Entree: Estonia – Verivorst (Traditional Estonian blood sausage made with pork, blood, and barley)
Serving Size: 6
Approximate Time
Prep
35 min
Cook
45 min
Additional
1 hr
Total
2 hrs 20 min
Ingredients
- 2 lb (900 g) pork shoulder, coarsely ground
- 8 oz (225 g) pork fatback, finely diced or ground
- 1 cup (170 g) pearl barley, rinsed
- 2 cups (480 ml) water (for cooking barley)
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) fresh pig's blood
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped, about 8 oz (225 g)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lard or butter
- 2 tsp (10 g) salt
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground black pepper
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) dried marjoram
- Natural hog casings, soaked and rinsed
- Optional: 1/2 cup (125 ml) lingonberry jam to serve
Instructions
1. Cook the barley: combine pearl barley and 2 cups (480 ml) water in a saucepan, bring to a simmer, cover and cook until tender and most liquid is absorbed, about 25–30 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
2. Render the fat and soften the onions: heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) lard or butter in a skillet over medium heat, add the chopped onions and sweat until translucent and slightly golden, about 8–10 minutes. Cool.
3. Mix the sausage: in a large bowl combine the ground pork shoulder, diced fatback, cooked barley, sautéed onions, salt, pepper, allspice, and marjoram. Pour in the pig's blood and mix thoroughly until the mixture is evenly combined and slightly sticky. Chill the mixture for at least 1 hour to firm up.
4. Prepare casings and stuff: fit a sausage stuffer or funnel and thread the soaked hog casings. Fill casings with the chilled mixture, taking care not to overstuff. Twist into links about 3 oz (85 g) each to make approximately 12 sausages.
5. Poach the sausages: bring a large pot of water to a gentle simmer (do not boil). Add the sausages and poach gently for 20–25 minutes until firm and cooked through. Remove and drain on a rack.
6. Finish and serve: to serve, pan-fry the poached sausages in a skillet over medium-high heat until skin is browned and crisp, or roast them in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 10–15 minutes. Serve hot with sauerkraut, boiled potatoes, or lingonberry jam.
