How to Cook Fresh Polish Sausage to Perfection

Cooking fresh Polish sausage can be intimidating if you’ve never done it before. With the right techniques though it’s easy to make incredibly flavorful and juicy sausage at home. At our company, we’ve been making homemade Polish sausage for over 100 years. Through generations of experience we’ve perfected the art of cooking fresh Polish sausage so it turns out perfect every time.

In this article, I’ll share all my tips and tricks for cooking fresh Polish sausage. I’ll go over ingredients, prep, cooking methods, doneness, serving ideas, and more. Follow these steps and you’ll be able to cook amazing sausage worthy of a Polish deli!

Ingredients for Fresh Polish Sausage

Real Polish sausage starts with quality ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Pork The best sausages use a mix of pork shoulder and pork fat. The shoulder provides flavor while the fat keeps the sausage juicy.

• Seasonings: Traditional Polish sausage is seasoned with garlic, black pepper, marjoram, and other spices. Play around with the seasonings until you find a blend you love.

• Cure: Curing salt helps preserve the meat and gives the sausage its characteristic pink color. Use just a small amount, like 1 tsp per 5 lbs of meat.

• Casing Natural sausage casings give the sausage its classic shape and snap. Hog casings are best for Polish sausage

Preparing the Sausage Mix

With your ingredients ready, it’s time to prepare the sausage mix:

• Cut the meat: Dice the pork shoulder into 1-inch cubes. This helps it grind evenly.

• Chill the meat: Chill the meat and fat in the freezer for 30 minutes. Cold meat grinds better.

• Grind the meat: Run the chilled meat through a grinder with a medium die. It should look shredded.

• Mix in fat and seasonings: Add the pork fat and all the spices. Mix it together by hand until fully combined.

• Do a “fry test”: Cook a small patty of the mix in a pan. Taste it and adjust the seasoning if needed.

The sausage mix is now ready for stuffing!

Stuffing the Sausages

Stuffing the sausage mix into casings takes some practice but isn’t hard. Here’s how to do it:

• Soak the casings: Soak the natural casings in warm water to soften them up. This prevents tearing.

• Load the stuffer: Load the seasoned sausage mix into the stuffer tube. Pack it in tightly.

• Thread on a casing: Carefully thread a soaked casing onto the stuffer nozzle. Leave a little extra at the end.

• Stuff the casing: Crank the stuffer slowly, pushing the meat into the casing. Avoid air pockets.

• Twist into links: Twist the filled casing into 5-6 inch links. Work in sections, twisting between each sausage.

• Tie off the ends: Tie off the ends of each link with butcher’s twine and cut the links apart.

• Refrigerate: Cover and refrigerate the fresh sausages for at least 24 hours before cooking. This allows flavors to meld.

Cooking Methods for Fresh Polish Sausage

Fresh Polish sausage needs gentle, slow, moist-heat cooking to reach perfection. Here are some great cooking methods:

Poaching

Poaching is my favorite way to cook fresh Polish sausage. It keeps the sausage incredibly moist and tender.

• Bring water or broth to a gentle simmer. Make sure the pot is big enough to hold the sausages.

• Add the sausages. They should be fully submerged in the liquid.

• Simmer for 15-25 minutes. Flip the sausages once during cooking. They’re done at an internal temp of 160°F.

Braising

Braising locks in moisture too. It adds extra flavor from the braising liquid.

• Brown the sausages first in a skillet. Get nice color on both sides.

• Transfer to a braising pan and add broth. The liquid should come about halfway up the sausages.

• Braise at a gentle simmer for 20-30 minutes. Turn the sausages once or twice while cooking until 160°F internally.

Pan Roasting

You can also cook the sausages right in a skillet:

• Brown the sausages in a pan first. Make sure the pan is ovenproof.

• Once browned, add a bit of water or broth. Cover and transfer to a 300°F oven.

• Roast for 15-20 minutes until the sausages reach an internal temperature of 160°F.

No matter which cooking method you use, keep the heat gentle and use a meat thermometer. That guarantees perfectly cooked sausage!

How to Tell When Fresh Polish Sausage is Done

Fresh sausage needs to be cooked to 160°F internally to be safe to eat. Here are signs your sausage is fully cooked:

• The inside looks lightly pink with no redness. Some pink is normal from the curing salt.

• Juices run clear when you make a small cut into the sausage. Any red juices means it needs more time.

• The texture is firm but still moist and juicy. Dry, crumbly sausage is overcooked.

Err on the side of slightly underdone when cooking. The sausage will continue cooking from residual heat even after you take it off the heat.

If your fresh sausage plumps up into an oval shape rather than staying round, that’s another sign it’s cooked through.

Serving Ideas for Fresh Polish Sausage

Polish sausage isn’t just for breakfast! Here are my favorite ways to serve it:

• Chop up the sausage and add it to hearty bean or vegetable soups.

• Slice the sausages on an angle and add it to a sausage and pepper sandwich.

• Roll a cooked sausage in a slice of cabbage and top with mustard for a quick cabbage roll.

• Cut the sausage diagonally and serve with roasted potatoes, sauerkraut, and mustard for a traditional Polish plate.

• Cook the sausages whole, slice them, and serve topped with sauteed onions and peppers.

However you choose to serve it, be sure to pair your fresh Polish sausage with plenty of mustard, horseradish, or sauerkraut. The bold flavors complement the sausage perfectly.

Tips for Storing and Reheating Leftover Sausage

Like any fresh sausage, Polish sausage only lasts 3-4 days in the fridge once cooked. Here are some storage tips:

• Let the cooked sausages cool completely before refrigerating. Store in an airtight container.

• If you won’t use them within 4 days, freeze the extra cooked sausage for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.

• Refrigerated cooked sausage can be quickly reheated in a skillet with a bit of water or broth to keep it moist.

• Microwaving can make the casings tough. It’s better to reheat it slowly in a pan or oven instead.

With the right storage, you can enjoy your homemade Polish sausages all week long!

Common Questions About Cooking Fresh Polish Sausage

If you’re new to homemade sausage, here are answers to some frequent questions:

How risky is it to eat undercooked fresh sausage?

Eating raw or undercooked sausage is unsafe due to bacteria risk. Always cook fresh sausage to 160°F as measured by a meat thermometer.

Can I grill or smoke fresh Polish sausage?

Smoking works great, but grilling over direct high heat can make the casings tough. It’s best to grill gently or poach the sausages first.

Do I have to prick the casings before cooking?

Pricking fresh sausage can cause the fat and juices to leak out. Leave the casings intact so they plump up nicely during cooking.

What’s the white stuff on the outside of my sausages?

That’s called albumin. It’s the natural protein from the meat and perfectly harmless. Rinsing the sausages before cooking removes it.

My sausage casings split – what did I do wrong?

Sausage casings can split if the stuffing is overpacked or they’re exposed to high heat. Gentle poaching is the safest cooking method.

Make Your Own Homemade Polish Sausage

After reading this, you should feel ready to try your hand at making and cooking fresh Polish sausage at home. It takes some effort but the flavor payoff is well worth it.

Start with a basic sausage recipe and tweak the seasonings until you create your family’s perfect homemade Polish sausage. Then cook up a batch using the gentle poaching, braising, or pan roasting techniques. With the right care and cooking, you’ll be enjoying incredible sausage that rivals the best old-world delis. Na zdrowie (cheers)!