How to cook Polish blood sausage

How to prepare a Polish blood sausage/black pudding

{Kaszanka, Kiszka, Krupniok}

3 ways

Kaszanka [kasha-nkah] is a Polish delicacy made from pork meat (often also organ meat), barley or buckwheat and pig’s blood. You may also know the name kiszka or krupniok, those are regional terms that are now also widely used. You can find this sausage stuffed into a small intestine casings or into a large intestine, formed into a ring. Kaszanka is still cooked and enjoyed in Poland every day. Kaszanka will find a prime spot on the grill in the summer time or will be enjoyed on a sandwich when a grill isn’t available. I’m sharing 3 ways to prepare it the way it was (and is) prepared in my home by my grandparents, parents and now me. I hope you enjoy!

1. Kaszanka Sandwich

This is the easiest way to serve and enjoy kaszanka. It is a simple, open-faced sandwich with sliced blood sausage served cold*. I like to garnish mine with onions (sometimes pickles) and/or mustard and horseradish. Nothing fancy here, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying. 

*Kaszanka and kiszka are sold already cooked, so no worries here. 

You will need:

Kaszanka (blood sausage)

Hearty bread with thick crust

Raw onions

Mustard and/or horseradish

1. Take kaszanka out of the natural casing. Slice and place on buttered bread.
2. Top with sliced raw onions, mustard, and/or horseradish. 

2. Fried Kaszanka with Onions

This is by far my favorite way to enjoy this delicacy. Caramelized onions compliment the dish greatly and the meat gets a nice sear from roasting in a frying pan for a few minutes. Feel free to add as much pepper as you like, for me the more peppery, the better. 

You will need:

5-6 kaszanka links or 1 large round kaszanka 

7-8 medium onions, sliced

3 tbsp of vegetable oil 

3 tbsp of butter

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Slice onions and sauté in oil and butter until caramelized.
2. Remove blood sausage from casings, slice and add to onions. Mix until sausage breaks up and onions are somewhat combined with the mixture. Let it caramelize for a few minutes before mixing again. Stir and let caramelize again.
3. Enjoy on bread or with a side of fried egg. Mustard and horseradish are also great condiments that will compliment the dish. 

3. Roasted Kaszanka

This is an alternative method to fried kaszanka. It is also prepared with onions, but instead of frying you will roast it in the oven. Be prepared to see some of it “oozing” out of casings, but that’s normal. 

You will need:

5-6 kaszanka links

5-6 onions (1 small-medium onion per link)

2-3 tbsp of vegetable oil + 2 tbsp of butter

Salt and pepper (as much as you like)

1. Heat oven to 350℉/180℃.
2. Slice onions and set aside.
3. Place oil and butter in a roasting pan and place in the oven for a couple of minutes to warm the oil and melt the butter. When butter is melted, add the onions, sprinkle with salt and pepper and mix to combine. Add the kaszanka links and roast for another 20-30 minutes. 
4. Enjoy with mustard or/and horseradish and bread or potatoes for a full meal.

As mentioned in my intro, kaszanka will often be cooked over a grill in the summer time. Please keep in mind, that, due to its loose texture it is a difficult sausage to grill. If not done right, it will split and the contents will end up on the bottom of your grill. Not cool! To do it right, place in the coolest spot of the grill and heat slowly over low heat. It will take a bit of time for it to cook, but you will end up with a perfectly cooked link of blood sausage with crusty skin. You. Are. Welcome!

Good luck! Please send reports back soon!

Smacznego!

Anna

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