I rode my bike yesterday along Prospect Park and down 15th Street to Fifth Avenue to shop at Jubilat, a Polish provisions store that specializes in house-smoked kielbasa.
You can see the kielbasa hanging from the ceiling and also being smoked in the back in a kind of vault with gas flames on the floor.
I was advised to choose the regular kielbasa for grilling: the garlic version can be a little dry.
There were two kinds of cooked pork available in long strips: roasted and deep fried. It's little like pork belly and very nice warmed up.
Slab bacon is sliced to order. It did a nice job of flavoring the sauerkraut.
Sauerkraut is brought out in a plastic bucket that is placed on the floor. You are then handed tongs and a container. House made pickles are served the same way. Both were fresh and the best I have tasted. The sauerkraut needs to be cooked: I simmered it for about 45 minutes. First, I browned cubes of bacon and some chopped onion in oil. Then I added the washed sauerkraut and white wine to cover. Salt, pepper, and juniper berries, caraway seeds, and/or coriander seeds, if you like. Simmer, drain, serve.
Their Canadian bacon is the best I have ever tasted and cooks in about 2 minutes. They slice it thin.
The kielbasa was perfect. I made half-inch deep incisions on both sides and and grilled it. It's pre-cooked so you just need to brown/blacken it and warm it up. The Polish mustard they sell at Jubilat is the perfect condiment, along with the sauerkraut. Jubilat's oat-coated rolls also go well.
All the labels are printed with Polish names of the foods. Two customers came in and ordered in Polish while I was there. Prices are very low, about half of what you'd spend at the Co-op and about a quarter of what you'd pay at Union Markup.
Riding my bike back up 5th Avenue, I stopped in at Russo's for some of their amazing olives, pesto, and mozzarella. At that point, my bag was full.
Grade: A+
Jubilat Provisions
608 5th Ave, Brooklyn, near 17th Street
(718) 768-9676
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