Kranjska klobasa

Kranjska klobasa, also known as Carniolan or Krainer sausage, comes from the historical territory of Kranjska, which was originally the Duchy of Carniola, a crown land of the Austrian Empire. It has the ideal meat-to-bacon ratio: at least 80% coarsely ground good-quality pork pieces (leg, shoulder, neck) and 20% bacon (back fat), seasoned with Seovlje saltern salt, black pepper, and garlic. After stuffing the meat mixture into natural casings, the sausages are twisted into links, knotted, and fastened together with a wooden stick. After that, the links are pasteurized and hot-smoked until they attain a medium reddish-brown hue.

The sausage can be eaten with mustard, ketchup, and a slice of dark bread, or as a Käsekrainer-Hot-Dog, which is the most common variant in Austria. (By Hot Dog, Austrians refer to the bun rather than the sausage.) The bread used is comparable to a French baguette, but it is shorter (200 to 250 mm (7.9-9.8 in) long, has a distinct texture, and is not called a baguette, but a bun. A warm 1-inch-diameter (25 mm) metal rod is used to poke a hole in the bun at one end. The next step is to fill the hole with sauce. Austrians typically choose amongst three sauces: harsh mustard, sweet mustard, and ketchup.

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, coarsely ground, 6 cloves garlic, crushed, 1/2 cup white wine, 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste, 2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon saltpeter, optional, 1 cup cold water, 8 ounces hog casings, approximately, 1 tablespoon sweet paprika, optional, 1 cup finely chopped onions, optional, 4 slices bread, torn, optional

Instructions

• Soak crushed garlic in wine overnight. Soak casings in lukewarm water about 6 hours.
• In a large bowl, mix ground pork, pepper, paprika, salt, saltpeter (if using), garlic-wine mixture, and onion and bread. Add water and mix well. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for several hours for the flavors to meld. Remove from refrigerator and mix by hand again. Fry up a small patty to make sure the seasonings are to your liking.
• Take casings out of the water and rinse several times by letting cold water run through the casing. Fill casings with meat mixture, being careful not to leave air pockets. Twist into uniform lengths. Smoke the sausages for two to three days. Fresh sausage may be pan-fried or roasted in the oven.
• To prepare sausage you have smoked, place in cold water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover and let sit in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain and serve.