# Kiszka From Start to Finish With Pictures--Polish Blood Sausage



## shannon127 (Jan 19, 2013)

I was finally able to find some pig's blood at the local Korean market.  Not sure why I never looked there before, but that is another story.  Many people hear blood sausage and immediately get squeamish.  I reality, you eat blood sausage all the time.  The difference is blood is not the main ingredient.  It may surprise you that blood usually is not the main ingredient in Blood Sausage.  So on another thread I asked SMF members to vote on which type of Blood Sausage I would make.  The winner with 46% of the vote was Kiszka, pronounced (KEYSH Kah).

Recipe: Based on 1000 grams of meats

IngredientsGr/KgPork Blood300Pork Shoulder 1/4"350Pig Liver 1/4"100Back Fat 3/8"250Pearled Barley250Hearty Pork Stock500Kosher Salt19Coarse Pepper2.25Chopped Onion45Chopped Mushroom25Allspice1.5Marjoram3
The first thing we need to do is create a very hearty stock. 

Pork Stock-Cover the bones from a couple of pork shoulders and a medium onion in water. Boil until any remaining meat falls from the bone(adding water as needed).  Strain stock and reserve.  













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I did not add any spices to this stock as I don't want to alter the spice ratios of my sausage.  This is important as you may or may not add more stock than is called for in the recipe. 

At this point we have a bit of a decision to make.  We can either use Pearled Barley or we can use Buckwheat (kasza).













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Either works fine, but I prefer to use Barley.  We begin by lightly toasting the Barley.













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Before toasting

After toasting













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Not my difference in color, but a lot in flavor.


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## shannon127 (Jan 19, 2013)

Now that we have toasted the Barley, we add the required pork stock.  Bring this to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until the liquid has all been absorbed. 

Next up we grind the pork through a 1/8" or 1/4" plate.  I prefer to grind it first through the 1/8th plate. 













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You fry this stirring vigorously so the pieces remain a fine texture.   You can always run it back through the grinder if they to coarse.













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Combine the pork and the barley and mix.


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## shannon127 (Jan 19, 2013)

Next I chop the mushrooms













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This is just a plain portabella mushroom. 













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Here is 24 grams all chopped up

and then the onions













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Next I wieghed my spices: 













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## shannon127 (Jan 19, 2013)

All of this gets combined with the pork and barley













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 then mixed throughly.













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Next we grind the liver through the 1/8th plate.  It will almost be liquid after doing so.

Add the liver to the mix and of course the star of our show the pig's blood.













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## shannon127 (Jan 19, 2013)

Wouldn't you know it, I screwed up!!!!!  I am missing the pictures of the blood being mixed in and the actual stuffing of the casings.

With no pictures, you will have to take my word on it.








*Edit:  Just made a new batch and made sure to get the money shot----*













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Obviously you mix in the blood and ground back fat, then stuff into large hog casings.  I only had 34-36mm, but usually use 38-42mm.  You want to loosely fill the casings as the mix expands as it cooks. 













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You then poach these in 175 degree water until the casings are plump and the internal temperature is at least 155.

I will be back with pics of the poach and final product in about an hour.


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## johnp (Jan 19, 2013)

?Delete the barley,morjorum,allspice and shrooms but add rice and you have blood boudin.


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## shannon127 (Jan 19, 2013)

Here is the finished product, well almost.  This piece is finished, put the rest back into the water to poach a bit longer. 













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Some of the barley had not quite absorbed enough.













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Hope you enjoyed and will try yourself.


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## diggingdogfarm (Jan 19, 2013)

Looks real good!



~Martin


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## driedstick (Jan 20, 2013)

man!!!! or should I say girl!!!!!! that looks awesome GREAT JOB !!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## moikel (Jan 20, 2013)

Outstanding
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





.We are having a blood sausage discussion over in nose to tail.Huge effort to make your own. Havent seen that style before ,looks just brilliant. Like the barley,I know the Scots use oats in haggis never thought of barley.


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## chef jimmyj (Jan 20, 2013)

driedstick said:


> man!!!! or should I say girl!!!!!! that looks awesome GREAT JOB !!!!!!!!!!!!!


Shannon most Definitely is a Guy...and a great guy at that! 

That does look awesome. Is there a benefit to cooking the Barley further in more stock? Or will there be an adverse result.

Where is this Korean Market and do they have a variety of the larger Asian ethnic cuisines or just Korean?

The stuff my Dad ate was really black. If it looked this good we would have eaten more.

Are you looking for some quality control inspection...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...JJ


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## boykjo (Jan 20, 2013)




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## chef jimmyj (Jan 20, 2013)

My Parents had that record!...JJ


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## boykjo (Jan 20, 2013)

Mine too... When i was a young boy, On Sundays at my grand parents house everyone would gather around the record player and this was one of the favorites


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## chef jimmyj (Jan 20, 2013)

Sundays at the Grandparents house in Eynon...Giant Tube Radio went on at Noon and non-stop Polka for the next 2 hours...JJ


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## boykjo (Jan 20, 2013)

My parents Used to shop at sugarmans a lot.I still have a 7.5 hp eska outboard from sugarmans with the origonal reciept. My mom and dad live right down the road from the bowling alley in dickson city


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## BGKYSmoker (Jan 20, 2013)

Looks all good.

