Traditional Old Polish Bigos to Go - photo 1
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Traditional Old Polish Bigos to Go

Takeaway Dishes European cuisine Main dishes 240 min Medium 35 wyświetleń ~62.20 PLN - (0)
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Description

Old Polish bigos is a classic, aromatic one-pot dish that tastes best in winter — the intense aroma of sauerkraut combined with braised meat, smoked meat, and dried mushrooms creates a depth of flavor that becomes more pronounced with each passing day. This recipe preserves traditional techniques: separately browning the meats, long simmering over low heat, and adding aging notes: red wine, juniper, and dried plums (optional). Bigos is great for transport — it can be portioned into airtight containers, served with dark bread or dumpling potatoes. Visually, it is a rustic dish in a deep brown-red color with pieces of meat and cabbage; the taste is sour-sweet-smoky, with mushroom and spicy notes.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (20)

Servings:
6
  • Sauerkraut 1000 g
  • Fresh white cabbage 500 g
  • Pork shoulder 800 g
  • Smoked country sausage 300 g
  • Smoked bacon 150 g
  • Onion 2 szt. (~300 g)
  • Tomato paste 60 g
  • Meat broth 500 ml
  • Rapeseed oil 30 g
  • Sugar 10 g
  • Apple 1.1 szt. (~200 g)
  • Dried forest mushrooms 30 g
  • Dry red wine 150 ml
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Bay leaf 10 szt. (~3 g)
  • Juniper (juniper berries) 1 łyżeczka (~5 g)
  • Salt 10 g
  • Ground black pepper 2 szczypty (~2 g)
  • Allspice (berries) 4 szt. (~4 g)
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Dried plums 10 szt. (~80 g)
  • Dark beer (optional) 150 ml
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~62.20 PLN (10.37 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparation of ingredients

1

Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with 300 ml of warm (not boiling) water. Let them sit for 30–40 minutes to swell. After soaking, drain the liquid through a sieve and keep it (this is a valuable mushroom broth); chop the mushrooms into smaller pieces. If you are using dried plums (optional), pour hot water over them for 10 minutes, drain, and cut them in half.

Ingredients: Dried forest mushrooms, Dried plums
Use a ceramic or glass bowl. The water should be warm (~50°C) — too hot can alter the flavor of the mushrooms. The reserved broth will be added later instead of part of the stock.
2

Drain the excess juice from the sauerkraut: transfer it to a strainer, press down firmly with your hand or a spoon to remove the excess liquid. If the cabbage is very sour, you can rinse it briefly with cold water and drain it again — remember that rinsing will weaken the acidity.

Ingredients: Sauerkraut
Use a large strainer and gloves, as the juice can be very salty and sour. Do not squeeze too hard if you want a more intense, sour flavor.
3

Finely shred the fresh cabbage: cut the head in half, remove the core, and then slice it thinly into strips. Peel the onion and cut it into feathers or small cubes. Peel the apples, remove the cores, and cut them into small cubes.

Ingredients: Fresh white cabbage, Onion, Apple
Use a sharp knife and a cutting board with a non-slip surface. Thinner strips of cabbage will wilt faster. If you have a mandoline, set it to a thin cut.

Searing meats

4

Cut the pork shoulder into pieces about 3–4 cm. Dice the bacon, and slice the sausage into 1 cm thick pieces. Heat a large, heavy skillet or pot (preferably cast iron or a thick-bottomed pot) over medium-high heat, and pour in 15 g of oil. Add the bacon and fry for 3–5 minutes until it is no longer raw and starts to brown, then add the chopped meat and sear in batches for 5–7 minutes until the pieces are nicely browned — do not stir too often to allow the meat to brown.

Ingredients: Pork shoulder, Smoked bacon, Rapeseed oil
Use a wide skillet or a large pot with a capacity of at least 4–5 liters. Searing adds flavor through the Maillard reaction — make sure the pan is well heated, but do not let the fat burn. If you don't have a cast iron pot, choose a heavy saucepan with a thick bottom.

Searing the meat

5

After browning the meat, remove it to a plate. In the same pan (if necessary, add the remaining 15 g of oil), add the onion and sauté for 6–8 minutes over medium heat until it becomes translucent and slightly golden. Add the chopped sausage and sauté for 3–4 minutes until it is lightly browned.

Ingredients: Onion, Smoked country sausage, Rapeseed oil
Use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan — this is important for the flavor. If the onion starts to burn, reduce the heat.

