How to Cook Fresh Polish Sausage in 4 Easy Steps

by Rick Goldman

If you’re a mom who wants to serve her children different kinds of foods and wants something new, then fresh polish sausage might be the next thing you should try to experiment on.

Most of the sausages we buy at supermarkets are smoked and not fresh. But you should not worry because there are a couple of techniques that you can do to serve polish sausages freshly. We will show you how it’s done.

Polish sausages are hot long sausages which are also called as kielbasas. It’s traditionally served with fried onions. You can cook the Polish sausage in many ways. You can try boiling it, baking it or grilling it. Most of the households serve it in soups. These cooking methods are quick and easy.

This article is going to be specific on how to cook fresh Polish sausage, and not the smoked ones.

What You Need

What You Need:
What You Need:

  • Uncooked, fresh kielbasa
  • Baking sheet
  • Meat thermometer
  • Chef’s knife
  • Kitchen tongs
  • Sauté pan
  • Oven or sauce pot

Read this Note First Before Cooking

When buying fresh Polish sausages, 2-4 pounds meat is recommended if you’re going to serve it to 4-6 people. When you go to the supermarkets, the sausage comes with different names, but they’re more popular as klobasa or kielbasa. Make sure that you don’t buy the smoked or flavored one.

For the pot, make sure it’s large enough because you’ll be boiling a large amount of meat. It should accommodate the water and meat that you’re going to boil. If you want to brown the meat before or after you, boil it prepare your non-stick frying pan.

Remember that to successfully cook fresh Polish sausages; don’t cook it like the usually smoked sausage. It is recommended that you cook the sausage until it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit of internal temperature.

Step-by-Step Guide on How to Cook Fresh Polish Sausage

Before you proceed with the first step, is the sausage frozen? If it is, thaw it before simmering. After thawing it, place the sausages in the pot together with peppercorns, one quartered onion, half a bay leaf and garlic cloves. These spices will help in sufficing or replace the seasoning that’s going to be boiled out when you cook it.

Step 1: Simmer the Sausage in Water

Step 1: Simmer the Sausage in Water
Step 1: Simmer the Sausage in Water (source)

Prepare sauce pot; if you have a Dutch oven, it’s better. Place the sausage links in the oven and add water just enough to cover the kielbasa. Simmer it over medium low heat and cook for 45 minutes.

Make sure it reaches the internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Periodically check its water level. Add more water if necessary. Remove the sausages using a tong. Pat them dry.

Step 2: Finish the Sausage in the Oven

Step 2: Finish the Sausage in the Oven
Step 2: Finish the Sausage in the Oven

Expect the sausages to be damp even you already pat dry it. If you’re preparing the sausage for stews or soups, it’s just fine. However, if you want to serve it other than that, fresh and dry kielbasa is recommended.

How do you do this? Finish cooking the sausage in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit temperature. Leave it for 5 to 10 minutes. Doing this will evaporate the water from the sausage, and it will leave a slightly brown exterior.

Step 3: Caramelize in Sauté Pan

If you want a browner and crispier sausage, you can take the cooking to this level. I have done this a few times, and I can say that I love sausages more when they are crispy and brown. First, prepare the sauté pan. Heat it and put olive oil in it. Slice the Polish sausage and put the slices in the pan. Caramelize the sausages for a few minutes.

The caramelized sausages can now be added to pasta dishes of your liking or serve directly to your kids/guests. Most of the time, I serve it with my pasta dishes because it adds more flavor, especially when mixed with the pasta sauce.

Step 4: Sauté Onions

Step 4: Sauté Onions
Step 4: Sauté Onions

I can honestly affirm that onions and sausages are a perfect match. Using the same pan, you can caramelize chopped onions for a more delicious mix. This step is optional, but there’s nothing to lose if you want to try surprising combinations right?

After you’ve done with the tutorial, serve the kielbasa to your family. Or, you can experiment further and use the sausage to other dishes. That would be sweet and tasty!

1. Avoid Fillers

Since we’re already talking about fresh Polish sausages, I have to remind you again to avoid buying smoked or flavored sausages. It’s better that you are the one to add spices and flavors to it. Also, when you go the supermarket, never purchase a polish sausage made from leftovers or fillers from pork, turkey or beef.

2. Avoid Piercing or Slicing Before You Serve

If you’re boiling cased meat, slicing it defeats its purpose. You don’t have to slice or pierce the sausages to prove that they are indeed fully cooked. Once you pierce the casing, the sausage’s contents will leach into the water. The flavor of the sausage will be less.

Conclusion

That’s it aspiring cooks and moms! Cooking a fresh kielbasa is quick and easy, just as I promised. The Polish sausage can be cooked in different ways, but if it’s fresh, you should consider going straight to the boiling method I showed you. Again, if you want crispier and browner sausage, you can finish it in the oven and sauté in a pan.

There are more complicated ways to cook fresh Polish sausages. You can do some experiments, add more flavors and use different methods. Once you’ve mastered the cooking methods, you can experiment with other dishes too.

I hope you found this recipe interesting and helpful. If you have tried cooking kielbasa with this approach, share your experiences with us. Maybe you discovered some great ways to cook Polish sausages; it’s your time to share it with the world. Just comment anything below, and we will respond to it. Happy cooking!

About Rick Goldman

Rick Goldman's grandpa was a captain of a California coast cruise. This afforded Rick the luxury of traveling to exciting places along the Pacific Coast as a young boy. He got to try different, exotic foods on these journeys - something he really enjoys blogging about from his grandpa's beautiful garden home today.


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