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Close up of Krakow sausage cut in half.

Krakow Sausage Recipe (Kielbasa Krakowska Krajana)

Course: dinner, lunch, Sausage
Cuisine: Eastern European, Polish
Keyword: kielbasa Krakowska, Krakow sausage
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 3 hours
Curing and drying: 2 days 5 hours
Servings: 24 servings
Calories: 133kcal
Author: Victor
Recipe for the original Krakow sausage (kielbasa Krakowska). This sausage has always been the top seller in Poland. It's the queen of kielbasas.
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Ingredients

  • 2250 g lean pork 5 lbs (100% lean)
  • 250 g pork 1/2 lb (no more than 25% fat)
  • 36 g salt about 2 Tbsp (see notes)
  • 6 g Cure #1 about 1 1/4 level tsp
  • 3 g black pepper about 1½ tsp, ground
  • 1 g nutmeg about 1/2 tsp, level
  • 4 g sugar about 1 tsp, level

Instructions

  • Cut the meat into 2" pieces, place in a large bowl, mix with the salt and the Cure #1. Cover and refrigerate for 48 hours.
  • Separate out class III pork and grind it through a 1/8" (3 mm) plate. Then emulsify in a food processor or a bowl cutter if you own one, adding up to 25% - 30% icy water or ice to keep the meat cold. Mix in the spices.
  • In a separate bowl, mix class I pork until it becomes gluey. Add the emulsified pork with spices and mix everything together.
  • Stuff the meat into 3" (75 mm) synthetic fibrous casings using a funnel. Stuff the casings firmly and tie with a butcher's twine on both ends. Prick any visible air pockets with a needle.
  • Hang the sausages in a drafty area and dry for about 4 hours.
  • Transfer to the smoker and further dry without smoke at around 115F - 130F for 20 minutes.
  • Smoke with a thick smoke for 2 1/2 hours at around 130F - 140F.
  • Bake with a thin smoke at around 167F - 194F for 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 154F-158F. This step is much easier to accomplish in a oven or a warm water bath, see the notes below.
  • Chill to 64F and refrigerate.

Notes

The original recipe calls for 45 g of salt, which I find makes sausage that is too salty for my taste. Adjust back if you wish.
Alternatively, to bring the internal temp to 154F-158F (68-70C) poach or sous vide at 161F-167F (72C-75C) for 55-75 minutes.
If finishing baking in an oven, bake at 175F - 185F for about an hour or so, until the internal temp reaches 154F-158F (68-70C). 
Update 2/1/2023: Place a pan with hot water underneath the sausages. You may have to add boiling water every 20-30 minutes. If your oven is bottom-heating, place a tray with boiling water on the bottom of the oven for a continuous steam release. I've tested this method making Doctor's Sausage and it was quite successful.

Nutrition

Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 729mg | Potassium: 405mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg