Hrudka: Slovak Easter Cheese - Sous vide & traditional methods - Veľkonočná hrudka, syrek, syrec
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- Опубліковано 27 сер 2024
- I show you how to make hrudka, a simple Easter cheese from Solvakia, Slovenia, Ukraine, and other Eastern European countries
Full recipe on Explorers Kitchen: explorers.kitc...
Equipment used (affiliate links):
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You'll learn both the traditional method as well as see my mostly successful attempt at a sous vide version. I also go into some of the historical significance for my family. This thorough guide will walk you how to cook hurdka Easter cheese from beginning to end.
Music by:
Natural Phonograph Music: bit.ly/2DmzTji
DEVINE NOIRE: / minutes-remix
Nilhore: / motion-blur
"Sirets, Cirek, Sirok, Sirecz, is pronounced with a 'very soft, and very rapid' "R"; think of "Señor Wences" saying "so right", THATS the "R" which you want. It sounds almost like
"Sid - ettes" (kinda like 'cigarettes').
My family was one of only two Slovak/Rusyn/Ukrainian families, at a Magyar Byzantine Catholic Church (a.k.a. "Greek Catholic"). They accused Slovak food of being inedible, and we accused them of 'stealing entire countries' (Austria-Hungary). It was a very friendly and jovial rivalry, even though they couldn't cook worth a damn!
We always 'lightly scalded the milk', while slow-stirring it at first (about the first five minutes), then reduced the heat to "medium-low", and place a heat diffuser between the burner and the pot; this is when you discover who your true friends are, because the 30-45 minute constant figure-8 stir-a-thon has begun. Ours was the 24-egg, 6 - quart "dessert" version, with vanilla bean paste, freshly ground nutmeg, vanilla extract, a pinch 'o cinnamon, a pinch 'o salt, and freshly ground cardamon. Rum and butter - soaked raisins were added/stirred into the second and final separation of the curd.
Picture a 12 pound bowling ball made of firm custard, hanging over a catch basin, strung-up like a victim of lynching, from your kitchen cabinet door(s).
I once took a Sirets for a Saturday afternoon "Easter Food Blessing", and used a brand new bowling bag, instead of the traditional "Red Riding Hood" basket. But first, I wrapped it in Reynolds Wrap (blue) decorative plastic wrap, and added an outer layer of aluminum foil - in a "head of cabbage" fashion.
Wanna learn how to make "Hurka", with pig liver, heart, natural casing, and Uncle Ben's Converted Rice?? Lekvar Palacinky?? Kifli "little cakes"??
Thanks for the pronunciation tip! I knew that I didn't nail it in the video. Your dessert version sounds really tasty. I like the rum raisin addition - sounds awesome! I'd love to try those other recipes you're describing! Do you have videos of them? Either way, thanks for adding to the conversation - I especially like your anecdote about the Slovak rivalry!
+Patrick Jaszewski, having learned Polish from my Slovak/Rusyn grandfather has its benefits. My mother forbade him from teaching me Slovak, "this is America", was the standard excuse then - so he proceeded to 'weaponize' me with Polish (I had to agree to not say anything in Polish around my mom, and/or my aunts).
Little did they know, but for four very long years, I understood their "secret code and language", and knew every tidbit of gossip 'about who did what to whom, and why they did it". Where my mom and I fouled up, is that one day, she had just gotten off of the phone from speaking to one of the Ladies Auxilliary members of our local volunteer fire house, in Slovak, and was informed that this other woman was coming to our home to pick up five loaves of Polish Rye, which were fresh from Figel's Bakery, in Wilmington, DE. She wanted to do a quick 'dusting', before that lady arrived, and had forgotten to switch 'out of Slovak mode', when she asked that I bring the "Pledgeowicz" from the cleaning closet. Which I did.... The "jig" was up, forever afterwards.....
The ability to speak Polish - came in quite handily while performing "kielbasa runs" to Hunlock Creek, Nanticoke, Shenandoah, and several other 'purveyors of all foods Slavic".
The best recipe that I have, is for Chicken Paprikash, with "dropky" egg dumplings, with my second fave being "Haluski". There's also a recipe for "get well soup", and a killer Polish 'cabbage, kielbasa, and cubed pork loin soup.
Crap, it's 11:30 PM, and I just screwed myself into hunger cravings for foods that I don't have in the fridge.
I believe that you'll enjoy page six of this .PDF, from the Eparchy of Passaic, in preparation for Easter, 2017: www.eparchyofpassaic.com/files/April-2017.pdf
I have MS, and have dealt with it for 31 years now. Because of this, I'll be teaching friends who own a European bakery, and cheese production facility, in northern Lancaster County, PA, to make the 'dessert version of the egg cheese (it likes to be grilled, and basted with browned butter, brown sugar, honey, and nutmeg) hurka, and probably nut rolls, kifli, and haluski.
