Verashchaka (Belarusian Pork Ribs in Spiced Gravy)
Local name: Верашчака
In short: Pork ribs and smoked sausage braised in a dark, peppery gravy thickened with browned flour, ladled over thin pancakes or potato draniki. It takes about 2 h 15 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 1 h 50 min
- Total
- 2 h 15 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 450 kcal
Verashchaka is an old Belarusian dish for cold months: pork ribs and smoked sausage stewed in a dark gravy that is thick, peppery and deeply savory. It is eaten with pancakes, draniki or bread so that none of the sauce is wasted. Where machanka is pale and creamy with sour cream, verashchaka is darker and spicier, built on browned onion and toasted flour. It is a dish for family tables and holidays.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the ribs in batches, about 5 minutes per batch, until deeply colored. Move them to a plate.
- Cook the onions in the same pot for 8 minutes until golden. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir for 2 minutes, until it turns light brown and smells nutty.
- Gradually stir in the hot water, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Add the bay leaves, allspice, marjoram, caraway, pepper and salt.
- Return the ribs to the pot, cover and simmer on low heat for 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the meat is tender and pulling away from the bone.
- Add the sausage and cook uncovered for 15 minutes more, until the gravy is thick, dark and glossy. Skim off any excess fat.
- Serve hot with thin pancakes, draniki or rye bread for scooping up the gravy.
Tips
- Toast the flour until it smells nutty, but do not let it burn, or the gravy turns bitter.
- For a tangier gravy, replace a quarter of the water with dark beer or beet kvass.
Questions and answers
How is verashchaka different from machanka?
Machanka is a paler, creamy gravy finished with sour cream. Verashchaka is darker and spicier, with ribs and a flour-thickened sauce, and it has no dairy.
Can I make verashchaka ahead of time?
Yes, it improves after a night in the fridge. Keep it for up to 4 days and reheat it gently with a splash of water.
What do you serve with verashchaka?
Pancakes of any kind, potato draniki, boiled potatoes or rye bread. Pickled cucumbers and sauerkraut on the side balance the richness.
How long does it take to make Verashchaka (Belarusian Pork Ribs in Spiced Gravy)?
About 2 h 15 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 1 h 50 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Verashchaka (Belarusian Pork Ribs in Spiced Gravy)?
About 450 kcal per serving, with 26 g of protein, 9 g of carbohydrates and 34 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 450 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 26 g |
| Carbohydrates | 9 g |
| Fat | 34 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 980 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
