Poland: Polish Sausage (Kielbasa)

the appetizer:

Traditional Polish cuisine includes Polish sausage (kielbasa), red beet soup (barszcz), duck blood soup (czernina), Polish dumplings (pierogi), cabbage rolls (golabki), Polish pork chops (kotlety schabowe), Polish stew (bigos), various potato dishes, as well as desserts like Polish doughnuts (paczki) and Polish gingerbread (pierniki).

Poland

Polish Sausage (Kielbasa)

1-1/2 lbs, lean boneless pork
1/2 lb. boneless veal (optional)
If you do not add the veal then add 1 lbs. Of pork
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp. mustard seed
1/4 cup crushed ice
Casing

Cut the meat into small chunks, then grind the meat with the seasonings and ice, mix this well. Stuff the meat mixture into the casing. Smoke in your outside smoker following the manufacturers directions, or you can place the sausage in a casserole, cover it with water. Bake at 350 degrees F until water is absorbed, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours. This only makes about 2 lbs.

When making sausage by hand, tie a knot about 3 inches from one end of a cleaned sausage casing and fix the open over the spout of a wide based funnel, easing most of the casing up onto the spout. Then spoon the mixture into the funnel and push it through into the casing with your fingers. Knot the end and roll the sausage gently on a firm surface to distribute the filling evenly.