Assembling the pot

6

In a large, heavy pot (min. 4–5 l), layer the bottom with sauerkraut (about 300 g), then add some fresh cabbage (about 200 g), half of the browned meat and sausages, some bacon, and half of the onions and apples. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used up — the layers will help the flavors meld together during the long simmering. Add the chopped, soaked mushrooms.

Ingredients: Sauerkraut, Fresh white cabbage, Pork shoulder, Smoked country sausage, Smoked bacon, Onion, Apple, Dried forest mushrooms
Do not fill the pot to the top — leave about 4–6 cm of free space, as the cabbage may 'collapse' during braising. Use a spatula or a large spoon to gently layer the ingredients.

Seasoning and adding liquids

7

Add the tomato paste dissolved in 2 tablespoons of hot water to the pot, pour in the red wine (150 ml) and the broth (500 ml). If you are using mushroom stock, replace part of the broth with it — it adds intensity. Toss in the bay leaves, allspice, and lightly crushed juniper berries. If you are using plums, add them now. Sprinkle in 10 g of sugar (to balance the acidity).

Ingredients: Tomato paste, Dry red wine, Meat broth, Bay leaf, Allspice (berries), Juniper (juniper berries), Dried plums, Sugar
Pour the wine after browning into the hot fat to lift all the flavors from the bottom of the pan (deglazing). If you are not using alcohol, replace the wine with diluted balsamic vinegar (1 tablespoon) dissolved in water.

Stewing

8

Bring the bigos to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover slightly (the lid can be shifted by 1–2 cm) and simmer on very low heat for 2–3 hours. Stir gently from the bottom every 30–40 minutes — check for sticking. If the bigos becomes too thick, add 100–200 ml of broth or water.

Ingredients: Meat broth, Sauerkraut, Fresh white cabbage, Pork shoulder
Use a spoon with a long handle. Simmering on low heat allows the flavor to concentrate and meld without excessively drying out the meat. Do not increase the heat, as the meat will become tough.

Final seasoning

9

After 2–3 hours, check the taste: add salt (max 10 g for the whole pot) and pepper to taste. If the cabbage is still too sour, you can add an additional teaspoon of sugar. If you want a more rounded flavor, add 1–2 tablespoons of dark beer (optional). Cook for another 10–15 minutes to let the ingredients meld.

Ingredients: Salt, Ground black pepper, Sugar, Dark beer (optional)
Season with salt carefully — sauerkraut and smoked meats already contain salt. Taste the bigos with a spoon every few minutes after adding the seasoning.

Resting

10

The most important step for flavor: if time allows, set the pot aside (after cooling to room temperature) in a cool place or in the fridge overnight — the stew will gain intensity. Before transport, reheat slowly over low heat.

Bigos is a dish that improves with time — when planning to prepare it for takeout, make it the day before and reheat it before packing.

Takeout Packaging

11

Portion the hot (but not boiling) bigos into airtight thermal containers or disposable food containers that are temperature-resistant. Each portion should have a few centimeters of space above the surface (to avoid leaking when sealing). Leave it for a moment to cool slightly before putting on the lid.

Use PET containers with a snap-on lid or metal thermal containers with a capacity of about 400–500 ml per serving. Do not seal boiling food airtight — steam can cause the container to leak and burn.

Serving instructions after reheating

12

To reheat bigos: transfer a portion to a pot and heat over low heat, stirring every few minutes until it reaches an even temperature (about 8–12 minutes). You can add 1–2 tablespoons of hot water or broth if it seems too thick. Serve with dark bread, boiled potatoes, or dumplings.

If reheating in the microwave, poke the film several times or use a vented cover and heat for 2–3 minutes at 800W, stirring halfway through.

Fun Fact

💡

Bigos was once called the 'king of the Polish table' — historical recipes included game meat and fruits, and bigos was one of the few dishes that was carefully prepared over many days.

Best for

zimowy piknik lub ognisko posiłek do pracy na wynos rodzinne spotkanie w chłodne dni impreza świąteczna jako sycące danie

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the bigos hot in deep plates with dark bread or potatoes. For a contrast of textures, add pickled cucumbers or apple wedges to the plate. You can season it with a few drops of good olive oil just before serving.

🥡 Storage

Store in the refrigerator for a maximum of 3–4 days. Portions can be frozen for 2–3 months (use airtight containers). After thawing, heat slowly. Avoid refreezing thawed bigos.

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