Bigos: The Classic Polish Stew for Hunters

Ingredients 0/17

Step 1

Put the sauerkraut in a large pot or casserole dish and pour in 4 cups of boiling water. Toss in the prunes, allspice, and bay leaves, then let it simmer gently until the sauerkraut softens, which should take about 50 minutes.

Step 2

While that’s cooking, pour about a cup of boiling water over the dried mushrooms to rehydrate them. Let them soak for around 30 minutes, then drain and chop them up, saving the soaking liquid just in case you need it later.

Step 3

Heat some oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat, then add the chopped onion and sausage. Cook them together, stirring often, until the onion is soft and the sausage is nicely browned, about 5 minutes.

Step 4

In another pot, bring about 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the beef, pork, and bacon, then lower the heat and let it simmer until the meat is cooked through, around 20 minutes. Drain the meat once it’s done.

Step 5

Once the sauerkraut is tender, stir in the cooked meat, the sausage and onion mixture, and the chopped mushrooms. Let everything simmer uncovered on low heat for about 20 minutes so the flavors start to meld.

Step 6

Pour in the red wine and cook for another 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to blend nicely. Season with caraway seeds, marjoram, salt, and pepper to taste, then stir in the tomato puree. If the stew feels a bit dry, add some of the reserved mushroom soaking liquid and let it simmer for about 5 more minutes to bring everything together.