Polish Hunter's Stew (Bigos)

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/7/21
Polish hunter's stew recipe

The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 90 mins
Total: 2 hrs
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Yield: 6 to 8 bowls
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
407 Calories
19g Fat
34g Carbs
27g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 407
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 24%
Saturated Fat 7g 33%
Cholesterol 93mg 31%
Sodium 1564mg 68%
Total Carbohydrate 34g 12%
Dietary Fiber 7g 26%
Total Sugars 17g
Protein 27g
Vitamin C 86mg 431%
Calcium 125mg 10%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 964mg 21%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This recipe for bigos makes a hearty, long-simmered meat-and-sauerkraut stew that goes back centuries and is a national dish of Poland.

It was traditionally served at the start of the hunting season, from fall through Shrove Tuesday, or until the family's supply of barrel-cured sauerkraut ran out. Today, it's enjoyed year-round.

Any combination of game, beef, pork, poultry, and vegetables work. This recipe is just one version. Bigos also is an excellent way to use up leftover cooked meats and for the family hunter's quota of venison. You can also prepare bigos for a large gathering like a game day.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup prunes, pitted

  • 1/2 ounce dried Polish borowiki mushrooms

  • 2 cups boiling water

  • 1 medium onion, chopped

  • 1 small head cabbage, chopped

  • 1 tablespoon bacon fat, or vegetable oil

  • 1 pound sauerkraut, rinsed and drained

  • 1/2 pound smoked Polish sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces

  • 1/2 pound fresh Polish sausage, cooked and cut into 1-inch pieces

  • 1 pound meat leftovers (any boneless type), cut into 1-inch pieces

  • 3 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped

  • 1 cup Madeira, or other dry red wine

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

  • Frisée leaves, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Gather ingredients
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  2. Place prunes and dried mushrooms in a medium heatproof bowl. Pour 2 cups boiling water over the prunes and mushrooms and let them steep for 30 minutes or until the mushrooms have softened. You can chop the mushrooms and prunes if you wish, but leaving them whole makes for a chunkier dish. Set aside with soaking liquid.

    Prunes in bowl
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  3. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven or a large pot with a lid, sauté onion and fresh cabbage in bacon drippings or vegetable oil.

    Cabbage
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  4. When cabbage has collapsed by half, add the sauerkraut, sausages, leftover meat, tomatoes, wine, bay leaf, and reserved mushrooms and prunes and their soaking liquid. Be careful not to include the sandy sediment in the bottom of the soaking bowl.

    Sausage and tomato
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  5. Mix well and bring to a boil over medium heat.

    Mix
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  6. Turn heat to low and simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding liquid as necessary to prevent burning.

    Turn heat to low
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  7. When ready to serve, remove bay leaf. Portion into heated bowls and garnish with a piece of frisée or other fancy greens to resemble the feather in a hunter's hat. Enjoy.

    Remove bay leaf
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

Tips

  • Pass a bowl of whole peeled and boiled potatoes at the table.
  • The longer this cooks, the better it tastes, and it's even better served the next day.
  • This recipe is a natural for outdoor cooking in a cast-iron kettle winter or summer.
  • The dish lends itself well to potlucks and tailgate parties and slow cookers and freezes well.

Recipe Variation

  • Use dried Italian porcini mushrooms as a substitute for borowiki mushrooms.

Recipe Tags: