Name: Silesian Żur with Mashed Potatoes (Żur z tłuczonymi kartoflami)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: about 2.1 L soup, plus mashed potatoes
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 2 L water; 500 g smoked pork ribs; 300 g raw fresh Polish white sausage; 180 g smoked bacon, diced; 500 ml refrigerated ready-to-cook fermented rye zakwas; 120 g yellow onion, divided: half for the broth and half for frying; 8 g garlic, about 2 cloves, divided between the broth and skillet; 2 bay leaves; 4 allspice berries; 1 g freshly ground black pepper; 3 g of the fine salt; 2 g dried marjoram, rubbed between your fingers; 2 g of the fine salt, for the potatoes; 900 g starchy potatoes, peeled and cut into even chunks; 150 ml whole milk, warmed; 30 g unsalted butter

A wide view of „Silesian Żur with Mashed Potatoes (Żur z tłuczonymi kartoflami)“ arranged on a table for serving.

Yield about 2.1 L soup, plus mashed potatoes

Servings 6

Serving size about 300 ml soup with roughly 150 g mashed potatoes

Prep time 25 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Recipe at a glance

Silesian Żur with Mashed Potatoes (Żur z tłuczonymi kartoflami)

A gently sour, garlic-scented rye soup with smoked pork, white sausage and bacon, served around a smooth mound of buttery mashed potatoes topped with golden onion.

Żur z tłuczonymi kartoflami is a Silesian way of serving rye soup: the potatoes are mashed separately and arranged as a mound or ring, while the soup is ladled around them. The Polish Ministry of Agriculture’s traditional-products record describes a thick grey-beige soup with visible rye bran, finely diced sausage and bacon, and mashed potatoes topped with fried onion. It notes a mild sourness, clear garlic aroma and smoky finish.

This practical six-serving version builds the broth from smoked pork ribs, then adds fresh Polish white sausage, crisp-edged bacon and refrigerated rye zakwas. The smooth mash is made in a separate pan with milk and butter. The measured quantities here form a reproducible home recipe; the registry documents the dish’s identity and presentation, not this exact formula.

Keep the defining contrast when serving: small pieces of meat and rye bran in the soup, a distinct smooth potato mound, and sweet golden onion on top. That presentation separates this dish from Żur śląski, where potato pieces cook in the soup.

Tips for success

Use refrigerated, ready-to-cook rye zakwas and follow its label. Stir it well so the rye bran is evenly distributed before it goes into the pot.
Keep the soup at a gentle simmer after adding the zakwas. A hard boil can make it frothy and muddy its rounded sour flavour.
Smoked ribs, bacon, sausage and zakwas all contribute salt. Start with the measured 5 g, then taste before adding more.
Cook the pork and raw white sausage thoroughly; check the centre of each with a clean instant-read thermometer. Both must reach 71 °C.
Add warm milk gradually to the drained potatoes and mash while hot for a smooth texture. Keep the mash covered and hot while you finish the soup.
Ladle the soup around the potato mound rather than over it, so the two parts remain distinct on the plate.
Cool leftovers promptly in shallow containers; do not leave the stockpot on the counter to cool.

Ingredients

Smoked pork żur

2 L water
500 g smoked pork ribs
300 g raw fresh Polish white sausage
180 g smoked bacon, diced
500 ml refrigerated ready-to-cook fermented rye zakwas
120 g yellow onion, divided: half for the broth and half for frying
8 g garlic, about 2 cloves, divided between the broth and skillet
2 bay leaves
4 allspice berries
1 g freshly ground black pepper
3 g of the fine salt
2 g dried marjoram, rubbed between your fingers
2 g of the fine salt, for the potatoes

Smooth mashed potatoes

900 g starchy potatoes, peeled and cut into even chunks
150 ml whole milk, warmed
30 g unsalted butter

