Bigos: Polish Hunters Stew

Author

Helen Park

Servings

3 quarts

Category

Soup

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 cups pork butt, cut into 1” pieces (about 1 pound after trimming)
• ½ cup thick cut bacon, cut into ½” pieces
• 1 cup polska kielbasa, cut into ½” half circles
• 2 cups onion, diced ¼”
• 2 cup red wine
• 1 smoked pork chop (kasseler) or smoked ham cut into 1” pieces
• 1 Tbsp B Marion blend
• 2 Tbsp dried garlic slices
• 3 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cup sauerkraut, rinsed and roughly chopped
• 3 qts beef stock
• .5oz package dried porcini, soaked in 1 cup of water overnight
• 3 Tbsp corn starch
• Fine sea salt and Pierre Poivre to taste
• Roughly chopped parsley to garnish

Directions

1. In a heavy bottom pot or Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil until just starting to smoked and add the pork but to sear to golden brown.
2. Add the bacon, kielbasa, and onion and continue cooking for 5 -10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  The bacon and sausage should render while cooking to a golden brown and the onions should become tender.
3. When ready, add the ready wine and continue cooking to reduce by half, scraping any browned bits from the pot.
4. Then add the smoked pork, B Marion, Garlic slices, and tomato paste and stir well to coat.
5. Add the sauerkraut, stock, dried porcini, and soaking liquid and bring the pot to boil, skimming as needed.
6. Reduce the heat to simmer for 1 ½ hours or until the pork butt pieces are completely tender.
7. Dissolve the corn starch in 3 Tbsp of water to make a slurry and drizzle it into the pot, stirring, to thicken to a shiny stew.
8. Season with salt and Pierre Poivre to taste and garnish each bowl with roughly chopped parsley.
9. Enjoy!