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Verivorst (Blood Sausage)

Verivorst is a traditional Estonian blood and barley sausage favored as a Christmas dish. It is customarily served as a first course with cranberry sauce, red berry jam, mulgikapsad (Estonian sauerkraut), and browned potatoes. Some enjoy it with butter or sour cream. Verivorst is very similar to the Finnish recipe for mustamakkara. Recipe Serving: Serves 6
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour 35 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 50 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal

Ingredients

  • 2 3/4 lb (1.25 kg) barley groats, washed
  • 1 1/2 lb (675 g) pork
  • 7 oz (200 g) onions, chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • marjoram, oregano, caraway to taste
  • 1/2 qt (1/2 l) blood
  • About 10 yd (10 m) of pig intestine, cleaned for use

Directions

  1. In hot salted water, boil groats until half-soft.
  2. Cut meat in small pieces and sauté it with sliced onion until browned.
  3. Add to the groats and their liquid and boil until the mixture is soft. Remove from heat and cool.
  4. Add blood and season as desired.
  5. Fill the intestines, being careful not to overfill, as the stuffing will swell when cooked.
  6. Knot the sausage ends with soft string.
  7. Place sausages in lukewarm water and simmer slowly, about 30 minutes.
  8. Cool the sausages quickly and store in a cold place.
  9. To serve, soak sausages in warm water, and then bake or fry until heated through.