Quick & easy homemade Ukrainian sausage

Just ask any Ukrainian where to find a good ring of kovbasa (garlic sausage)! Whether they’re from Toronto to Winnipeg, Wadena Saskatchewan or Mundare Alberta, they will proudly point you in the direction of their favourite Ukrainian butcher where you can buy it fresh!

You can also buy it in the supermarket, and some vacuum packed varieties are reasonably good. But you just can’t beat the home-made stuff. And it can be surprisingly easy to make.

This simple recipe makes 6 servings of Ukrainian kovbasa. The meat mixture can be prepared days in advance. The prep time for this recipe is just 15 minutes and cooking time is 20 minutes. These sausages can be grilled, broiled or roasted as well as fried.

1 pound ground pork
1/2 pound lean ground beef
2 large eggs, beaten
1 small head garlic, minced, chopped or crushed
2 teaspoons peperivka (spiced whiskey)
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium carrot, grated (optional)

Combine ground pork and beef with beaten eggs, garlic, salt allspice and grated carrot. If you have peperivka, or spiced whiskey on hand, add a splash or two!

Check seasonings by frying a small amount and tasting. Adjust seasonings if necessary.

Form meat mixture into six sausages. Add a tbsp of canola oil to a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, carefully add sausages, cooking in batches if necessary, 7 to 10 minutes per side until nicely browned.

Garnish with parsley and serve hot with mashed potatoes, perogies, cabbage rolls, or kasha.

For a delicious snack, serve it cold with a slice of bread and homemade dill pickles!

Смачного!