Verivorst

Name: Verivorst
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 500g pig's blood (fresh or thawed); 200g pork fat or fatty pork belly, finely diced; 200g pearl barley, cooked and cooled; 2 large onions, finely chopped; 1 tsp dried marjoram; 1 tsp ground allspice; 1 tsp ground black pepper; 2 tsp coarse salt; Cleaned natural sausage casing (1.5 m); 2 tbsp pork lard, for cooking; lingonberry jam and pickled cucumbers, to serve

Verivorst is Estonia's national blood sausage — a pork intestine casing filled with pig's blood, barley, onion, and pork fat, boiled and then pan-fried before serving. The dish is inseparable from Estonian Christmas: it is the centrepiece of the traditional Christmas dinner, served with sauerkraut and lingonberry jam, and prepared in nearly every Estonian household through December. The barley filling sets verivorst apart from other European blood sausages — the grain absorbs the blood and fat during cooking, producing a dense, cohesive texture rather than a loose one. Boiling first stabilises the sausage; pan-frying in butter or pork fat crisps the casing without splitting it. The lingonberry jam served alongside provides the acidity that cuts through the richness of the blood and fat.

Total time1h 10m

Active time30m

Servings4

DifficultyEasy

Cost$

Add to my meal plan

❤️

Rich in protein

Filling and nutritious

⭐

Traditional recipe

Authentic taste

Ingredients 4 servings

500g pig's blood (fresh or thawed)
200g pork fat or fatty pork belly, finely diced
200g pearl barley, cooked and cooled
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp coarse salt
Cleaned natural sausage casing (1.5 m)
2 tbsp pork lard, for cooking
Lingonberry jam and pickled cucumbers, to serve

How to make it

1In a large pan, fry the diced pork fat over low heat for 8–10 minutes, until most of its fat has rendered and the cubes are golden; add the chopped onions and cook 6–8 minutes more, until soft and translucent; set aside to cool completely.
2In a large bowl, combine the cooked pearl barley, the fried onions and pork fat (with all their fat), the marjoram, allspice, salt and pepper; mix well.
3Whisk the blood briefly to break up any clots, then stir it gradually into the barley mixture; the filling should look glossy and pourable, but not too liquid.
4Rinse the sausage casing under cold running water for 5 minutes; tie off one end with kitchen twine.
5Slide the open end of the casing onto a wide funnel or sausage stuffer; pipe the mixture in gradually, leaving the casing two-thirds full to allow expansion during cooking; tie off into 12–15 cm sausages and prick each with a needle in several places.
6Bring a large pot of water to 80°C — not boiling; slip the sausages in and poach gently for 30–40 minutes, until they feel firm to the touch and the juices run clear when pricked.
7Lift the sausages out and let them rest 10 minutes; preheat the oven to 200°C.
8Brush the sausages with melted lard and roast on a tray for 12–15 minutes, turning once, until the skins are crisp and burnished; serve hot with lingonberry jam and pickled cucumbers.