Hungarian Sausage Recipes

HUNGARIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Peel the garlic.
• If you are using a meat grinder, run the peeled garlic through the grinder. Otherwise mince very finely.
• If you are grinding your own pork, don't trim the fat! It helps keep the sausage from drying out when cooking.
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well by hand to distribute the seasoning evenly throughout the meat.
• Cook and enjoy! This sausage greatly enhances Eastern European soups or stews.

CLASSIC HUNGARIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• In a meat grinder, coarsely grind the pork, beef, and pork fat, in batches. Add all the remaining ingredients except the casings. Mix well and allow to sit while you clean the casings.
• Rinse the casings thoroughly in cold water and run fresh water through them. Drain. Using a sausage machine, a KitchenAid with a sausage attachment, or a sausage funnel, fill the casings and tie them off into about 16-inch lengths. Do not fill them too tightly as they must have room to expand when they cook.
• Hang the sausages in a home-style smoker and smoke them for about one hour. Do not allow the temperature of the smoker to go above 150.
• Remove the sausages and hang over a stick or dowel. Put the stick in a cool place and position an electric fan so that it will blow directly on the sausages. Allow them to dry for two days. They are ready for use. Place them in the refrigerator, where they will keep well for about a week.

HUNGARIAN NOODLES WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the egg noodles and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until crumbled and lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, red peppers and paprika and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, cabbage and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the cabbage is tender, about 4 minutes.
• Add the noodles and sour cream to the sausage mixture. Cook, stirring, until well coated, about 30 seconds (do not boil). Add the reserved cooking water as needed to loosen. Stir in the dill and season with salt and pepper.

HUNGARIAN HOT SAUSAGE AND LENTIL STOUP

Steps:

• Heat a medium soup pot over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, then add sausage to pot and brown and crumble it, then add garlic, onions and mushrooms. Cook a few minutes, then add carrots, lentils, potato, salt and pepper, bay leaf, paprika or substitute mixture and rosemary (leaves will fall from stems as stoup cooks). Add tomatoes and broth and cover pot then raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Uncover pot and place heat back a bit but keep stoup at a good rolling boil. Cook 15 minutes until lentils and potatoes are tender. Wilt in greens in small bunches, remove rosemary stems and turn off heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Serve in shallow bowls with bread and butter to mop up stoup. Reheat leftovers thinning it with broth or water.

HUNGARIAN POTATO AND SAUSAGE SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add sausage and cook and stir until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove sausage to a bowl, leaving behind any butter in the pot.
• Toss onion into the pot with 1 teaspoon salt. Cook and stir until onion just starts to turn translucent and picks up a brown color from the meat juices in the pan, 4 to 5 minutes. Add flour; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and paprika; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute, being careful not to burn the paprika.
• Stir in 5 cups chicken broth. Increase heat to high and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally so flour does not stick to the bottom of the pot. Stir in cabbage and cook until it just loses its stiffness, about 2 minutes. Stir in potatoes and bring back to a simmer. Add black pepper, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf, plus a splash of chicken broth if desired. Bring back to a simmer.
• Stir soup and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are very soft and tender, about 30 minutes. Add sausage and vinegar and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust for salt.
• Remove from heat and ladle into bowls. Garnish with sour cream, green onions, and cayenne pepper.