BIGOS (Polish Stew)
A traditional, hearty Polish stew that will warm your belly even on the coldest of nights.
Equipment
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- ½ head green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
- 4 cups sauerkraut
- 2 cups water
- 1 lb. pork shoulder, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 tbsp butter
- ½ lb. bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 lb. smoked Kielbasa sausage, sliced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 oz. can tomato paste
- 2 Bay leaves
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Sour cream, optional
- Parsley, optional
Instructions
- Add about ½ inch water to a large dutch oven pan. Bring water to a boil.
- Add sliced cabbage to the water. Cover and cook over medium heat until cabbage is soft. About 15-20 minutes.
- Place sauerkraut and 2 cups water in another saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Season cubed pork shoulder with salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Fry seasoned pork shoulder until browned.
- Add fried pork shoulder to the cabbage in the dutch oven.
- In the same skillet over medium heat, fry the bacon until it renders it's fat.
- Add sliced Kielbasa, diced onions and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook until onions are soft.
- Add sauerkraut with liquid, cooked bacon, Kielbasa, onion and garlic to the cabbage in the dutch oven.
- Stir in tomato paste and add bay leaves.
- Simmer for 1-2 hours until pork is cooked through and liquid in the pot cooks down.
- Ladle stew into large bowls and serve with a loaf of freshly baked bread.