Żurek (Polish Sour Rye Soup)
A traditional Polish sour rye soup made with fermented rye starter, pork, and potatoes. Served with hard-boiled eggs and rye bread for an authentic, hearty meal.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 385
- Protein
- 32g
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork shoulder or kielbasa
- ½ lb pork ribs
- 1 cup rye sourdough starter (żur)
- 4 medium potatoes
- 1 large onion
- 3 cloves garlic cloves
- 1 medium carrot
- 2 leaves bay leaves
- 1 tsp marjoram
- ½ tsp caraway seeds
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 8 cups water
- 2 eggs hard-boiled eggs
- 2 tbsp fresh dill
Instructions
- 1
Cut pork shoulder into 1.5-inch cubes. Peel and quarter potatoes. Peel and halve onion. Peel carrot and cut into chunks.
- 2
Hard-boil eggs if not already done. Cool and peel, then halve them.
- 3
In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add pork shoulder cubes and ribs, skimming foam as it rises. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- 4
Add halved onion, carrot chunks, minced garlic, bay leaves, marjoram, and caraway seeds. Simmer for 40 minutes until pork is tender.
- 5
Add potatoes and salt. Simmer for 15 minutes until potatoes are nearly tender.
- 6
Slowly stir in rye sourdough starter to avoid lumping. Simmer for 5 minutes until potatoes are fully cooked.
- 7
Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Adjust sourness by adding more żur if desired.
- 8
Ladle soup into bowls. Top each with a hard-boiled egg half and fresh dill. Serve with thick slices of rye bread.
Tools you’ll need
- large pot (8-quart capacity)
- wooden spoon
- knife and cutting board
- slotted spoon
- ladle
- saucepan for boiling eggs
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