On 18 April 2011, through the efforts of the Polish Meat Union, in the Official Journal of the European Union was published the Commission Implementing Regulation No 382/2011 entering the name ‘kiełbasa myśliwska’ in the register of the traditional specialities guaranteed (TSG).
Its taste and aroma are the features which set ‘kiełbasa myśliwska’ apart from other sausages. These features are the result of the use in the production process of appropriately selected seasonings and the proportions thereof, namely juniper, natural pepper, sugar and the curing mix, as well as the fresh garlic typical of this product and the tenderising mix.
The exceptional taste and aroma is also achieved by means of smoking and drying and thanks to the prolonged period of drying that is typical of ‘kiełbasa myśliwska’.
The specific character of ‘kiełbasa myśliwska’ is linked mainly to its unique shape. ‘Kiełbasa myśliwska’ is short and has the appearance of evenly wrinkled sticks bent into a crescent shape and usually divided into ‘pairs’ (unseparated at the twist-off point).
The main attribute and trait of ‘kiełbasa myśliwska’ is its exceptional ‘handiness’. Its shape is recognizable, and the product is exceptionally “handy” and is consumed in particular on different kinds of outings and journeys.
Thanks to the features described above, for centuries it has been a crucial element of hunters’ meals. That is why the name of the sausage comes from the word ‘hunter’. In addition, the name ‘kiełbasa myśliwska’ most likely appeared in the inter-war years of the 20th century, when the production of smoked meat products developed in numerous small processing plants in Poland. ‘Kiełbasa myśliwska’ met with great commercial success in Poland after the Second World War. To this day, ‘kiełbasa myśliwska’ remains one of the most popular and keenly consumed smoked-meat products.