Bigos is also known as ‘Hunter’s Stew’, because it’s often made with game, as well as conventional meats. You can use whatever proteins you like, as long as there’s some Kielbasa sausage in there. But the main ingredient is fried sauerkraut!
Bigos – ‘Hunter’s Stew’ – is the national dish of Poland. But it’s especially big in Silesia (a distinct cultural region spanning Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic). One of its greatest charms is, you can put in any meat you have on hand, and any combination or proteins, and it will always taste just as good!
Secret’s in the sauerkraut!
The overarching flavour influence in Bigos is cabbage – both fresh and in the form of fried sauerkraut. In spite of all that cabbage, the dish is mainly savoury, and lavishly umami, rather than overly sharp or tangy… Our Polish-American recipe contributor – Anna Hurning – shares a traditional family tech-nique to tame the ‘kraut’!
The recipe is pretty straightforward but takes a little fussing in spots, and requires ‘long, slow sim-mering’ to develop the deep, rich flavour Bigos is famous for.
A little Bigos ‘worship’…
Food scholar and Registered Dietician Breanna Lai Killeen weaves a comprehensive description of Bigos into a romantic tale that will make your mouth water and your taste buds tingling…
“Bigos, also known as Polish hunter’s stew, is a dish built for winter and for sharing,” she begins… “At its heart is the marriage of fresh cabbage and lively sauerkraut, a duo that creates body and bright-ness in the same pot.
“This recipe leans into that satisfying contrast with smoky bacon that lays the groundwork, pork shoulder that is browned for fond and flavour, and kielbasa to bring a savoury snap. Dried Porcinis [mushrooms] add woodland depth, a lager [beer] lends gentle bitterness and lift, and juniper berries and bay leaves thread in resinous, aromatic notes usually found in game cookery.
“Prunes are [sometimes] stirred in near the end so they soften without disappearing, adding a quiet sweetness that rounds the edges of acidity and salt.”
How you make it…
First set aside any compulsions you may have about exact measurements. This dish is peasant food and there are as many recipes as there are cooks who make it. Lai Killeen notes, prominently, that her recipe is her best take on her grandmother’s version – in which many of the ingredient amounts were listed as ‘a bit of this and a bit of that’.
This a dish you can have fun with!
Taming the kraut…
There’s one step in the preparation of Bigos which is essential to achieving the classic, authentic flavour the dish is famed for. That’s soaking the sauerkraut to remove as much of the pickling agents’ residues as possible. That includes both salt and vinegar.
The trick is to soak the kraut in cold water for a few hours, changing the water hourly until the hour-old water in the most recent batch is completely (or at least mostly) salt and vinegar-free.
Then, pour off the water and remove the kraut in handfuls, squeezing the remaining water out of it. It’s good to place the kraut thus processed into a colander or strainer to let any water that’s still left run off.
You NEED to take this cumbersome-seeming step because you want the kraut as dry as possible. You’re going to be frying it!
Tips and Hacks…
Beer is an optional, but favoured addition in southern Silesia (Germany). Likewise, Juniper Berries and the Sweet Paprika.
But you MUST use the mushrooms, smoky bacon, Bay Leaves, Garlic and freshly cracked black pepper as specified in Anna’s recipe to achieve authentic Bigos flavour!
Make lots! Folks will want seconds. Bigos is a great anytime dish. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for 3 days or so. You can freeze it in meal-sized portions for up to 6 weeks. Reheats beautifully in the microwave. (Just let it thaw in the fridge first)…
Serving suggestions
Serve in big bowls, and provide soup spoons for your diners to eat with. Some may prefer forks, but the ‘big spoon’ is traditional.
Serve with crusty bread, thick-sliced or torn in chunks for dipping.
Bring the stew to the table in a big tureen, and let folks serve themselves, family-style…
My take
I’ve featured many dishes in this space hat spotlighted cabbage and sausage. But none comes close to the level of richness and flavour sophistication achieved by a really good Bigos.
All the authorities I consulted in researching this post agreed – it’s a great ‘Big Family Get Together’ dish, and a natural pot-luck pleaser!
~ Maggie J.