Everything about Kielbasa totally explained
Kiełbasa is a Polish word for traditional
Polish sausage. The word has become a commonly used North American term for Eastern European styles of
sausage, including
Ukrainian sausage, which is called
kovbasa or
kubasa. The sausage in Poland is usually sold in two forms, fresh and dry. The dry one has the advantage of being long lasting, while the fresh one can be eaten cold or cooked. The fresh form is used in traditional Polish dishes, such as "Biały Barszcz" or "Bigos".
Etymology
The term entered English simultaneously from different sources, which accounts for the different spellings. In the United States, the form kielbasa (usually or /kɪlˈbɑːsə/) is more often used and comes from the
Polish kiełbasa "sausage", in turn from
Turkic külbastı "grilled cutlet"). In New Jersey and most areas of Greater New York City, the Czech pronunciation, or possibly a derivative of the Polish word is used, and is usually pronounced "ke-bah-see" (kiełbasi: incorrect form of the plural in Polish) or "keu-bah-sah." In addition to kielbasa, Canadians also use the word
kubasa (/kuːbɒˈsɒ, ˈkuːbəsɒ/), an alteration of the Ukrainian
kovbasa, and
Albertans even abbreviate it as
kubie to refer to the sausage eaten on a
hot dog bun.
Usage
Sausage is a staple of
Polish cuisine and comes in dozens of varieties,
smoked or fresh, but almost always based on
pork (although in many areas, it's available in
beef, and sometimes in
turkey,
horse,
lamb, even
bison), every region having its own specialty. Popular varieties include:
- kabanosy, a thin, air-dried sausage flavored with caraway seed, originally made of horsemeat (but today usually pork or turkey)
- krakowska, a thick, straight sausage hot-smoked with pepper; its name originated from Kraków
- wiejska (pronounced in Polish /ˈvʲejska/), a large U-shaped pork and veal sausage with marjoram and garlic; its name means "a rural one".
In the
U.S., "kielbasa" almost always means some form of
wiejska (although often not U-shaped and seldom containing veal), which may be unsmoked ("fresh") or fully or partly smoked. Similar sausages are found in other Slavic nations as well, notably the
Czech Republic,
Slovakia (spelled "klobása") and
Hungary (spelled "
kolbász"). In
Ukraine "kovbasa" is properly pronounced /kovbɑsɑ/, but in English is usually pronounced /ˈkʌbɑsɑ/.
Original kielbasa is also called "Polska kiełbasa" for "Polish Sausage" or "Kielbasa Starowiejska" known as "Old Country Style Sausage". This one comes closest to what is generally known in America as "kielbasa" (Polish sausage, Polska Kiełbasa). Nowadays, many major meat packers across America offer a product called "kielbasa," but it differs from the original meaning of the same term.
Real kielbasa uses only the choicest cuts of tender pork, and often a little beef or veal is added to improve its body and character. The sausage is seasoned with fresh herbs and spices and then gently smoked, just long enough to achieve the right color, flavor and aroma. It is often eaten for breakfast or supper as a
cold cut with
horseradish or mustard.
In Poland, kielbasa is traditionally served with fried onions, red horseradish (which is blended with beets), and - in form of small pieces, fried together with onions - as an addition to
pierogi, which are crescent-shaped dumplings filled with potato, cheese or mushrooms. Kielbasa can be served hot — boiled, baked or grilled. It can be cooked in soups (such as
biały barszcz,
kapuśniak, or
grochówka), baked with
sauerkraut, or added to bean dishes, stews (notably
bigos, the Polish national dish), and casseroles.
A less widely available variety of kielbasa is the White Fresh (
biała), which is sold uncooked and unsmoked, then usually boiled or cooked in a soup in place of a typical meat. This variety of kielbasa is virtually identical to Italian Sausage.
Usage in Popular Culture
The character of Johnny "Drama" Chase in the hit TV show Entourage has a passion for Kielbasa and in the episode "Dominated" .
The Kielbasa song by Tenacious D.
In US sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, Hal and Lois having a Kielbasa eating contest at a block party celebrating their supposed absence.
In the US sitcom Scrubs, Molly takes money Dr. Cox offers up as a joke to buy Kielbasa in the hospital cafeteria.Further Information
Get more info on 'Kielbasa'.
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