It sounds like having those language skills was really helpful. I wish I had the opportunity to learn. Perhaps, one day!
Your chicken paprikash and cabbage, kielbasa, and pork loin soup sound really good. I've enjoyed my grandmother's Haluski a couple of times and it's nice to get it from Kramarczuck's, the local deli in Minneapolis.
Thank you for posting the .PDF of recipes from the church bulletin. At the time I recorded the hrudka video, I also recorded making pascha using the leftover whey from hrudka. I'm sure I'll have that edited and posted for next Easter :) I didn't decorate it as fancy as they do in the bulletin, but it was tasty! Thanks again for sharing that, it will give people here a lot more context!
I just moved to MN from eastern PA, so I'm very familiar with Lancaster County. I like the idea of grilling with brown butter and sugar. That all sounds so good. Now you're making me hungry!
+Patrick Jaszewski, as recently as the early 1980's, during the "Holy Saturday Blessings", little old ladies would 'compare the size, shape, and presentation', of their Easter food offerings baskets; with the sirets/hrudka, and pascha taking "pole position". Not to force 'sexual innuendo', however, it was really weird to hear little old ladies say "mine's bigger than yours", "Helen S**nko made it, it's her work, not yours", and "you didn't beat the eggs well enough, I see egg whites". The 'piece de' resistance', was "that looks like a decorated grapefruit to me". PS, the Helen S**nko thing really did happen; she did a '4-dozen' version once, bigger than a 'medicine ball'...
AMStationEngineer 4 dozen sounds a bit excessive! Hopefully, her family was able eat all of that!
My mother was eastern european , she made hers only with salt no sugar..hung it in cheese cloth..we made Paska bread sandwiches with it..slice of ham a slice of Hurutka horseradish on buttered plain paska bread slices.😋
That sounds delicious!
My grandma's receipe is 1 dozen eggs 1 qt milk 2 tsp salt 2 tsp sugar. Delicious!
Yes, every time we’ve made it it’s just been with like eggs,milk and the salt and we let it hang overnight and have it with Poska. I’ve never tried it with the sugar or the vanilla.
I love Paska bread and in our family we always made it the sweet version, it's not too sweet just a hint of sweetness. Also we would have beetroot with it too
Fun video. My relatives are from Kosice, Slovakia and we always make HRUTKA for Easter. Same recipe that you use. We use an old double boiler and take it to 188° F. Ham, kielbasa, horseradish-beet sauce, stuffed cabbage, paska, and hard boiled eggs compliment the hrutka for the Easter celebration.
My family is from Koscie also. Hello cuz.
pozdravujem zos vychodu
My mother in law taught me all her slovak recipes for Easter & Christmas. I carried the tradition on for my husband and kids and after she died, we kept the traditions going till fairly recently. I grew up with no traditions and really liked having that for them and myself. The weird thing is grandmom (italian) used to make it when I was a kid. She probably learned it from someone at work. She taught my mom to make it for us kids when we were young.
Our Hrudka.... 1 dz eggs, 1 qt of whole milk, (I found the lower in fat you go the more whey you get and less flavor), 3 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt. I did try a vanilla this year. not sure if I like. I ended up scorching the pan a lot this year as my health was not lacking, and had no family around to help this year. So not sure if it tasted good or not.
We used to hang it outside for a couple of hours. My luck every single year it would rain and I had to get creative on a outside porch. Past few years, hanging in house on a broom stick with pot under it for drips.
Note: Avoid using cheesecloth when can. Always stick with the cotton floursack towel or cotten towels like you used. No texture.
Oh you should try the horseradish with redbeets in it. Some people can make it really good. Since we lost my husbands aunt and me never getting her recipe re-created properly, we are stuck with the storebought jewish version.
The Roma or Gypsy's call it sid- kos we use double the amounts you use plus a lot more sugar and add pinnacles shredded, Cherry's, and not so crushed walnuts. It's very sweet served as a desert after you bless the baskets. When I make it I'll put it online.. the baska bread is the best made from the drippings. I'm not a great cook but, Easter food I'm good at. Take care Dobre on the sidkos.
It’s Syrek in Slovak and always sweet version in our house. I love it.
Goes well with salty smoked ham ,smoked klobasa and beetroot.
That sounds amazing! How do you prepare the beetroot with it?
We add sugar and cinnamon to ours yummy
Sounds delicious!
I can make some mean Haluski, if anyone wants the recipes let me know.
You missed the most important part. Before eating, take it in your basket to church. Get it blessed but wait until after Resurrection Matins and Divine Liturgy on Pascha (Easter). My Hungarian Grandmother's was simple, 1 Dozen Eggs, quart of whole milk, pinch of salt, vanilla and 1/2 cup of sugar. Combine in a pan on the stove and stir, stir, stir...with a slotted spoon. A wonderful reward following 40 days of Great Fast (Lent).
The waiting part is always the hardest.
Good job
Thanks so much!
