Ingredients
Sausages
- 8Spišské párky, bought
- 2 litreswater
To serve
- fresh bread rolls or rye bread
- strong mustard
- grated horseradish
- pickled chillies
Directions
- Buy them. These are smoked, fully cooked sausages with EU traditional speciality protection, and everything here is about heating them through without ruining them.
- Bring the water to a boil, then take the pan off the heat and let it drop to about 75°C (167°F) — steaming, with no bubbles.
- Lower the sausages in and leave them 8 to 10 minutes to heat through.
- Do not let the water boil at any point. The thin natural casing splits, the fat and the smoke leach into the pot, and what is left is a dry sausage in cloudy water. This single rule is the whole recipe.
- Lift them out with tongs while the casing still snaps.
- Serve immediately with bread, a heap of mustard and grated horseradish, and a pickled chilli on the side.
- They are eaten from the hand, dipped in the mustard, standing at a market stall — not cut up with cutlery.
Technique
- Never boil. If you take one thing from this page, that is it.
- The snap of the casing is the point. Overheated it goes slack.
- The name is protected — what you buy elsewhere is a similar sausage rather than the Spiš one.
Substitutions
- Frankfurter Würstchen or Wiener Würstchen, which are essentially the same sausage.
- Any thin smoked pork sausage.
Variations
- Split lengthwise and griddled, which is common at a stand but hard on the casing.
- Sliced cold into a párkový salát with onion, vinegar and oil.
History
Named after the Spiš region, they gained EU traditional speciality protection in 2011 and are a standard Slovak market snack.
Frequently asked questions
What is Spišské párky?
Spišské párky is a charcuterie & cured from Slovakia: slim smoked pork sausages boiled and eaten with mustard and bread. Named after the Spiš region, they gained EU traditional speciality protection in 2011 and are a standard Slovak market snack.
How long does Spišské párky take to make?
Spišské párky takes 5 min of preparation and 10 min of cooking. The recipe makes serves 4. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Spišské párky?
Yes, within limits. Frankfurter Würstchen or Wiener Würstchen, which are essentially the same sausage. Any thin smoked pork sausage.
What is the most important thing to get right in Spišské párky?
Do not let the water boil at any point. The thin natural casing splits, the fat and the smoke leach into the pot, and what is left is a dry sausage in cloudy water. This single rule is the whole recipe.
