Krvavice (Blood Sausages) are sausages filled with pork meat, pork blood, barley, buckwheat porridge and millet. Krvavice are traditionally served with kislo zelje (sauerkraut) and tenstan krompir (sauteed potatoes with onions). This dish is enjoyed during 'koline'.

Koline is an old tradition that is deeply rooted in our Slovenian culture that serves various purposes. Not only does it play an important part on our culinary side, it is also important on the social aspect. It brings families and people together to work and share with each other, before enjoying the fruits of their labour. 

This event involves slaughtering a pig and the important practice of utilizing the entire pig, which demonstrates respect for the animal. The pig is first slaughtered, cleaned and butchered to be used in various traditional Slovenian foods such as;  krvavice (blood sausages), salama, pečenice (pork sausages), ocvirki (pork crackling), šunka (ham) etc..

Ajtek (stari ata) preparing the mix for the krvavice. (Prekmurje, Slovenia)

* FOLLOW OUR STEP BY STEP VIDEO TUTORIAL HERE: https://youtu.be/LAB1OpteL-8

Ingredients   (* makes about 45 krvavice)

Pork Shoulder/Pork Shoulder Blade Chops. (* you will require enough pork meat to make about 5 heaping cups of ground pork shoulder)

A large pot of Pork Stock 

3 1/2 cups, pork blood

7 cups cooked barley, cooked using pork stock

2 1/2 cups white hulled millet, cooked using pork stock

4 1/2 cups buckwheat porridge, cooked using pork stock

2 cups long grain white rice, cooked using pork stock

5 cups ground pork shoulder, cooked 

3/4 cup ground ground pork crackling

1/2 cup minced garlic, in oil  

2 1/4 cups diced onions, sautéed

Pork lard for frying onions

1/2 cup melted pork lard, for Krvavice mixture

Pig intestines, washed

Toothpicks, string

Spices

1 1/2 Tbsp’s paprika

1 1/2 Tbsp’s marjoram

1/2 Tbsp black pepper

1/2 Tbsp all spice

1 Tbsp sea salt

1 Tbsp garlic powder

Let's start by making a LARGE pot of pork broth. Into a large pot add in the pork shoulder with bones,  3 carrots, 3 celery stems, about 15-20 parsley sprigs, 2 onions, 2 leeks (roots & stems removed), 5 thyme sprigs, 4 bay leaves. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer for about 1-2 hours. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Cool. Remove the pork and place into a large bowl. Using a fork remove all the meat from the bones. Pour the broth through a sieve into another pot, and place in the refrigerator until ready to use as you will be using this broth to cook the barley, millet, buckwheat and rice in.

1. Rinse and Cook the barley, white hulled millet, buckwheat porridge, long grain white rice according to packages using the pork broth above. *you must also reserve about 3 to 4 cups of pork broth for the ‘Krvavice’ mixture - see step 6 below.
2. Grind the pork meat using a Food Grinder. We use a kitchen aid stand mixer attachment. You will need 5 cups of ground pork. Refrigerate.
3. Grind pork crackling. You will need 3/4 cup of ground pork crackling. 

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I want to see your delicious photos!

I hope this recipe becomes a new favourite for you and your family. If you make something and post it on social media, please tag #sloveniankitchen or @slovenska_kuhinja so I can see it on Facebook and Instagram too! 

Lots of love, 

Michelle Pušič Ryall XO