Bigos (Polish hunter's stew) — one-pot
A deeply flavored Polish stew of sauerkraut, cabbage and mixed porks slowly simmered with mushrooms, prunes and spices. Made entirely in one heavy pot so cleanup is minimal and it improves if rested overnight.
AI image15 hr 50 min
start to finish
30 min
hands on
Project
difficulty
6
servings
Ingredients
Roughly, per serving
520 kcal32g protein22g carbs34g fat
An estimate, not a lab analysis.
Method
Put the dried mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and pour over 250 ml very hot water; cover and soak until softened.
When mushrooms are soft, lift them out with a slotted spoon, squeeze gently and chop coarsely; reserve the soaking liquid and strain it through a fine sieve to remove grit.
Heat a large heavy pot (Dutch oven) over medium heat and add the vegetable oil and bacon; cook until the bacon has rendered fat and is starting to brown.
Add the pork shoulder chunks to the pot and brown on all sides in the bacon fat; do this in a single layer working in batches if necessary.
Push meat to one side, add the sliced kielbasa and brown briefly just to develop color.
Add the sliced onions to the pot and cook, stirring, until they are soft and translucent.
Pour in the red wine (or 150 ml water/broth) to deglaze the pot, scraping up browned bits from the bottom.
Reduce heat to medium-low and add the sauerkraut, shredded cabbage, chopped soaked mushrooms, 200 ml of the strained mushroom soaking liquid, prunes, tomato paste, bay leaves, juniper berries, caraway seeds, sugar, salt and pepper; stir to combine.
Bring the pot to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook very gently until meats are tender and flavors have melded, stirring occasionally.
Stir every 20–30 minutes to prevent sticking; add a splash of water if the pot becomes dry.
Remove and discard the bay leaves and any whole juniper berries; taste and adjust salt and pepper. If you prefer a thicker texture, mash a cup of the sauerkraut against the pot sides and stir in.
Let the bigos cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate overnight to let flavors mature (this step is traditional and strongly recommended).
Reheat the bigos slowly in the same pot over low heat until warmed through; simmer gently about 20 minutes to marry flavors before serving.
Worth knowing
- Bigos tastes better the next day; it also freezes well in portions.
- If you can't find dried mushrooms, use 150 g fresh mushrooms and omit the soaking step; add a splash of stock for depth.
- Adjust sauerkraut-to-cabbage ratio to taste—more sauerkraut yields a tangier stew.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot to avoid scorching during the long simmer.
Make it yours
Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.
Meal prepOne panBudget
Watch someone make it
A different recipe for the same dish, by a cook who has spent years on it.
More Polish cooking
An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Polish cooking, not any restaurant's recipe.