2016 “Kielbasa King”

Polska Pryba competed in the Fourth Kielbasa Cook-Off in October 2014 and finished in second place and tied for the Celebrity Judges Award.

For the past 15 years, Mr. Pryba and his family have used the same recipe handed down to them. And just as their grandparents did, they make their kielbasa with Polish pride and love.

“Making kielbasa has brought the Pryba family closer together. Recently, even our younger children learned how to make it and to appreciate what has become a family tradition,” said Mr. Pryba.

Polska Pryba has participated in several PACT Kielbasa Cook-offs and has already won several awards.

“We hope to be able to take our kielbasa and market it commercially some day, along with some other Polish dishes like pierogi,” said Mr. Pryba.

For more information on Polska Pryba Kielbasa or to order some for the holidays contact Jeremy Pryba by email: jeremypryba@hotmail.com.

Polska Pryba earned a trophy and $350 for the first place finish. The team voted to donate the money back to PACT for use in the PACT / Toledo Poznan Alliance Scholarship Competition.

Finishing second in the People’s Choice was Dzia Dzia and Busia’s Old Fashion Recipe led by Mike Hofner and Ron Smith. They picked up a check for $200.

Dzia Dzia and Busia’s Old Fashioned Kielbasa recipe came directly from Mr. Hofner’s grandparents – hence the name! They have been making their kielbasa with the rest of their family for over 20 years and have participated in the PACT’s Kielbasa Cook-Off several times having won several awards.

The third place finisher was the team of Michalski’s Recipe led by Adam Michalski. They picked up a check for $150.

Mr. Michalski says his family has been making kielbasa for five years, and it just keeps getting better and better! They have taken two recipes that have been in the family for years — combined them — and made it to their liking.

Mr. Michalski says his family has been making kielbasa for five years, and it just keeps getting better and better! They have taken two recipes that have been in the family for years — combined them — and made it to their liking.

“Making kielbasa is a true love for the family and we believe it helps to bring them all together,” said Mr. Michalski. “The more family members that help, the better!”

The team of Ed’s Kielbasa led by Ed Mikonowicz captured the Celebrity Judges Award. Mr. Mikonowicz started making kielbasa 15 years ago. He remembers begging his grandma for her recipe. Many of his uncles would add their two cents and say that, “this batch needs this and/or this batch needs that.” The recipe was truly a family project. Ed started off working on the kitchen table with 70 pounds of pork and having to cut it up into small pieces. Today, he has the help of his son and he is able to make quick batches of 75 pounds in a matter of hours. His kielbasa has been served at small weddings, graduation parties, and many Christmas and Easter celebrations. Ed believes his kielbasa is one of the best in Northwest Ohio. It just took him a while to get the courage to enter the Kielbasa Cook-Off.

The judges were former Toledo Mayors Mike Bell and Donna Owens, Toledo City Councilman Tom Waniewski, 1370 WSPD morning air personality Fred LeFebvre, and WTOL and Fox 36 news anchor and reporter Joe Stoll.

Ten teams competed in Saturday’s competition for title of “Kielbasa King or Queen”. The Kielbasa Cook-Off is a family fun event where area teams / families compete in a friendly competition to see who makes the best homemade kielbasa from old family recipes.

“People in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan are so proud of their ethnic heritage. Most families have those special homemade recipes that have been passed down from generation-to-generation. PACT is looking for best homemade kielbasa recipe. We want to taste that secret family recipe for kielbasa,” said Stan Machosky, Past President, PACT.

Approximately 1,000 people showed up for today’s event. PACT estimates that it will net about $8,000 for the five-hour event.

Money raised by the Kielbasa Cook-Off goes to fund the annual scholarship competition and the Capital Campaign for development of Polish Cultural Center in the Toledo area. Over the past five years, PACT, along with the Toledo Poznan Alliance (TPA), awarded over $13,000 in scholarship money to area Polish-American high school and college students.

For more information on the Kielbasa Cook-Off, the PACT Scholarship competition, or other PACT events, visit www.polishcommunity.org or e-mail, info@polishcommunity.org.