Bigos (Polish Hunter's Stew with Kielbasa & Sauerkraut)

Name: Bigos (Polish Hunter's Stew with Kielbasa & Sauerkraut)
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 32 oz sauerkraut, drained and chopped; ¼ head green cabbage, shredded; 14 oz kielbasa, sliced into half-moons; 1 lb boneless pork shoulder, in 1-inch cubes; 4 oz bacon, diced; 8 oz baby bellas, sliced; 1 onion, chopped; 1 carrot, grated; crusty rye or sourdough bread, to serve; 2 tbsp oil; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2 bay leaves; ¼ tsp ground allspice; ½ tsp caraway seeds; 1 tsp sweet paprika; 1 tsp sugar; salt; pepper

DinnerPolish150 minServes 6840 kcal39 g protein

Photo: bykst · CC0 · source

Poland's beloved slow-simmered stew of sauerkraut, fresh cabbage, smoked kielbasa, pork shoulder and mushrooms: deeply savory, a little sour and even better the next day.

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Ingredients

32 oz sauerkraut, drained and chopped
¼ head green cabbage, shredded
14 oz kielbasa, sliced into half-moons
1 lb boneless pork shoulder, in 1-inch cubes
4 oz bacon, diced
8 oz baby bellas, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, grated
crusty rye or sourdough bread, to serve

From your pantry: 2 tbsp oil, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 bay leaves, ¼ tsp ground allspice, ½ tsp caraway seeds, 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp sugar, salt, pepper.

Instructions

Put the sauerkraut in a large pot with 3 cups water and the bay leaves, bring to a simmer and cook, covered, while you brown the meats.
In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until the fat renders, 4 minutes. Add the pork shoulder, season and brown on all sides, 8 minutes, then add it all to the pot.
Add 1 tbsp oil to the skillet and brown the kielbasa, 4 to 5 minutes; add to the pot. Then cook the onion and mushrooms in the remaining oil until golden, about 8 minutes, and add them too.
Stir the cabbage, carrot, tomato paste, allspice, caraway, paprika and sugar into the pot. Simmer gently, partly covered, stirring every 15 minutes and adding a splash of water if it catches, until the pork is fork-tender and the stew is thick, about 1½ hours.
Taste for salt and pepper (sauerkraut varies) and serve in bowls with thick slices of bread.

Tip: Polish cooks often add a handful of chopped prunes and some soaked dried porcini for a sweet, smoky depth, plus a splash of red wine. Bigos tastes best reheated a day or two later.