Grill Up Polish Sausage and Sauerkraut Recipe, A Classic Summer Standby (2024)

FAQs

How to grill the perfect Polish sausage? ›

One of the best ways to prepare and enjoy a Polish kiełbasa is to simply grill it and enjoy it on its own! If you're cooking it on the grill simply place your sausages on your grill once it's heated and ready and cook for about 5 minutes on each side or until it has a light char and golden color.

Here's why a quality sausage like McLean's Turkey Kielbasa, when eaten with sauerkraut, is the perfect meal: the combo is packed with protein and probiotics, and is super low in calories and carbs.

Poke the sausage a few times with a fork and place it in a pot or deep skillet. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat and simmer until heated through, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and serve it with mustard, slice it to serve with pierogis or place it in rolls or sandwiches.

Smoked kiełbasa can be served cold, hot, boiled, baked or grilled. It is used in soups such as żurek (sour rye soup), kapuśniak (cabbage soup), or grochówka (pea soup), baked or cooked with sauerkraut, or added to bean dishes and stews (notably bigos, a Polish national dish).

On weekdays, parties or during Christmas or Easter, Polish cold hams and sausages are traditionally served in cuts with cold side accompaniments: pickled mushrooms, gherkins, spicy horseradish, ćwikła (a mixture of shredded beets and horseradish), tartare sauce, mustard, root vegetable salad.

Although it is considered a national dish in Germany and is known under its German name in English-speaking countries, it did not originate in Germany and is also a traditional and ubiquitous dish in Central and Eastern Europe.

Sauerkraut also has a high fiber content that helps with constipation by making stools softer, and simultaneously increasing its mass and volume. This bulkiness makes for easier passage through the digestive tract and quicker elimination.

Sauerkraut is incredibly nutritious and healthy. It provides probiotics and vitamin K2, which are known for their health benefits, and many other nutrients. Eating sauerkraut may help strengthen your immune system, improve your digestion, reduce your risk of certain diseases, and even lose weight.

Does sauerkraut cleanse your liver? ›

The probiotics and vitamins in the sauerkraut help remove toxins from the liver and regenerate new, healthy liver cells.

In Poland, the term kielbasa can be used to refer to breakfast links, spicy Italian sausage, and smoked sausage flavored with garlic and marjoram. However, in the United States, “Polish sausage” and “kielbasa” are often used to refer to the same type of sausage.

Cooking Sausages Without Poking Holes In The Casing

These casings, used for sausages like kielbasa, are still made from animal sources, so they're usually edible. There's no need to remove the casings, or poke holes in them to make them easier to remove after cooking.

Slice precooked kielbasa in half lengthwise before grilling. This will result in sausage that has more of the smoky char and fit better into a bun. No need to boil precooked Polish sausage before laying it on the grill as it's already precooked.

Then, add the peppers to the basket and place Polish sausage links on the hot grill. Step Four: To grill the perfect Polish sausage, cook for 15 to 20 minutes with the lid on (for gas grill) or lid off (for charcoal grill).

The Best Grill Temperature for Sausage

We recommend grilling sausage at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. At very high temperatures, the casing of the sausage may split, and cause the delicious liquid to drain out of the sausage.

The best and most obvious way of telling when the sausage is ready is by using a meat thermometer. You need to closely monitor the sausage's internal temperature, aiming for 160°F (71°C). This makes it clear that smoking sausage is never a matter of how long you cook, but rather the internal temperature.

Preheat the grill to high heat or around 450 degrees F. Grill. Place the sausages directly on the grill grates, close the lid, and cook for 4-5 minutes. Flip the sausages and grill for another 4-5 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees F.