beef?

Yes, you can substitute or combine other meats like turkey or lamb, but keep in mind pork provides essential fat and flavor for the texture and taste of kielbasa.

Do I need special equipment to make kielbasa?

A sausage stuffer simplifies filling casings but is not essential. You can shape the sausage mixture into logs by hand and bake them without casings if preferred.

Homemade Kielbasa Recipe

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This Homemade Kielbasa recipe guides you through creating traditional Polish sausage using a blend of cubed pork, ground pork, and ground beef, seasoned with garlic, pepper, and Morton’s Tender Quick Meat Cure. After mixing and stuffing the meat into casings (or shaping manually), the sausages are refrigerated to set and cure before being baked to juicy, flavorful perfection.

• Author: Elias
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 45-60 minutes
• Total Time: 25 hours including curing
• Yield: Approximately 8–10 sausages, each about 12 inches long and 1.5 inches in diameter 1x
• Category: Main Dish
• 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 & 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)
• Water (as needed for blending and mixing)

Instructions

1. Puree garlic: Use a blender to puree the garlic with 2 tablespoons of water, setting this mixture aside temporarily.
2. Dissolve cure mixture: In a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons of water and dissolve the salt and Morton’s Tender Quick Meat Cure completely.
3. Combine seasoning mixture: Add the salt and cure mixture to the garlic puree. Then add pepper and liquid smoke (if using) into this combined mixture.
4. Mix meats: Combine the cubed pork, ground pork, and ground beef in a large mixing bowl thoroughly.
5. Add seasoning blend: Pour the garlic-pepper-salt-cure-water mixture into the meat and mix using your hands until evenly distributed.
6. Adjust texture: Continue combining the mixture with your hands, adding water one teaspoon at a time until the mixture becomes sticky and adheres to your hands. The test is if a handful held and inverted does not fall off.
7. Stuff sausages: Place the sticky meat mixture into a sausage stuffer and fill casings according to the stuffer’s instructions, making sausage cylinders about 1½ inches in diameter and 12 inches long. Alternatively, shape into cylinders without equipment.
8. Refrigerate to cure: Refrigerate the formed sausages in a single layer, whether in casings or wrapped in plastic and foil, for 24 hours to let the cure penetrate and the sausage shape to set.
9. Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C).
10. Prepare sausages for baking: Remove any foil or plastic wrap from the sausage cylinders if used instead of casings. Place sausages carefully on an oven-safe rack set over a baking sheet to catch drippings.
11. Bake sausages: Bake in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C) as measured with an instant-read thermometer.
12. Cool and serve: Remove the sausages from the oven and allow them to cool slightly before slicing and enjoying.

Notes

• If you do not have sausage casings or a stuffer, you can shape the meat mixture into cylinders by hand and freeze or wrap tightly before baking.
• Liquid smoke is optional but adds a classic smoky flavor reminiscent of traditional smoked kielbasa.
• Ensure the internal temperature reaches 160°F to guarantee safe consumption of pork and beef.
• Use Morton’s Tender Quick Meat Cure for curing — it contains salt and sodium nitrite for flavor and preservation.
• Adding water gradually is important to achieve the ideal sticky texture for proper binding of the sausage.

Keywords: Homemade Kielbasa, Polish Sausage, Sausage Recipe, Cured Sausage, Baked Kielbasa, Morton’s Tender Quick