Kielbasa

Kielbasa(UK:/kiːlˈbæsə/,US:/kiːlˈbɑːsə,kɪ(l)ˈbɑːsə/; from Polishkiełbasa[kʲɛwˈbasa])is any type of meatsausagefromPolandand a staple ofPolish cuisine. It is also known in other world cuisines; inAmerican English, the word typically refers to a coarse, U-shaped smoked sausage of any kind of meat, which closely resembles theWiejskasausage(typically pork only).
The word entered English directly from thePolishkiełbasaand Czechklobása, meaning "sausage". Both these forms can be derived from aProto-Slavic*kъlbasa, which is also the source of Russian колбаса, Ukrainianковбаса́, Croatiankobasa, etc. This in turn was borrowed from aTurkicform equivalent to*kol basa, literally "hand-pressed", or*kül basa, literally "ash-pressed", making it cognate with modernTurkishkülbastı.
The terms entered English simultaneously from different sources, which accounts for the different spellings. Usage varies between cultural groups and countries, but overall there is a distinction between American and Canadian usage. In New Jersey,Pennsylvaniaand most areas of Greater New York City, a plural Polish transitional form is sometimes seen,kiełbasy(/kɪˈbɑːsi/).Canadians also use the wordkolbassaorkubasa(/kuːbɑːˈsɑː/or/ˈkuːbəsɑː/), an Anglicization of the Ukrainiankovbasa(ковбаса),  andAlbertanseven abbreviate it askubieto refer to the sausage eaten on ahot dog bun.
Sausageis a staple ofPolish cuisineand comes in dozens of varieties,smokedor fresh, made withpork,beef,turkey,lamb,chickenorvealwith every region having its own speciality. Of these, thekiełbasa lisiecka, produced inMałopolskie,kiełbasa biała parzona wielkopolskaandkiełbasa piaszczańskaareProtected Geographical Indicationsin the EU and the UK.Furthermore,Kabanosy staropolskie,Kiełbasa jałowcowa staropolska,Kiełbasa krakowska sucha staropolskaandKiełbasa myśliwska staropolskaareTraditional Specialities Guaranteedin the UK and EU as well.
There are official Polish government guides and classifications of sausages based on size, meat, ready-to-eat or uncooked varieties.
Originally made at home inrural areas,there are a wide variety of recipes for kielbasa preparation at home and for holidays.Kielbasa is also one of the most traditional foods served at Polish weddings.
The most popular kiełbasa is also called "Kiełbasa Polska" ("Polish Sausage") or "Kiełbasa Starowiejska" ("Old Countryside Sausage").
In Poland, kiełbasa is often served garnished with fried onions.  Smoked kiełbasa can be served cold, hot, boiled, baked or grilled. It is used in soups such asżurek(sour rye soup),kapuśniak(cabbage soup), orgrochówka(pea soup), baked or cooked withsauerkraut, or added to bean dishes and stews (notablybigos, a Polish national dish). Kiełbasa is also very popular served as a cold cut on a platter, usually for an appetizer at traditional Polish parties. It is also a common snack (zagrycha) served with beer or plain vodka.
In Ukraine, kielbasa is called "kovbasa". It is a general term that refers to a variety of sausages, including "domashnia" (homemade kovbasa), "pechinkova" (liver kovbasa), and "budzhena" (smoked kovbasa).
It is served in a variety of ways, such as fried with onions atopvarenyky, sliced onrye bread, or eaten with an egg. In Ukraine kovbasa may be roasted in an oven on both sides and stored in ceramic pots withlard. The sausage is often made at home; however, it has become increasingly common at markets and even supermarkets. Kovbasa also tends to accompanypysankyand krashanky (dyed and decorated eggs) as well as the Orthodox Easter bread,paska, in baskets which is blessed by the Ukrainian Orthodox priests withholy waterbefore being consumed.
The most generic forms of Ukrainian kovbasa include garlic. Those in theUkrainian SSRof thelate Soviet Unionwho prioritised welfare and economic issues over the 'national question' (independence) were often referred to as having a 'kovbasa mentality'.
Kolbász is the Hungarian word for sausage.Hungarian cuisineproduces a vast number of types of sausages. The most common smoked Hungarian sausages are Gyulai Kolbász, Csabai Kolbász, Csemege Kolbász, Házi Kolbász, Cserkész Kolbász, lightly smoked, like Debreceni Kolbász (or Debreciner) and Lecsókolbász, a spicy sausage made specifically for serving as part of the dish Lecsó, a vegetable stew with peppers and tomatoes. Hungarian boiled sausage types are called "hurka": either liver sausage, "májas", or blood sausage, "véres". The main ingredient is liver and rice, or meat and rice. Salt, pepper, and spices are optionally added. Butter is not.
Thekranjska klobasa"Carniolan sausage" closely resembling the Polishkiełbasa wiejskais the best knownSloveniansausage.
In the United States, kielbasa which may also be referred to asPolish sausagein some areas, is widely available in grocery stores and speciality import markets. While the smoked variety is more commonly found, the uncured variety is often available, particularly in areas with large Polish populations. Several sandwiches featuring the sausage as a main ingredient have become iconic in local cuisines including Chicago'sMaxwell Street Polish,Cleveland'sPolish Boy,and several offerings fromPrimanti Brothersin Pittsburgh.
In Canada, varieties typical of Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, western Ukraine, and elsewhere are available in supermarkets, and more specific varieties can be found in specialty shops. The world's largest display model of a Ukrainian sausage is aroadside attractioninMundare,Alberta, the home of Stawnichy's Meat Processing.
In Russia, it is known askolbasa(колбасаpronounced[kəɫbɐˈsa]), mentioned as early as the 12th centuryinBirch bark manuscriptnumber 842. In the Russian language the wordkolbasarefers to all sausage-like meat products including salami andbologna. Similar sausages are found in other countries as well, notably the Czech Republic (spelled "klobása", or regionally "klobás"), Slovakia (spelled "klobása"), and Slovenia (spelled "klobása"). In Croatia, as well as in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia, this sausage is called "kobasica" or "kobasa", while in Bulgaria and North Macedonia it is called "kolbas".) InAustria, it is called "Klobassa" (similar to the neighbouring Slavic-speaking countries). In South Africa, this type of sausage is known as the "Russian" sausage, and is often deep-fried and served with chips as fast food.
In China, where once prominentWhite émigréresidents fleeing from theRussian Civil Warwere concentrated, the food was gradually localized around major hubs. Even thoughHarbin Russianresidents are scarce today, Kielbasa remains in production that inherited to local residents until today in Harbin.