Description
Honestly, it is hard to think of a better use for a cabbage than bigos.
Ingredients
- 1 oz (30 g) dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 cup (240 ml) hot water
- 6 oz (170 g) thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 lb (450 g) pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 lb (450 g) smoked kielbasa, sliced into half-moons
- 2 yellow onions, chopped
- 2 lb (900 g) sauerkraut, drained and lightly rinsed
- 1 small head green cabbage (about 1 1/2 lb / 700 g), shredded
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup (240 ml) chicken or beef stock
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) dry red wine (optional)
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 allspice berries
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- 8 pitted prunes, chopped (optional)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Cover the dried mushrooms with the hot water and let them soak for 20 minutes. Lift them out, chop them, and strain the soaking liquid through a fine sieve.
Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until the fat renders. Add the pork cubes and brown them on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove the pork and set aside.
Add the onions to the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
Add the sauerkraut, shredded cabbage, stock, strained mushroom liquid, wine, bay leaves, allspice and marjoram. Return the pork and add the chopped mushrooms. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring now and then.
Add the kielbasa and the prunes. Cook, partly covered, for another 45 minutes. Uncover for the last 15 minutes if the stew looks wet.
Taste and add salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaves, and the allspice berries if you can find them. Cool and reheat the next day if you can.
Notes
- Slow cooker: brown the pork and bacon first, then cook everything except the kielbasa on low for 7 hours, adding the kielbasa for the last hour.
- Oven: cook covered in a 325°F (165°C) oven for 2 hours, add the kielbasa and prunes, and cook 45 minutes more. Use a Dutch oven of 7 quarts or more; a 6-quart slow cooker is a tight fit.
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Recipes
- Cuisine: Polish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 470
- Fat: 35 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Protein: 22 g