Slavonski Kulen
Slavonski Kulen is a highly prized, dry-cured pork sausage originating from the Slavonia region of Croatia. It's known for its rich, spicy flavor, deep red color, and distinctive aroma, achieved through a meticulous process of seasoning with paprika, garlic, and salt, followed by smoking and long-term air-drying.
🧂 Ingredients
- 800 g Lean pork (legs, loin)
- 200 g Semi-fat pork (shoulder)
- 200 g Pork back fat
- 28 g Salt(or 5 tsp)
- 5 g Cure #2 (nitrite curing salt)(or 1 tsp)
- 2 g Dextrose(or 1/2 tsp)
- 2 g Turbinado sugar(or 1/2 tsp)
- 5 g Sweet paprika(or 2 tsp (Croatian paprika preferred))
- 5 g Hot paprika(or 2 tsp (Croatian paprika preferred))
- 7 g Garlic(minced (approx. 2 cloves))
- 15 ml Red wine(or 1 oz fl)
- 0.12 g Starter culture (e.g., T-SPX)(use scale, rehydrate as per manufacturer's instructions)
- Pork casings (colon, bung, or bladder)(cleaned and prepared)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Prepare the meat and fat: Chill the lean pork, semi-fat pork, and pork back fat to below 1.1°C (34°F). Grind the chilled meat and fat through a medium plate (around 6-8 mm). Rechill the ground mixture.
💡 Tip: Keeping the meat very cold is crucial for proper texture and safety. - 2
Prepare the seasonings: Mince the garlic and mix it with the red wine. Let this mixture infuse for several hours or overnight. Rehydrate the starter culture in a small amount of de-chlorinated water according to package directions (usually 30 minutes before mixing).
💡 Tip: The wine and garlic infusion adds depth of flavor. - 3
Mix the ingredients: Add the rehydrated starter culture to the chilled meat mixture. Then, add the salt, cure #2, dextrose, turbinado sugar, sweet paprika, hot paprika, and the wine/garlic infusion. Mix thoroughly until the mixture becomes very tacky and sticks to your hand when turned upside down.
💡 Tip: Thorough mixing ensures even distribution of spices and proper fermentation. - 4
Stuff the casings: Prepare the pork casings by rinsing them thoroughly and soaking them until pliable. Stuff the meat mixture tightly into the casings, ensuring no air pockets remain. Tie off the ends securely.
💡 Tip: Prick out any air pockets with a sterile needle to prevent spoilage. - 5
Fermentation: Hang the stuffed sausages in a cool, well-ventilated area at around 20°C (68°F) with 90-85% humidity for approximately 72 hours.
💡 Tip: Maintaining the correct temperature and humidity is vital for proper fermentation. - 6
Smoking: Apply a thin cold smoke at around 18°C (64°F) for 2-3 weeks, using oak, beech, or a mixture of both. Maintain high humidity during this period.
💡 Tip: Cold smoking adds flavor and helps preserve the sausage. - 7
Drying: Dry the kulen at 15-12°C (59-53°F) with 80-75% humidity for about 6 weeks. Continue drying at 10-12°C (50-55°F) with 75% humidity for another 10 weeks, or until the desired firmness is achieved.
💡 Tip: The total drying time can vary from several weeks to several months, depending on size and conditions. - 8
Storage: Store the cured kulen in a cool, dry place at 10-12°C (50-55°F) with 75% humidity. Slice thinly and serve.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Use high-quality pork from well-raised pigs for the best flavor.
- ✓Ensure all equipment is clean and sanitized throughout the process.
- ✓Patience is essential, as the curing process takes a significant amount of time.
- ✓The ratio of sweet to hot paprika is crucial for the characteristic flavor profile.
🔄 Variations
- Kulenova seka (Kulen's sister) is a smaller version of kulen, made with similar ingredients but stuffed into smaller casings.
- Some recipes may include a small amount of nutmeg or other spices.