I grew up on a small farm and my family made blood sausage, my job was to strain the blood thu a stocking and stir so it didnt thicken while the others got things ready, guess thats why i dont make this type of sausage anymore......(i was traumatized YIKES)


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## shannon127 (Jan 20, 2013)

DiggingDogFarm said:


> Looks real good!
> 
> 
> 
> ~Martin


Thanks Martin!!


driedstick said:


> man!!!! or should I say girl!!!!!! that looks awesome GREAT JOB !!!!!!!!!!!!!


LOL--Last time I checked I pee standing up!!  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	






Moikel said:


> Outstanding
> 
> 
> 
> ...


When I made Irish Black Pudding, I use both rolled oates and cracked barley.  I will have to check out the other discussion.  Thanks


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## shannon127 (Jan 20, 2013)

Chef JimmyJ said:


> Shannon most Definitely is a Guy...and a great guy at that!
> 
> That does look awesome. Is there a benefit to cooking the Barley further in more stock? Or will there be an adverse result.
> 
> ...


Thanks Jimmy.  Cooking the barley is the real balancing act.  Not enough liquid in the first boil and they simply take too long poaching and you start to lose flavor.  Too much liquid in the first, the barley expands too fast in the poach and splits the casings.  I think I am going to increase the broth % in the first maybe by 5-10% to see.  When I stuff them, I leave 3 finger widths of empty casing at the tie off point.  Then lay them flat and thatpart fills.  The first time I made them, I split them wide open and pretty much had nothing but soup.

The Korean Market is Kim's on Derry St.  They stock a variety of asian products.  I buy Thai oyster sauce there from time to time.

When you slice and fry it is does get much darker.  Here is a pic from my psuedo Irish Breakfast this morning.  I substituded Kiszka for Black Pudding













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I am always looking for quality control, in fact I have a few other items for you to try.


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## driedstick (Jan 20, 2013)

Chef JimmyJ said:


> Shannon most Definitely is a Guy...and a great guy at that!
> 
> That does look awesome. Is there a benefit to cooking the Barley further in more stock? Or will there be an adverse result.
> 
> ...


So Sorry Man I hope no hard feelings totally my fault with my big mouth


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## couger78 (Jan 20, 2013)

Nice work, Shannon, and I really appreciate the pictorial of the process.

I would've enjoyed also seeing the '_blood-added'_ shots, but I understand the challenges of focusing on the job at hand and remembering to capture images of the whole process.

IF I ever come across a vendor of fresh pork blood, this is one version I would consider—although I need to use the gluten-free buckwheat vs the gluten-containing barley.

Kevin


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## shannon127 (Jan 20, 2013)

driedstick said:


> So Sorry Man I hope no hard feelings totally my fault with my big mouth


No worries at all.  It is not the first time.  I went to a conference one time where I had to share a room with another person.  When I checked in, the staff started freaking out that I was a guy and what were they going to do, as all the rooms were full.  The upgraded me to a suite, so it all worked out well.


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## shannon127 (Jan 20, 2013)

Couger78 said:


> Nice work, Shannon, and I really appreciate the pictorial of the process.
> 
> I would've enjoyed also seeing the '_blood-added'_ shots, but I understand the challenges of focusing on the job at hand and remembering to capture images of the whole process.
> 
> ...


Kevin,

I actually did take the shots, but did not save after I viewed them.  The next shot overwrote the previous on.  Making it with buckwheat is actually more traditional in most of Poland, as barley has much better uses


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## ifitsdeadsmokeit (Jan 20, 2013)

Looks very good.  Thanks for sharing.


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## smoking b (Jan 20, 2013)

> Originally Posted by *Shannon127*
> 
> Here is a pic from my psuedo Irish Breakfast this morning.
> 
> ...


Looks good Shannon! Do you crisp it up?


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## shannon127 (Jan 20, 2013)

@Jeremy--Aye


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## chef jimmyj (Jan 22, 2013)

I had the opportunity to Taste Shannons Kiszka last night...It was really good! It is a good intro to the world of Blood Sausage as it has the flavors of the Pork and Liver and a slight but no where near offensive, Iron taste, it is Blood Sausage after all. I ate it both out of hand, your Mrs. is on to something here bro, and sliced and Fried in Butter. I have had some pretty hardcore Kiszka and this is much more to my liking. I did add some Salt at the table but that may just be a personal taste issue. Definitely Try it Guys, it will be a nice addition to your repertoire...JJ


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## moikel (Jan 22, 2013)

There must be a lot of versions around the world from the days when blood was always saved. Without even pretending to know much I figure there are 2 broad strands.1) Blood mostly with a few bits,onion,grain,fat or even that funky version that linguica posted over in nose to tail with raisans & pine nuts.
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





2)Blood & meat/offal liver you get the idea. More a "all in "sausage. 

Now if I  could just get that Some one stole the kiszka " song out of my head


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## chef jimmyj (Jan 25, 2013)

Just wanted to add an update...Had some of the Kiszka that was 4 days old for breakfast it was Better after a couple of days! Really great...JJ


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## shannon127 (Jan 25, 2013)

Chef JimmyJ said:


> My Parents had that record!...JJ





boykjo said:


> Mine too... When i was a young boy, On Sundays at my grand parents house everyone would gather around the record player and this was one of the favorites





Chef JimmyJ said:


> Sundays at the Grandparents house in Eynon...Giant Tube Radio went on at Noon and non-stop Polka for the next 2 hours...JJ


I am pretty sure my grandmother a groupie following along on tour.  Well at least to polka pride on Saturday afternoons


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