My Mother in law taught us to cook it in a crock pot. No stirring or standing over the stove. Cook on low….yum.
I've been making it for a long time. It definitely takes patients with the stirring ✌🏽️
It sure does! But it turns out better that way!
I am 65 and after years of watching my mother make Cyrek, I made it for the first time! It turned out pretty good!
Tina H - that's awesome! So glad it turned out well for you! Thanks so much!
I just started the cheese and loved the instructions. I learned this from my Bubba and Dad and only used the traditional burnt cooking method.
Both methods work well! I just don't like cleaning up scorched pans. The traditional method ends up a bit firmer, which is nicer in my opinion.
My Nana always hung it, so did my mother and so do I.
It's a great family tradition!
Patrick Jaszewski - it really is! It’s great to be a Slovak!!
Great video. Very cool to see you continue a family tradition like this. I too am working to preserve the old recipes and methods I remember my Grandma using.
Thank you, Matthew! It's fun to try to keep the old traditions alive. Do you have a favorite recipe from your Grandma?
Definitely my grandmother's cabbage rolls! She was Hungarian so there was plenty of paprika and garlic. I have great memories of helping her in the kitchen.
Have a very Happy Easter!
Sounds delicious! Happy Easter to you as well!
Great comparison (sous vie/stovetop)tutorial! I make mine every year on the stove, carefully stirring constantly. I personally gravitate towards the sweet version adding a dash of nutmeg and cinnamon! You have that Alton Brown flair goin on which is why I kept watching! 🖤
Thank you for watching! I tend to like the sweet too!
11:21 LOL My dogs do that to me all the time. Great video man!
Thank you! By the way, I just found your channel yesterday, but I loved what I saw! I can't wait to do that DIY vortex.
@@PatrickJaszewski Nice man! I hope you keep making videos man, you got some good quality footage from what I've seen. Cheers Patrick!
@@GrillSergeant thanks man, I appreciate that! I will be resuming videos shortly. My wife and I had a baby last year and that threw me off filming for a while. Now we just moved a few states away for work a few weeks ago. As soon as I get get unpacked, I will be back in it. Thanks again and I'm looking forward to following your channel!
Awesome man! See you around! The BBQ / Food Community on UA-cam is great. Once you get set back up I’ll introduce you to some great channels so you can connect and grow your channel. Congrats on the new baby and that is awesome you found work durning these crazy times. Cheers buddy. 🍻
@@GrillSergeant - I really appreciate that! Cheers! 🍺
super recept
Thank you for visiting! Best of luck to you and your channel - Happy Easter!
Our recipe is the same as yours except we use a small handful of golden raisins and nutmeg.
That sounds great!
Thank you for the video... ps kinda look like Alton Brown 🙂
My pleasure! I hope you try making the hrudka - it's delicious!
I did this exact thing at 190 in my SV. Turned into a solid scrambled egg in the jar. Did not separate.
Funpants94, thanks for posting in sharing your experience! Did some the whey come out when you squeezed and hung it up? I found my sous vide version to retain more of the liquid and not expel quite as much (maybe 30% less) after hanging, which meant it wasn't quite as firm when it chilled. Is that what you found as well? Thanks again for your trying the recipe!
My grandmother would always make this when I was young, but she would always call it “Yayechnik”? (Not sure how to spell it) She was from Ukraine and I have not found anything about the name she called it.
If you put "paleo" in front of the hrudka, you'll get a lot more hits. And fix the cam so you can stand up straight instead of hunching over like Gollum.
Good suggestions! Unfortunately, milk isn't paleo, so don't think that I can go for that audience. But you're exactly right about the camera angle - I'll fix that for next time. Thanks!
I dig it
Brandon, I appreciate you watching, man. I'm embarrassed to say your comment went to spam and I just saw it now. I'm honored that you checked out my video - thank you!
I'm a big fan of Lift Big Eat Big. I've been following your blog and Instagram for years and have been inspired by your work. Your no bullshit articles helped me out a lot when I was just getting started lifting back in 2011/2012 and helped me get a lot stronger (up to 395 squat and 565 DL). I still have a way to go, but I appreciate what you do. Thank you, LiftBigEatBigVideo.
I've got the cheese bread coming up next. I baked it twice this week to bring it to work and it just disappeared. What would you like me to cook next?!
Sadly...the recipe is not available from this link.
Thanks for letting me know. There was an error with the recipe plugin, but I have it fixed now. Could you please try again?
My opinion no sugar in the hrudka but sprinkled on after its sliced is okay.
Sounds like a tasty way to do it!
Patrick, when you have a moment, contact me via the info on my channel's "about" page...
There is no such thing as Slovakian cheese. It's Slovak cheese, there is no such word Slovakian.
Had no idea - thanks Bob. I grew up hearing it incorrectly, I guess.
Hm, a grammar nazi
Interesting, Never knew that, been using slovakian & slovak for many decades. Usage depended on the sentence.