Verivorst

About This Recipe

Verivorst (blood sausage) is Estonia's most iconic Christmas food, prepared by virtually every Estonian family on Christmas Eve. The sausage is made by combining fresh pork blood with cooked pearl barley, marjoram, onion, and pork fat, then stuffed into natural casings and gently simmered or baked. The resulting sausage is dark, rich, and mildly spiced with the floral note of marjoram cutting through the earthy blood. It is served piping hot alongside cranberry or lingonberry jam, which provides a sharp counterpoint to the richness. Verivorst production has been designated part of Estonia's intangible cultural heritage.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 500 mlfresh pork blood, strained
• 250 gpearl barley, cooked until soft
• 200 gpork fat (back fat), finely diced
• 1 largeonion, finely diced
• 2 tspdried marjoram
• 1.5 tspsalt
• 1 tspblack pepper
• 0.5 tspground allspice
• 1 metrenatural pork casing, rinsed
• 4 tbsplingonberry or cranberry jam, to serve
• 2 tbspsoured cream, to serve

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the filling

   Sauté the pork fat in a dry pan over medium heat until the fat renders and the pieces are golden, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook for another 5 minutes until soft. Allow to cool slightly, then combine in a large bowl with the cooked barley, pork blood, marjoram, salt, pepper, and allspice. Mix thoroughly.

2. 2

   Stuff the casings

   Tie off one end of the casing. Using a sausage funnel or piping bag, fill the casing with the blood mixture, leaving 3 cm at the end to allow for expansion. Twist or tie into 15 cm links.

3. 3

   Simmer

   Lower the sausages into a large pot of barely simmering (not boiling) salted water. Cook at 80–85 °C for 40–45 minutes until firm when pressed. Remove carefully.

4. 4

   Brown and serve

   Pan-fry the sausages in a little butter or lard over medium heat for 2–3 minutes per side until the casings are lightly crisped. Serve with lingonberry jam and soured cream.

Variations

• •

  Verivorst baked in the oven at 180 °C for 30 minutes

• •

  Verivorst with oats instead of barley

• •

  Mini verivorst canapés with cream cheese

• •

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

Storage

Refrigerate cooked sausages for up to 4 days. They can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions