Kielbasa

Various brands of kielbasa

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.

Contents

Etymology

The term entered English simultaneously from different sources, which accounts for the different spellings. In the United States, the form kielbasa (usually pronounced /kiːlˈbɑːsə/ or /kɪlˈbɑ:sə/) is more often used and comes from the Polish kiełbasa pronounced [kʲewˈbasa] listen "sausage", in turn from Turkic külbastı "grilled cutlet"[1]). 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: Polish slang for kiełbasa, often used when referring to kiełbasa in plural form) or "keu-bah-sah." In addition to kielbasa, Canadians also use the word kubasa (/kuːbɒˈsɒ, ˈkuːbəsɒ/), a corruption of the Ukrainian kovbasa (ковбаса), and Albertans even abbreviate it as kubie to refer to the sausage eaten on a hot dog bun.[2]

During World War II, the Nazis sought to rename the Kielbasa, attempting to "Germanize" it by renaming it Kolbascy, which is actually a corruption of Kolbasky.

Not to be confused with the brand Kiolbassa out San Antonio, Texas

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 is available in beef, and sometimes in turkey, horse, lamb, even bison), every region having its own speciality. Popular varieties include:

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 (spelled "klobás") and Slovakia (spelled "klobása"). 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 is usually a far cry from the real thing.

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 good 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 taste similar to mild Italian Sausage.

Trivia

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Kielbasa in the American Heritage Dictionary.
  2. ↑ The Canadian Oxford Dictionary has headwords for the Canadian usage kubasa, as well as the Albertan kubie and kubie burger, for kubasa dogs and burgers, respectively.

References