Polish National Dishes

Polish Barley Groats with Cabbage and Pork (Kasza pęcak z kapustą)

Introduction: This hearty Małopolskie dish combines fluffy barley groats with tender fresh cabbage, browned onion and crisp-edged pork jowl and smoked bacon.

Polish National Dishes
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A wide view of „Polish Barley Groats with Cabbage and Pork (Kasza pęcak z kapustą)“ arranged on a table for serving.
Yield 6 servings
Serving about 330 g, depending on moisture and retained fat
Diet contains pork and barley gluten
Prep 20 minutes
Ingredients ↓
At a glance

Polish Barley Groats with Cabbage and Pork (Kasza pęcak z kapustą)

Introduction: This hearty Małopolskie dish combines fluffy barley groats with tender fresh cabbage, browned onion and crisp-edged pork jowl and smoked bacon.

The recipe is associated with Siedlec in Bochnia County. Poland's Ministry of Agriculture describes it as a compact, medium-dense mixture with visible groats, cabbage, cracklings and browned onion. The listed ingredients are barley pęcak, white head cabbage, pork jowl and fatback, onion, garlic, salt and pepper.

A local heritage brochure publishes the Siedlec women's circle's much larger-batch preparation. This six-serving home version scales the ingredient amounts for a regular kitchen while keeping the same defining ingredients and order. Pęcak means coarse barley groats; pearl barley is an easy-to-find substitute, but follow its package timing.

Enjoy it as a filling main dish on a cool day. The pork renders enough fat to coat the cabbage and barley, so start in a cold pan and spoon off excess before combining. Barley contains gluten.

Tips

Tips

  • Use coarse pęcak for the closest match; pearl barley works, but cook it to the package directions.
  • Stop boiling the cabbage when a knife enters the rib easily; overcooking makes it waterlogged and difficult to dice.
  • Render the jowl and bacon slowly from a cold pan so the pieces brown before the fat smokes.
  • Keep about 30 ml of rendered fat for the onion and cabbage; spoon off the rest.
  • Drain the barley well and let it stand covered for 10 minutes so it stays fluffy.
  • Taste before adding salt because smoked bacon can be salty.
  • Fold gently at the end to keep the cabbage pieces and barley grains distinct.
Ingredients

Ingredients

Barley

  • 300 g dry pęcak (coarse barley groats), rinsed; pearl barley may be substituted
  • 1.2 L water, or the amount directed on the barley package
  • 3 g fine salt

Cabbage

  • 600 g fresh white head cabbage, cored and cut into quarters
  • 1.5 L water
  • 4 g fine salt

Pork, onion and seasoning

  • 200 g fresh pork jowl, skin removed if present, cut into 1 cm dice
  • 100 g smoked bacon, cut into 1 cm dice
  • 180 g yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 g arlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 g ground black pepper
  • 0–2 g fine salt, only if needed after tasting
  • 10 g chopped dill or parsley, optional to serve
Method

Method

Directions

  1. Cook the barley.Rinse the pęcak. Add it to a saucepan with 1.2 L water and 3 g salt. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer gently for 40–55 minutes, or follow the package timing, until tender, fluffy and distinct. Drain excess water, cover and rest for 10 minutes.

  2. Boil the cabbage.While the barley cooks, bring 1.5 L water and 4 g salt to a boil in the heavy pot. Add the cabbage quarters and simmer for 12–18 minutes, until a knife enters the thick rib but the leaves are not mushy. Drain and cool for about 10 minutes, then cut into roughly 2 cm dice.

  3. Render the pork.Put the jowl and bacon in a cold large skillet. Cook over medium-low heat for 10–15 minutes, stirring, until the fat renders and the pieces are browned with crisp edges. If any raw pork pieces are thick, check they reach at least 63 °C / 145 °F and rest for 3 minutes. Keep about 30 ml fat in the pan and spoon off the excess.

  4. Brown the aromatics.Add the onion and cook over medium heat for 7–9 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds; do not let it burn.

  5. Combine cabbage and pork.Fold the diced cabbage into the skillet. Cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring until coated and hot. Add pepper and taste before adding any more salt.

  6. Finish with barley.Fold in the barley until evenly combined while keeping the grains, cabbage and cracklings visible. Cover and warm gently for 5–8 minutes. For a lightly set top, transfer to an oven-safe dish and bake uncovered at 180 °C for 8–10 minutes. Rest for 10 minutes; add optional herbs and serve hot.

Nutrition and allergens

Nutrition and allergens

  • Energyabout 480 kcal per serving
  • Proteinabout 17 g
  • Fatabout 25 g
  • Saturated fatabout 9 g
  • Carbohydrateabout 50 g
  • Sugarsabout 7 g
  • Fibreabout 8 g

Contains barley gluten. Values are approximate estimates per serving; pork jowl, bacon saltiness and the retained rendered fat change the result. Check product labels for additional allergens. Keep raw pork separate from cooked ingredients, wash hands and utensils after handling, and refrigerate leftovers promptly.

Nutrition and allergens

Nutrition and allergens

Serving and storage: Serve while hot, with the barley grains and cabbage still distinct and the pork cracklings distributed through the mixture. A brief oven bake is optional; the dish can be served straight from the pan.

Serving and storage: Cool leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room is above 32.2 °C / 90 °F. Keep at 4 °C or colder and use within 3–4 days. Reheat covered until the centre reaches 74 °C / 165 °F. The barley can be cooked a day ahead, cooled promptly and refrigerated; boil the cabbage and finish the pork mixture on serving day.

Contains barley gluten. Values are approximate estimates per serving; pork jowl, bacon saltiness and the retained rendered fat change the result. Check product labels for additional allergens. Keep raw pork separate from cooked ingredients, wash hands and utensils after handling, and refrigerate leftovers promptly.

Sodium: about 900 mg

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