Bigos Stew (Polish Hunter’s Stew)

5 from 3 votes

Bigos Stew (Polish Hunter’s Stew)

Bigos is possibly the heartiest of all winter stews! This Polish dish combines smoked sausage, meat, sauerkraut, cabbage and prunes – a real “stick to your ribs” meal! My Slow Cooker Bigos recipe is big on flavour – a true crowd pleaser!

Prep Time20

Cook Time8

Total Time8 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Polish

Keyword: Bigos Stew

Servings:

Calories: 623kcal

Author: Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes

Equipment

Ingredients

⅓ cup ( 40g) dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup (240ml) boiling water
6 strips bacon , diced
1 lb (450) kielbasa sausage cubed
4 kabanos sausage , cut into small pieces
3 tbsp vegetable oil or as needed
1 lb (450) pork loin or shoulder, fat removed, cubed
2 medium onions , diced
1 small white cabbage , cored and shredded
6 cups (800g) sauerkraut , drained
10 prunes , halved (or a can of stoned prunes, drained)
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 bay leaves
1 tbsp caraway seeds
½ tsp allspice or 4 allspice berries
3 juniper berries (optional - if you can find them)
2 cups (480ml) Polish beer or dry red wine / more stock
1 cup (240ml) beef stock (low sodium beef broth)
Salt and pepper to season

Instructions

Place the dried mushrooms in a measuring jug and add the boiling water. Set them aside while you prepare the meat.
⅓ cup ( 40g) dried porcini mushrooms, 1 cup (240ml) boiling water
Pan fry the bacon in a large casserole or large saucepan, until it starts to crisp up a little.
6 strips bacon
Add the diced sausages and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to your slow cooker.
1 lb (450) kielbasa sausage, 4 kabanos sausage
Brown the pork, in the same pan, adding a bit of oil so it doesn’t stick. You may need to do this in batches. Transfer to the crockpot.
3 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 lb (450) pork
Add the onions to the pan (and a splash more oil if needed) and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the shredded cabbage and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add a splash of beer or stock if the pan gets too dry and then transfer to the slow cooker.
2 medium onions, 1 small white cabbage
Add the prunes, porcini mushrooms and their liquid, the sauerkraut, tomato paste, bay leaves, seasonings, beer and beef stock. Give everything in the slow cooker a quick stir. Cover and cook on the LOW setting for 8-10 hours (or even overnight).
6 cups (800g) sauerkraut, 10 prunes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 3 bay leaves, 1 tbsp caraway seeds, ½ tsp allspice, 3 juniper berries, 2 cups (480ml) Polish beer , 1 cup (240ml) beef stock
Discard the bay leaves and check the seasoning. Serve hot with rye bread or over mashed potatoes.
Salt and pepper to season

Notes

STORING AND FREEZING

This stew can be kept in the fridge for 6-7 days. Reheat thoroughly in a saucepan before serving.

You can also freeze the stew, in portions, for up to three months. Make sure to always leave some space in your container for the liquid in the stew to expand as it freezes. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.

TIPS AND FAQs

Use different types of meat or combinations of meat and game. Do not use lean cuts of meat (such as pork tenderloin for instance) you need meat that loves slow cooking!
This hearty stew is suitable for the Keto diet minus the prunes. Add salt at the end. Since the sausages and sauerkraut can be quite salty, it is best to season the stew at the end of cooking.
If your sauerkraut contains vinegar you may want to rinse and drain it first.
The meat and sausages need to be browned before being added to the slow cooker. I suspect you could also simply add everything to the crockpot and just leave it to do its thing but for best results follow the first steps.

Nutrition