Kielbasa
Photo: MOs810 · CC BY-SA 4.0

History

Polish and Slovak butchers in Slavic Village smoked kielbasa for the neighbourhood's mill-worker tables from the 1880s. The Slovenian and Polish parishes still run Easter blessing-of-the-baskets with kielbasa-and-eggs through Lent. Today Hansa Imports in Westown and Kuchar Brothers Sausage in Parma maintain the smoked-on-site tradition; West Side Market vendors keep daily fresh links by the pound.

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Common allergens: Gluten, Sulphites

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 15 minTotal 25 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 4 smoked kielbasa links, about 600g total
  • 4 long rolls or rye slices
  • Yellow ballpark mustard
  • Bertman or Stadium Mustard spicy brown
  • 200g sauerkraut, drained and warmed
  • 1 onion, sliced and slowly caramelized

Method

  1. Score the kielbasa lengthwise to prevent splitting.
  2. Grill over medium heat 4 minutes per side, or pan-fry in a dry skillet until charred and heated through.
  3. Toast the rolls or rye lightly.
  4. Lay a kielbasa link on each roll, top with warm sauerkraut and caramelized onion.
  5. Finish with a heavy stripe of Stadium Mustard or Bertman Ball Park Mustard plus optional yellow ballpark mustard.

Tip from the editors. Smoke the links over applewood for 30 minutes before grilling if you want extra depth.

Where to eat kielbasa

Kielbasa in Cleveland

West Side Market food stalls ★ 4.8

$ Modern PolishOhio City

The West Side Market on West 25th Street since 1912, the 60-vendor public market in the Hubbel and Benes Hall, runs cheap-eat lunches from bratwurst, pierogi.

TryCheap-eat lunches from 60+ vendors: bratwurst, pierogi, gyros, tacos

Directions

Seti's Polish Boys ★ 4.6

$ Street foodOhio City

Seti's Polish Boys is Cleveland's longest-running Polish Boy food truck on the festival circuit, with the canonical kielbasa-fries-slaw-BBQ stack on a bun.

TryPolish Boy: grilled kielbasa, fries, slaw and BBQ sauce on a bun

Directions

Prosperity Social Club ★ 4.4

$$ Modern PolishTremontUntil Mon-Thu 24:00, Fri-Sat 01:00

Prosperity Social Club on Starkweather Avenue in Tremont, a 1938 tavern with wood-paneled walls, runs late pierogi and tavern fare on weekends to 01:00.

TryPierogi, kielbasa and tavern fare

Directions

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