Authentic Bigos Recipe (Polish Hunter's Stew)

Ingredients

• 1 pound kielbasa sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 thick slices hickory-smoked bacon
• 1 pound cubed pork stew meat
• 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups shredded green cabbage
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1.5 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 (16 ounce) jar sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained
• 0.25 cup dry red wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 0.25 teaspoon salt
• 0.13 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 0.13 teaspoon caraway seed, crushed
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 5 cups beef stock
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
• 0.5 ounce dried mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons canned tomato paste
• 1 dash bottled hot pepper sauce
• 1 dash Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

1. Prepare all ingredients. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large pot over medium heat, cook kielbasa and bacon until the bacon is crisp and the sausage is lightly browned. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a large casserole dish or Dutch oven.
3. Lightly coat the pork cubes with flour and fry in the bacon drippings over medium-high heat until browned. Transfer pork to the casserole dish using a slotted spoon. Add cabbage, carrots, onion, fresh mushrooms, and garlic, then add the sauerkraut. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrots soften, about 10 minutes. Avoid browning the vegetables.
4. Pour red wine into the pan to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Season with bay leaf, paprika, basil, marjoram, salt, pepper, caraway seed, and cayenne. Cook for 1 minute.
5. Stir in beef stock, tomatoes, dried mushrooms, tomato paste, hot pepper sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Heat until it just begins to boil. Pour the vegetables and all liquids into the casserole dish with the meat. Cover with a lid.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the meat is very tender.

Nutrition

• Calories: 356 kcal
• Fat Content: 24 g
• Fiber Content: 4 g
• Sugar Content: 7 g
• Sodium Content: 978 mg
• Protein Content: 20 g
• Cholesterol Content: 62 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 15 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 8 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g