Kazakh Kazy (Horse Meat Sausage)

About This Recipe

Kazy is Kazakhstan's most celebrated traditional food — horse meat and fat stuffed into horse intestine casing, then boiled or smoked and served as part of beshbarmak or as a cold cut. Horse was the primary protein of the Central Asian nomads, and kazy represents the pinnacle of how they preserved and celebrated it. For most non-Kazakhs, this is the most challenging and most revealing Kazakh delicacy.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 1 kghorse rib meat and fat (or beef as substitute)
• 1 meternatural sausage casing (horse or beef intestine)
• 2 tspsalt
• 1 tspblack pepper
• 1 tspgarlic powder
• 1 tspcumin

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the meat

   Cut horse meat into long strips about 2cm thick. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cumin. Mix well. Refrigerate overnight to cure.

2. 2

   Stuff the casing

   Rinse casing thoroughly. Stuff tightly with the seasoned meat and fat, alternating lean and fat. Tie both ends securely.

3. 3

   Air dry

   Hang the kazy in a cool, ventilated place for 4–6 hours to dry the casing.

4. 4

   Cook

   Place kazy in cold water and bring slowly to a boil. Simmer very gently for 1.5–2 hours until cooked through. Do not boil vigorously.

5. 5

   Serve

   Slice into rounds after resting 30 minutes. Serve alongside beshbarmak or as a cold cut.

Variations

• •

  Smoke after boiling for extra flavor

• •

  Make with beef and beef fat if horse is unavailable

• •

  Slice thin for a charcuterie board

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Cooked kazy refrigerates for 1 week. Freeze uncooked for 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions