Chicken liver and pearl barley sausage is a classic of domestic culinary arts, reminiscent of traditional village feasts where every ingredient was utilized to its fullest. The pairing of tender chicken liver and textured Perlovka (pearl barley) creates a remarkable flavor balance: the grains absorb the rich juices of the liver and aromatic pork fat, becoming soft and velvety. Unlike store-bought alternatives, this homemade sausage boasts an honest ingredient list and an appetizing aroma of spices that blooms during cooking. Historically prepared by families as a hearty preserve, adding barley not only stretches the yield but also gives the farce an intriguing, dense texture, elevating a humble offal into a true delicacy.
Homemade liver and pearl barley sausage turns out incredibly tender, hearty, and aromatic. Serve it with fresh herbs and vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2.2 lbs) chicken livers
- 300 g (10.5 oz) Salo (cured pork fatback) or raw pork fat
- 100 g (3.5 oz) Perlovka (pearl barley)
- 1.5 m (5 ft) narrow natural pork casings
- 1 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 3 egg whites
- Salt to taste
How to Make Chicken Liver and Pearl Barley Sausage
Rinse the chicken livers thoroughly under cold water. Trim away any fat and bile ducts. Inspect the livers carefully and discard any yellowish pieces—that’s bile, and it’s extremely bitter.
Rinse the livers thoroughly and trim away all bile ducts to ensure the finished sausage has no bitter taste.
Bring 2 liters (about 2 quarts) of salted water to a boil. Drop the chicken livers into the boiling water in small batches. Blanch for 5 minutes. If you add all the livers at once, the water temperature will drop rapidly, prolonging the process and making the livers tough. Drain the blanched livers in a colander and rinse under cold running water.
Blanch the livers for just 5 minutes in boiling water so they remain tender and juicy on the inside.
Dice the salo (cured pork fatback) into small cubes. I use salted pork fat, but you can use raw fatback or lardons. By the way, you can increase the amount of fat (400-500 g or around 1 lb is standard)—the fattier the liver sausage, the better it tastes.
Pork fat provides the necessary moisture and richness to the liver sausage. You can use either fresh fatback or cured salo.
Sort and rinse the perlovka (pearl barley). Cover the rinsed barley with cold water in a 1:3 ratio (one part barley to three parts water). Bring to a boil, season with salt, and simmer over low heat for 40 minutes.
Boil the pearl barley in a 1 to 3 ratio until fully cooked, ensuring it's soft enough to blend perfectly with the farce.
Pass the cooled chicken livers and diced pork fat through a meat grinder.
Fold the cooled pearl barley and egg whites into the liver and fat mixture.
Add your favorite seasonings. I use an Indian poultry spice blend, allspice, and black pepper. Season with salt to taste.
Mix the sausage farce thoroughly.
Rinse the thin pork casings in cold water. You’ll need about 1.5 meters (5 feet) of narrow casing for this amount of filling. You can portion them into 60-70 cm (24-28 inch) lengths if that’s easier to handle.
We use natural casings for this sausage—thin pork intestines that must be thoroughly rinsed in cold water before stuffing.
Remove the blade and grinding plate from the meat grinder. Attach the retaining ring and the sausage stuffer tube. Thread the pork casing onto the tube.
Thread the pork casing onto a specialized sausage stuffer attachment after removing the grinder blade and plate.
Extrude the farce through the grinder to fill the casing. Tie the ends of the casing into a knot. I got two rings of liver sausage from the ingredients listed in this recipe.
Fill the casings with the farce, being careful not to pack them too tightly so they don't burst during cooking.
Now it’s time to cook the sausage: you can boil or fry it, but I prefer steaming. Grease a steamer rack with vegetable oil or fat and place the sausage ring on it. Steam for 40-50 minutes, making sure the water isn’t boiling too vigorously. You can freeze the steamed sausage for later by wrapping it tightly in several layers of plastic wrap.
Steam the sausage for about 40 to 50 minutes. You can serve it immediately or freeze it for future use.
The finished chicken liver and pearl barley sausage is magnificent on its own, but its flavor truly shines after a light pan-fry. Slice the rings into portions and brown them in a skillet with a little butter or cracklings until crispy—this gives the dish an extra smoky aroma. Serve this rustic appetizer alongside braised cabbage, pickles, or fresh rye bread to highlight its hearty village charm.rnrnIf you've made a large batch, this liver and barley sausage freezes beautifully. Be sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap so the casing doesn't dry out. When needed, simply thaw the sausage in the refrigerator and reheat it by steaming or baking. For culinary experimenters, try folding some sautéed mushrooms or caramelized carrots into the farce—it adds a deeper flavor profile and vibrant flecks of color to every slice.
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