Bigos (Polish hunter's stew)
Make Bigos (Polish hunter's stew) once and it will go straight into your regular rotation. Prep takes about under an hour, cooking around under an hour, and it serves 4. Low and slow is the secret — the longer simmer lets sliced white cabbage soften and the flavours deepen. Scroll down for the ingredients, the step-by-step method, and answers to the questions we get asked most about it.
- Level Hard
Ingredients
- 1 Sliced White Cabbage
- 250 ml Beef Stock
- 100 g Mushrooms
- 2 tbsp Lard
- 400 g German Sausages
- 250 g Bacon
- 2 Chopped Onion
- 750 g Ground Beef
- 200 g Prunes
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 2 clove 2 Cloves
- 12 Peppercorns
- 4 Juniper Berries
- 4 Allspice Berries
- 90 ml Red Wine
- 2 tbsp Tomato Puree
Method
- Put the cabbage in a heavy casserole dish, add the stock and cook over a low heat for about 50 mins, until tender.
- Cut the soaked mushrooms into strips and save the soaking water. Heat the lard and fry the sausages and bacon, then scoop out, leaving the fat in the pan. Fry the onion in the same pan for 5-8 mins until lightly browned.
- Add the mushrooms and their liquid along with all the cooked meat, onions and prunes, then cover and cook for 20 mins. Add the spices, red wine and tomato purée and bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 1 hr. Season well and leave to cool. Will keep covered and chilled for up to two days. Bigos improves in flavour over a couple of days. Leave to cool first. Reheat until piping hot before serving.
Tips for the best Bigos (Polish hunter's stew)
- Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil toughens sliced white cabbage and drives off the liquid too fast.
- Rest the finished dish for a few minutes before serving — it lets the flavours settle and the texture firm up.
- Do not crowd the pan. Cook in batches if needed so everything browns instead of steaming.
- Taste as you go. Seasoning at the end is fine, but adjusting halfway through gives a more balanced result.
Variations
- Vegetable boost: stir in a handful of spinach, peas or diced peppers in the last few minutes of cooking.
- Spicier version: add a pinch of chilli flakes or a sliced fresh chilli with the aromatics.
- Slow cooker: brown everything first, then cook on low for 6–8 hours instead of simmering.
Serving ideas
Serve hot with rice, potatoes or crusty bread, and something green on the side.
Storage
Best eaten fresh. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for 2 days; reheat in a hot pan or oven rather than the microwave to bring the crispness back.
Frequently asked questions
Is this Bigos (Polish hunter's stew) recipe hard to make?
It is rated hard: 16 ingredients and 3 steps. Follow the order and the tips above and it is very forgiving.
What can I substitute for sliced white cabbage?
Any ingredient with a similar texture and cooking time works; see the variations below for ideas. Keep quantities the same and adjust seasoning at the end.
Can I make Bigos (Polish hunter's stew) ahead of time?
Yes. It actually improves after a few hours, so make it earlier in the day and reheat gently before serving.
Recipe data via TheMealDB — source
0 comments