Method

Directions

Simmer the rib brothPut the smoked ribs, 2 L water, half the onion, half the garlic, bay leaves, allspice and 3 g salt in the stockpot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming any foam, then lower the heat and simmer gently with the lid ajar for about 55 minutes, until the rib meat is tender and cooked through. Check the centre of a thick piece with a clean thermometer; it must reach 71 °C. Lift out the ribs and aromatics; strain the broth if needed. When cool enough to handle, remove the bones and dice or shred the meat.
Boil and mash the potatoesWhile the broth simmers, put the potatoes in the separate saucepan and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15–20 minutes, until a knife slides easily into a piece. Drain well. Mash the potatoes while hot with the butter and warm milk, adding the milk gradually until smooth. Season with the remaining 2 g salt, cover and keep hot.
Render the bacon and fry the onionPut the diced bacon in the skillet over medium heat. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until crisp and some fat has rendered. Lift out about one-third for topping. Add the remaining onion, thinly sliced, and fry in the bacon fat for 6–8 minutes until soft and golden. Add the remaining garlic for the final minute. Set the onion aside for the potatoes.
Cook the sausageSlice the white sausage thickly and add it to the gently simmering broth after removing the ribs. Cook for 10–12 minutes. Check the centre of a thick sausage piece with a clean instant-read thermometer; it must reach at least 71 °C. Lift out the sausage and slice it. Return the sausage, rib meat and most of the bacon to the broth.
Finish the soupStir the zakwas until the rye bran is evenly distributed, then pour it slowly into the broth while stirring. Add the marjoram and black pepper. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes; do not boil hard. It should be grey-beige, lightly sour, garlicky and smoky, with fine rye bran and small pieces of sausage and bacon visible. Taste and adjust the salt or zakwas in small increments.
Plate and serveKeep the mashed potatoes smooth and hot. Spoon a mound or ring into each warm bowl and make a shallow hollow if useful. Ladle the soup around the potatoes so the mash stays distinct. Top the potato with fried onion and scatter the reserved crisp bacon over the soup. Serve immediately.

Nutrition per serving

Energy560 kcal
Carbohydrate40 g
Protein27 g
Fat34 g
Fibre4 g
Sodium1,650 mg
Allergensrye (gluten-containing cereal), milk

Estimated for one of six combined portions, with about 300 ml soup and 150 g mashed potatoes: These are approximate ingredient-based values, not laboratory analysis. Sodium and fat vary with the smoked ribs, bacon, sausage and commercial zakwas. The estimate assumes six equal portions and all the stated milk and butter.

Serving, make-ahead, and storage: Serve each bowl with the mashed potatoes clearly surrounded by soup. The fried onion belongs on top of the potato; the small pieces of sausage and smoked bacon stay in the soup. A slice of rye bread is an optional extra, but it is not needed to make the meal complete.

Serving, make-ahead, and storage: You can peel and cut the potatoes shortly before cooking, keeping them covered with cold water. Keep raw ribs and sausage refrigerated at or below 4 °C and separate from ready-to-eat foods. The broth and mash can be made ahead, but refrigerate them promptly and reheat thoroughly; fry the onion close to serving for the best texture.

Serving, make-ahead, and storage: Keep the meal at or above 60 °C during service. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours, or within one hour when the room is hotter than 32 °C. Divide soup and mash into shallow covered containers and refrigerate at or below 4 °C; use within four days. Reheat the soup to 74 °C throughout, stirring, or bring it to a rolling boil. Reheat mash until steaming hot throughout, adding a little milk if needed. Freeze the soup and mash separately for up to 2–3 months for best quality; thaw in the refrigerator. The mash may soften after freezing.

Frequently asked questions

What does “tłuczone kartofle” mean?

It means mashed potatoes. In this dish, they are cooked separately and placed in the bowl as a smooth mound or ring, rather than cubed and simmered in the soup.

Can I use another kind of rye starter?

Choose a refrigerated, ready-to-cook rye zakwas intended for soup and follow its label. This recipe does not provide a home-fermentation process. Different starters vary in saltiness and sourness, so taste the soup before adding extra salt or zakwas.

Can I prepare the components ahead?

Yes. Refrigerate the soup and mash separately in shallow containers within two hours. Reheat each thoroughly before serving, and fry the onion close to mealtime so it stays golden rather than soft.