Polish Sausage with Marjoram for Easter

After many weeks of a long fasting Lenten season, the people of Poland looked forward to Resurrection Sunday and enjoying all the foodstuffs they had denied themselves for so long -  eggs, dairy products and meat. 

 White sausage called biała kiełbasa  with marjoram for Easter.  Sophie Knab photo.

     In reality, for many families, meat was not something that was generally seen on the table outside of fasting days anyway.  The exceptions were great celebrations like christenings, weddings, Christmas and Easter.  For these holidays, a carefully raised pig was slaughtered and the meat processed quickly to avoid spoilage. Some went into jars, some salted down in barrels and the rest went into making sausage. Some sausage was smoked but this often required many long days and sometimes weeks before it was ready for consumption. After such a long fast, something was needed for the Easter table  that didn’t take quite so long. The simplest and relatively most affordable meat product to prepare was biała kiełbasa i.e., white sausage. The thigh, rump, shoulder, or belly of the pig was cut into chunks, various spices and seasonings added and then stuffed into cleaned intestinal casings. It could be consumed within a few hours after production by boiling in water or baking.

     Every region had its own version of this type of sausage and every family its own safely guarded recipe. Spices such as coriander, cardamom and nutmeg lent unique flavors if you could afford such luxuries. Salt and pepper were also both expensive commodities. For a long time housewives depended on locally available spices like crushed juniper berries to add flavor to their meat and soups. In the 19th century Kronice Miasta Poznania (Chronicle of the City of Poznań) we find the following description: "The ceremonial Easter breakfast commenced at noon. The table was laden with delectable dishes... A particular delicacy was white sausage baked with onions and juniper berries.”

     In the Podlasie region, the coarsely ground sausage was heavily flavored with garlic, something that could be grown and stored through the winter. Homegrown herbs like dill, garlic, and wild caraway were also used.   In Małopolska (Lesser Poland) the preferred seasoning was pepper and marjoram.

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     Marjoram (Origanum majorana), majeranek in the Polish language, was brought to Poland in the 16th century during the time of the Renaissance and became extremely popular both in the kitchen and stillroom.  Krzystof Kluk in his Dycyonarz roslinny (Dictionary of Plants) of 1787 states “it has a pleasant aroma and spicey taste and used as a seasoning in the kitchen.”  

     Easily grown in pots in a kitchen window or in the garden, everyone knew that marjoram worked best in richer, fattier dishes. It was common knowledge that it help digest fatty foods. It was an indispensable addition to any of the roasted meats that appeared on the Easter table.

← Sophie Knab photo


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White sausage with marjoram as a meat for Easter crossed the oceans as Poles immigrated to other countries.  It continues to be made at home by descendants of those immigrants and appears in Polish markets and even local supermarkets where it’s often called the “holiday” sausage.

It’s also found in the Easter baskets taken to be blessed on Holy Saturday and much enjoyed at the Easter Sunday morning breakfast. 

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←Sophie Knab photo. My Easter basket for blessing a few years ago with  biała kiełbasa but will certainly be in this year’s basket on Holy Saturday as well. 

Thank you for reading. A Blessed Holy Week to all.



For more about Easter traditions and recipes: Polish Customs, Traditions and Folklore (2024) and Polish Country Kitchen Cookbook (20212) by Hippocrene Books, Inc.

Hippocrene Books, Inc. is offering a special promotion of 40% off on all my books through Indiepubs.com with the promo code HIPPOCRENE40. 
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