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    Home » Appetizer

    Smoked Kielbasa

    Jan 28, 2023 · Leave a Comment

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Smoked kielbasa pieces on a wood serving board.
    Overhead view of smoked kielbasa pieces on a wood serving board.
    Smoked kielbasa ingredients and the finished sausage.
    Closeup of pieces of smoked kielbasa sausage.
    Smoked kielbasa pieces on a wood board.
    Smoked kielbasa sausage pieces and a bowl of barbecue sauce.
    pieces of smoked kielbasa sausage and a small bowl of barbecue sauce.

    Smoked Kielbasa is a tasty appetizer perfect for game day and parties. Juicy kielbasa sausage is slow-smoked to perfection and finished with BBQ sauce. It's a great sausage recipe for an electric smoker or pellet grill like Traeger.

    pieces of smoked kielbasa and a small bowl of barbecue sauce.

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Table of Contents

    • Why Smoked Kielbasa Is the Best Way to Serve Kielbasa 
    • Why You Should Try This Smoked Kielbasa Recipe 
    • Smoked Kielbasa Ingredients 
    • Ingredient Notes
    • How to Make Store Bought Kielbasa in the Smoker
    • How Long to Smoke Kielbasa
    • What to Serve With Kielbasa
    • Variations
    • What Type of Wood Is Good for Smoked Sausage 
    • How to Store Smoked Kielbasa 
    • What's the Best Way to Reheat Smoked Kielbasa
    • Smoked Kielbasa

    Why Smoked Kielbasa Is the Best Way to Serve Kielbasa 

    Mouthwateringly juicy with a satisfying snap, few sausages can compare with kielbasa. Combine that incredible texture with an intense yet not overpowering smokiness, and you have the ultimate game-day snack. Whether you grill them up and serve them as a kielbasa appetizer with grain mustard or use them in the best cabbage and sausage soup you ever had, smoking kielbasa at home is the way to go.

    Why You Should Try This Smoked Kielbasa Recipe 

    Do you like to keep things simple? Then this is the smoked kielbasa recipe you want to try. With just three ingredients and a few hours, you can transform the taste of store bought kielbasa. If you are new to smoking or just need a dependable recipe, go with this one.

    But wait, what is the difference between smoked sausage and kielbasa? Isn't all kielbasa already smoked? No, while smoked kielbasa is the most common variety in most stores, you can find unsmoked kielbasa or fresh kielbasa, as it is sometimes called. That is the type you want to use for this recipe. 

    Smoked Kielbasa Ingredients 

    For smoking store bought kielbasa, you'll need:

    • Kielbasa, unsmoked 
    • Barbeque sauce 
    • Water 
    • Wood
    Kielbasa sausage, barbecue sauce, and water.

    Ingredient Notes

    Opt for high-quality unsmoked kielbasa. Finding kielbasa that hasn't been smoked may be challenging. Some brands label their unsmoked variety as 'fresh kielbasa,' so you will want to keep an eye out for that.

    Although kielbasa is traditionally all pork, today, you can find it made with beef, lamb, veal, chicken, or turkey. This recipe is best for pork kielbasa, but you can experiment using other varieties. 

    Use your favorite type of BBQ sauce in this recipe.

    How to Make Store Bought Kielbasa in the Smoker

    To hot smoke kielbasa:

    1. Preheat the smoker to 225°F and add the wood chips or pellets of your choice. See below for more information about selecting the type of wood for this recipe. 
    Kielbasa sausage on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet.
    1. Add the unsmoked kielbasa to the smoker.
    2. While the sausages are in the smoker, mix the BBQ sauce and water in a bowl.
    3. After two hours of cooking, use a silicone brush to coat the sausages with the BBQ mixture. 
    Smoked kielbasa sausage with barbecue sauce glaze on a wire rack over a baking sheet.
    1. Return sausages to the smoker and continue to smoke them until they are fully cooked.

    How Long to Smoke Kielbasa

    Since all smokers and sausages are different, the smoking time isn't set in stone.

    Instead, remove the sausages from the smoker when their internal temperature reaches 165°F. That may be anywhere from two to three hours. Start checking with an instant-read thermometer after about two hours and 15 minutes. 

    Smoked kielbasa sausage slices and a small bowl of barbecue sauce.

    What to Serve With Kielbasa

    Add your smoked kielbasa to soups and stews or grill them up and serve them as the star of the show. Here are just a few suggestions for quick and tasty side dishes:

    • Sauteed peppers and onions. This is the perfect last-minute meal, but it is so tasty you'll want to have it every night of the week. Just slice a mix of bell peppers and onions and saute them in olive oil. Add red pepper flakes, salt, fresh ground pepper, and a splash of red wine vinegar to the pan, along with sliced kielbasa right off the grill. Toss and serve. 
    • Any type of potatoes. Potatoes and grilled or fried kielbasas pair wonderfully together. Serve the sausages with your favorite mashed potatoes, a classic potato salad, or these Easy Potato Pancakes. 
    • Cabbage dishes. Kielbasa loves cabbage. Try making Luby's famous Skillet Cabbage, a delicious combination of cabbage, bacon, and tomatoes, your favorite coleslaw recipe, or just open a packet of quality sauerkraut.

    Variations

    This is more of a method for how to smoke kielbasa on pellet grill than a strict recipe. There is a lot of room for creativity. Try a few BBQ sauces to see which ones you like the best. You may want to use a different type of wood, try, or even another kind of sausage entirely!

    What Type of Wood Is Good for Smoked Sausage 

    You have a lot of choices when selecting the wood for smoking kielbasa. Perhaps the most popular wood is oak because of its mild earthiness.

    Traditionally Polish people added small pieces of juniper wood to the fire to impart some of the wood's unique flavors, but it can be a little overpowering. Other wood options include hickory, cherry, and apple.

    Smoked kielbasa pieces and a small bowl of barbecue sauce on a board.

    How to Store Smoked Kielbasa 

    Cool the smoked sausages before storing them inside a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week. Freeze the sausages in a freezer-safe bag for up to three months. 

    What's the Best Way to Reheat Smoked Kielbasa

    Thaw frozen kielbasa overnight in the fridge. Once thawed, you can cook the smoked kielbasa as usual. 

    Smoked kielbasa pieces and a small bowl of barbecue sauce.
    Print Recipe

    Smoked Kielbasa

    Smoked kielbasa sausage is a tasty appetizer that's great for game day.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time2 hrs 30 mins
    Total Time2 hrs 35 mins
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Smoker Recipe
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 287kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound kielbasa sausage
    • 1 cup barbecue sauce
    • 2 tablespoons water

    Instructions

    • Preheat smoker to 225°F.
    • Smoke the sausage for 2 to 2½ hours or until the sausage has reached 165°F.
    • About 10 minutes before the kielbasa is done cooking, mix together the BBQ sauce and the water.
    • Brush the sauce onto the sausage and allow the BBQ to caramelize the sausage.
    • Remove the sausage from the smoker and slice it.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 908mg | Potassium: 234mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 53IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
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    Stephanie Manley

    Hi, I'm Stephanie! I love to cook and share my recipes with all of my viewers. I want to inspire people to cook at home and make great memories of sharing meals with their friends and family

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