Entree: Lithuania – National Cuisine – Vėdarai (Potato and barley sausages made with grated potatoes, cooked barley, and pork, traditionally boiled and pan-fried)

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 45 min

Cook 55 min

Total 1 hr 40 min

Ingredients

- 3 lb (1.36 kg) starchy potatoes, peeled and coarsely grated
- 1 cup (185 g) pearl barley, rinsed and cooked until tender
- 1 lb (454 g) pork belly or fatty bacon, diced
- 1 large onion, about 8 oz (225 g), finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 6 g)
- 1 large egg, beaten (about 50 g)
- 1 tsp (5 g) caraway seeds, lightly crushed
- 1 tsp (5 g) salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) cold water
- approx. 2 yards (2 m) natural hog casing or a cleaned pig stomach, rinsed and soaked
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) lard or neutral oil for frying
- Sour cream and chopped fresh dill or parsley for serving (no measurement)

Instructions

1. Prepare the barley: cook pearl barley in salted water until tender, drain and cool. Set aside.
2. Render the pork: in a large skillet over medium heat, add the diced pork belly and cook until fat renders and pieces are browned, about 8–10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve the fat in the pan; keep the browned pork pieces.
3. Sauté onion and garlic: add the chopped onion to the rendered fat and sauté until soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. Prepare potatoes: after grating, squeeze out some excess liquid from the potatoes into a bowl but reserve the starchy liquid. You want some moisture for binding; remove only the excess so mixture is moist but not watery.
5. Mix filling: in a large bowl combine grated potatoes, cooked barley, browned pork pieces, sautéed onion and garlic, beaten egg, caraway seeds, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup (120 ml) water. Mix thoroughly until evenly combined; add a little reserved potato liquid if mixture seems dry.
6. Stuff casings: fit a sausage stuffer or use a funnel and spoon to fill the soaked hog casing or prepared stomach with the potato-barley mixture, leaving about 1–2 inches (5 cm) between links. Tie or twist into 6 equal sausages and secure the ends.
7. Poach sausages: bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle simmer (do not boil vigorously). Add the sausages and simmer gently for 40–50 minutes until the filling is firm and cooked through.
8. Brown and serve: remove sausages, let drain, then slice into portions or keep whole and pan-fry in 2 tbsp (30 ml) lard or oil over medium heat until exterior is crisp and golden, about 3–5 minutes per side. Serve hot with sour cream and chopped dill or parsley and pickles or sauerkraut.
9. Leftovers: refrigerate cooled sausages up to 3 days; reheat by pan-frying or baking until warmed through.