Authentic Polish Bigos Stew Recipe

Sauerkraut stew in green bowl with spoon with hands holding it, and grey pot with stew in background.

Making Polish bigos involves stewing sauerkraut, white cabbage, meat and sausage along with a handful of spices to create a warming, hearty dish that’s moreishly delicious.

Course Dinner, Party Food

Cuisine Polish

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 2 10

Total Time 2 20

Servings servings

Calories 335kcal

Author Monika Dabrowski

Ingredients

1.1 pounds sauerkraut drained, chopped
10.58 ounces white cabbage chopped
4 chicken thighs or other meats, see Notes*
14.11 ounces Polish smoked sausage kielbasa, diced
0.25 ounces dried porcini mushrooms small handful
8-10 prunes pitted, halved
1 large onion finely chopped
1⅓ teaspoons caraway seeds, dried marjoram and paprika each
3 allspice and juniper berries each
1-2 bay leaf
1½ tablespoons tomato puree
5 tablespoons vegetable/olive oil
1½-2 cups water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large pot heat 3 tablespoons of the oil, add the caraway seeds, juniper and allspice berries, bay leaf and onion and gently fry for 3 minutes stirring often.
Push the onion mixture to the side and add the chicken thighs. Cook for 2 minutes on each side.
Add the sauerkraut, cabbage, prunes, tomato puree, mushrooms, marjoram, paprika, pepper to taste and half of the water and stir to combine. Cover, bring to the boil then simmer for 1 hour stirring occasionally. Top up with more water as needed (make sure the bigos doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan).
In a frying pan heat the remaining oil (1-2 tablespoons) and fry the chopped sausage until crispy stirring often. Add the sausage into the stew and continue cooking gently for 1-1½ hours. Add a little more water if needed.
Remove the chicken from the pot, separate the meat from the bone and put the meat pieces back into the pot. Serve with boiled/mashed potatoes or rye/pumpernickel bread.

Notes

I recommend buying the sauerkraut in a Polish delicatessen. Look for organic, preservative free sauerkraut that’s yellowish in colour, not grey.
*Use any meat you like but ensure it’s dark, not white (not chicken breast or pork tenderloin for example). Pork ribs or pork shoulder are good options.
Use any Polish sausage (kielbasa) but ensure it’s smoked (most are). You can also add crisped up bacon or pieces of chopped ham.
Wash the porcini thoroughly by placing in a bowl with a little water and rubbing with your fingertips to get rid of any grit. Then rinse under cold water and add into the bigos.
Add the water The stew should be full of moisture though adding too much water may result in a soupy consistency, which is not what you want.
Do NOT add any salt into your bigos. Both sauerkraut as well as Polish sausage are quite salty so you might only have to add pepper to taste (you can adjust the seasoning towards the end of cooking).
Serve with boiled/mashed potatoes or bread.
Keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Freeze individual portions for up to 3 months.

Nutrition