Kovbasa

Moderate nutritional value

Homemade Ukrainian pork sausage with garlic, baked in natural casings.

Kovbasa — photo 1

Kovbasa is homemade Ukrainian sausage of chopped pork shoulder and back fat with plenty of garlic, salt, black pepper and allspice, stuffed into natural casings and baked; it is eaten warm or cold, especially at Christmas and Easter. A 150 g portion has about 480 kcal, 27 g protein, 40 g fat, 14 g of it saturated, and 1,290 mg sodium. Using 20 g of salt (1.5%) instead of 24 g brings it to about 1,100 mg.

High proteinLow carbKeto

Macronutrients Distribution

Protein: 18g (39.7%)
Fat: 26g (57.4%)
Carbs: 1.3g (2.9%)

Basic Nutritional Info

NutrientValueDV
Protein18g32.1%
Fat26g37.1%
Carbs1.3g0.4%
Simple Sugars0.45gEstimate
Complex Carbs0.85gEstimate
Water51g2.0%
Calories32014.2%

Glycemic Index

Low (0-55) Medium (56-69) High (70+)
20

Click to view full GI ranking →

Fatty Acids Composition

Fatty AcidAmountUnitDV
Saturated9.3g46.5%
Monounsaturated11.91g47.6%
Polyunsaturated2.89g22.2%
Omega-30.867gEstimate
Omega-62.023gEstimate
Trans0g0.0%

Antioxidants

Antioxidants (e.g. vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, polyphenols, carotenoids) help protect cells from oxidative stress and support health. They are found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and some animal products.

Compounds with antioxidant activity. Vitamin C, E and selenium are included when present in the product.

CompoundAmountUnit
Vitamin C1.1mg
Vitamin E0.18mg
Selenium27.5mcg

Vitamins

VitaminAmountUnitDV
vitamin A2.17mcg0.2%
vitamin B10.598mg49.8%
vitamin B20.247mg19.0%
vitamin B33.43mg21.4%
vitamin B60.301mg17.7%
vitamin B93.79mcg0.9%
vitamin B120.667mcg27.8%
vitamin C1.1mg1.2%
vitamin D1.8 (72 IU)mcg12.0%
vitamin E0.182mg1.2%
vitamin K0.365mcg0.3%

Minerals

MineralAmountUnitDV
calcium24.1mg2.4%
iron1.2mg6.7%
magnesium20.1mg5.0%
phosphorus196mg28.0%
potassium332mg12.8%
sodium860mg37.4%
zinc2.85mg25.9%
copper0.103mg11.4%
manganese0.101mg4.4%
selenium27.5mcg50.0%

Essential Amino Acids

Amino AcidAmountUnitDVDIAAS
Histidine 689mg98.4%222%
Isoleucine 823mg58.8%142%
Leucine 1432mg52.5%121%
Lysine 1607mg76.5%173%
Methionine 689mg65.6%155%
Phenylalanine 1326mg75.8%167%
Threonine 807mg76.9%167%
Tryptophan 220mg78.6%172%
Valine 972mg53.4%126%

Compare with other products

Values per 100 g

Add products above to see a side-by-side comparison.

Share this product

Main Difficulty: Hard Servings: 8 Total: 120 min

Ingredients

  • Pork shoulder or neck, with its fat 1.2 kg
  • Pork back fat (unsalted fatback) 160 g
  • Garlic, crushed 1 head (40 g)
  • Salt 24 g
  • Black pepper, freshly ground 1 tsp (2.5 g)
  • Allspice, ground 0.5 tsp (1 g)
  • Water 80 ml ice-cold, plus 50 ml for baking
  • Natural pork casings, soaked and rinsed 2.5-3 m (about 20 g)
Prep
60 min
Cook
60 min

Instructions

  1. 1

    Cut the pork into 1-1.5 cm cubes (or pass it through a coarse grinder plate) and cut the back fat into 5 mm dice.

  2. 2

    Mix the meat and fat with the garlic, salt, black pepper, allspice and ice-cold water, and knead for 5 minutes until sticky; cover and chill for 2-12 hours.

  3. 3

    Rinse the soaked casings inside and out, slip them onto a sausage funnel and fill them firmly with the meat, without air pockets.

  4. 4

    Twist or tie into rings or 30 cm links and prick any air bubbles with a needle.

  5. 5

    Lay the sausage in a baking dish, add the 50 ml of water and bake at 180C for 50-60 minutes, turning once and basting with the juices, until browned and 72C inside.

  6. 6

    Let it cool in the dish for 15 minutes before slicing; keep leftovers in the refrigerator, covered with the rendered fat, for up to a week.

  7. 7

    Serve warm or cold, sliced, with mustard, horseradish, rye bread and pickles.