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Bigos (Bigus) in Polish traditional sauerkraut

Traditional Polish Bigos with Sauerkraut

It doesn't get any tastier! Cabbage lovers won't be able to walk past this one. Polish bigos (also spelled bigus) is a delicious and genuinely filling dish. Try not to eat it all at once — instead, cook it over three days the way the Poles do. We gave it a shot and loved it. It's just so good!

Maria

Recipe author

Bigos (Bigus) in Polish traditional sauerkraut

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Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Sauerkraut

Water

500

Green cabbage

500

Pork

400

Smoked sausage

300

Hot dogs

200

White wine (dry)

200

Bay leaf

Vegetable oil

Coriander (seeds or ground)

0.5

Ground black pepper

0.5

Salt

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 38 % 6 g

Fats 44 % 7 g

Carbohydrates 19 % 3 g

120 kcal

GI: 100 / 0 / 0

Cooking method

Step 1:

How do you make Polish bigos from sauerkraut? Bigos — sometimes called bigus — is what we're making here, Polish-style. Measure out all the ingredients. Pick a sausage and hot dogs you enjoy, whatever suits your taste.
Step 2:

Put the sauerkraut in a tall, heavy-walled pot and pour in 300 ml of water. Braise, covered, over low heat for 1 hour.
Step 3:

Rinse the pork, pat it dry, and cut it into large cubes.
Step 4:

Sear the meat in a skillet in a high-smoke-point oil until golden brown.
Step 5:

Shred the green cabbage with a knife or on a mandoline.
Step 6:

Add the fresh cabbage to the pot with the sauerkraut. Stir. Pour in the remaining water. Braise, covered, for another 30 minutes.
Step 7:

Cut the sausage and smoked meats into small pieces.
Step 8:

Add the smoked meats and the seared pork to the cabbage.
Step 9:

Add the bay leaves, coriander, and ground pepper. Pour in the wine.
Step 10:

Stir everything together well and let it simmer, covered, for another 2 hours. Right at the end, add salt if needed.

I read somewhere that bigos is best made over three days. Day one is the active cooking, then it spends the night in the fridge. Day two, you reheat it and chill it again. And on day three, you reheat it and eat. Over that time the cabbage really develops, soaking up the meaty juices and tasting even better. That's exactly what I did — luckily I ended up with a lot, so we ate a small portion right away and saved the rest for the third day. I can tell you everything above is true. I highly recommend trying the three-day method with this recipe too. The flavor is simply incredible!
Since everyone's tolerance for salt, sweetness, bitterness, heat, and acidity is different, always adjust the spices and seasonings to your own taste! If you're using a seasoning for the first time, remember that some are easy to overdo — chili pepper especially.
Use a high-smoke-point oil for frying! Every oil is only good up to a certain temperature — its smoke point — beyond which it starts to burn and forms harmful compounds, including carcinogens. Unrefined oils, with rare exceptions, have a low smoke point; they contain lots of unfiltered particles that scorch quickly. Refined oils stand up to heat better and have a higher smoke point. If you're cooking in the oven, in a skillet, or on the grill, make sure you use an oil with a high smoke point. The most common high-smoke-point choices are refined sunflower, olive, and grapeseed oils.