Székelykáposzta: Hungarian Pork and Sauerkraut Stew

Székelykáposzta is a Hungarian pork and sauerkraut stew from the late 19th century; my version is inspired by my time living in Hungary.

Pork belly and bacon rule the roost in my dish, along with paprika, of course, and it cooks in right around an hour and a quarter.

Hungarian Pork Belly and Sauerkraut Stew

I spent 13 years living in rural Hungary, and despite the fact that I returned to the UK a while ago, rustic Hungarian grub regularly appears on my dinner table.

Lesser-known dishes like rakott krumpli, Brassói aprópecsenye and Hortobágyi palacsinta may not trip off the tongue as well as the often misspelt gulyás. But they are just as, if not even more, special!

Székelykáposzta is another of those dishes; it's basically a pork and sauerkraut soup.

Káposzta means cabbage in Hungarian, and Székely is the name of the chap who created the dish, not the place in modern-day Romania which is often mentioned.

Back in 1846, József Székely combined leftover pork pörkölt with fermented cabbage when he went to a restaurant that had very little left on the menu.

In modern times, there are as many variations of this dish as there are Hungarian cooks... naturally, all of them are 100% authentic, and everyone else's is wrong. Ain't that always the way with cooking?

Anyway, here is another one, it is delicious, sharp cabbage, cutting through rich pork belly, bacon offering a nice salty vibe and of course plenty of paprika.

I'll never tell you everyone else is wrong, I say try them all, life is short... just start with mine 😉

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different cut of pork?

Yes, but you do want something with a little bit of fat in it. Leg, shoulder, and blade/collar or neck would work perfectly.

In reality, this is a dish that is made with what people have in the fridge. So if you have chicken leg meat, use it, smoked sausage, chuck it in there!

Do I have to rinse the sauerkraut?

No, I add it as a note, as sometimes it can be particularly sharp. I tend to buy mine from a local Polish shop, and it is a little too much.

I rinse it a little, and then balance the sourness by adding a little of the drained juice to taste.

Do I have to add the caraway seeds?

No, they do add a lovely bittersweet, almost aniseed-like notes. Cumin seeds will add a different flavour, but have a similar kinda vibe.

Can I use smoked paprika?

You will make all of Hungary shake their head with disappointment, but sure... it's your dinner, add what you wish.

Can I make this in advance?

Absolutely, every Hungarian family I ate with cooked this in massive portions and ate it for days. It will be fine in the fridge for 2-3 days, and it's pretty foxy eaten cold and even as a filling for a baguette!

Serving Suggestions

Székelykáposzta is a really nicely balanced one-pot meal.

It was typically served in Hungarian homes when I ate with neighbours with lots of bread. It was soft and squidgy with bread with an almost chewy crust, and it was superb.

If I were to bake a bread for this, it would be soda bread. It is extremely simple, wonderfully tasty, and you can get it done and dusted in the time that it takes to make this dish!

The stew was then topped with a sprinkle of paprika, tejföl, a kind of sour cream and a dollop of Erős Pista, a chilli paste that you may be able to find in Polish or Eastern European stores.

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hob/stovetop.
• 20cm or 8" heavy-based saucepan with a lid.
• Stirring and serving spoons.
• Chopping board.
• Kitchen knife.
• Grater.
• Sieve or colander (if you need to rinse the sauerkraut).
• A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.