Krakowska is a type of Polish sausage made with pork, garlic, and spices, originating from Kraków in the 1600s. It is traditionally roasted over a wood fire and sold fully cooked, often eaten cold or fried. It is an important part of Polish cuisine and can be found in Polish delicatessens and grocery stores worldwide. There are no strict requirements for its ingredients or marketing, and it is commonly eaten during Easter and Christmas celebrations.
A krakowska is a tough Polish sausage made of pork, typically seasoned with garlic and other spices. The word “krakowska” literally means “from Krakow” or “from Krakow” in Polish. Kraków is a city in southern Poland, and Krakowska sausage is believed to have originated there in the 1600s. The sausage is a variety of kielbasa – the generic term for any Polish sausage. It is sold fully cooked and is typically eaten cold, but can also be sliced and fried.
Krakowska sausage is traditionally made by pressing prepared pork tenderloin into a thick casing, usually at least three inches in diameter. The tenderloin is typically lean and is seasoned with garlic, peppers and spices, usually for several days or weeks before casing. Once stuffed, the sausage is roasted. Roasting is traditionally done over a wood fire, but many modern sausage shops and sausage factories roast the sausages in the oven instead, sometimes using walnut or other chips to impart the traditional smoky flavour.
Sausage reaches consumers fully cooked, although like all meats, it still needs to be refrigerated. It is usually eaten cold, sliced on sandwiches, salads, or on a charcuterie platter with other sausages and cheeses. Sausage also surrenders well to frying, and some cooks fry the thin slices in oil, usually with onion, as a side dish.
While originally local to Kraków, krakowska has grown into a sausage often served throughout Poland. It is an important part of Polish cuisine, both domestically and internationally. Many Polish delicatessens, restaurants and grocery stores around the world offer krakowska.
Krakowska is a traditional part of a Polish Easter celebration, particularly in and around Krakow. It is also a feature of many Polish Christmas markets, sold fresh for use in Christmas celebrations at home or prepared hot at food stalls as a snack for shoppers. Sausage is also enjoyed more casually. Polish expats and Polish food enthusiasts abroad in particular eat krakowska all year round, on any occasion.
As of 2010, there were no strict requirements on krakowska’s ingredients or marketing. Although the sausage is typically made with lean pork and heavy garlic and spices, a sausage that doesn’t meet these specifications may still be marketed as “krakowska.” Nor does the name function as a geographic marker. The name says the sausage traditionally originated in Kraków, but it doesn’t need to be made there – or even in Poland – to bear the name.
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