Polish Sausage Patties
Inspired by the flavors of kielbasa, this savory sausage is smoky, garlicky, and scented with traditional herbs. It’s incredibly flavorful and great any time of day – from breakfast through dinner! No curing or smoker required!
This sausage is super easy to make with very few ingredients! To make this sausage, you need ground pork, a few pantry staples, and a little chilling time. The chilling time can be as little as 1 hour, but it transforms the lean pork into a savory, smoky meat with cured nuances.
My son inspired me to make this Polish sausage. He said he’s been enjoying kielbasa and wondered if I could make him some. As much as I would love to make homemade kielbasa, I think I’ll leave that to the pros (and those with meat grinders, extruders, and outdoor smokers)! This recipe captures all the flavors of kielbasa – marjoram, garlic, smoke – without all the work.
I used a few hacks to achieve the essence of kielbasa. First, I used smoked paprika for the smoky quality you get from smoked kielbasa. Then, I used beer to add moisture and season the pork while delivering a cured flavor. If you don’t have beer, white wine works too. I also added marjoram and garlic because those are classic flavors in kielbasa. While American sausage uses sage, Polish sausage often relies on floral marjoram for flavor.
How should you serve your Polish sausage? I served this sausage as a main course with roasted fingerling potatoes and broccolini. You can also serve it for breakfast alongside eggs, pancakes or waffles. My son grilled the leftovers and served the grilled patties with rice! There’s no wrong way to enjoy these sausage patties!
Polish Sausage Patties
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 teaspoons dried marjoram
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more for serving if desired
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 pound lean ground pork
- 3/4 cup beer, or dry white wine, or water, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the marjoram, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well and pinch the marjoram with your fingers to release the herbal oils.
- Add the pork and 1/2 cup beer and mix until blended and the liquid is absorbed.
- Shape the mixture into 6 patties, each about 1-inch thick. Transfer to a plate, cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to 12 hours.
- Heat the oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage patties and cook until golden brown on both sides.
- Add the remaining 1/4 cup of beer and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the liquid is reduced (almost gone) and the patties are cooked through (165 degrees), about 5 to 7 minutes.
- If desired, sprinkle with a little more smoked paprika before serving.