How to make the perfect bigos for Christmas? Only according to grandpa’s old, proven recipe

Good cabbage is the basis of successful bigos. Some people use it to prepare the dish sauerkrautto drink fresh white cabbage. However, there is nothing stopping you from mixing these two types – the effect will be really great. It should be noted that initially they should be cooked separately – otherwise the raw cabbage will not become soft enough.

Meat is a very important ingredient of every bigos. Several types are usually used – primarily sausage, bacon i pork meat (e.g. neck or shoulder). You can also add beef or even game to the bigos – then the whole dish will acquire a unique taste. However, it is worth not overdoing the amount of meat so that it does not dominate the entire dish. Typically, it is recommended to use about 1.5-2 kg of meat for 3 kg of cabbage.

Spices are another important element that determines the taste of bigos. The basics are salt and pepper, but we know well that something else needs to be added to the cooking dish. This is about allspice, bay leaf and savory. They are also important juniper seeds – the spice will brilliantly highlight the taste of bigos. Some also add marjoram i caraway seedwhich also go perfectly with the dish. In addition to spices, you can also add spices to bigos mushrooms or smoked plums.

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How to make the best bigos? Check out your grandfather’s recipe. Preparing the dish is not too complicated – you just need to buy good quality ingredients and follow the instructions – step by step.

Ingredients list:

• 1.5 kg of raw white cabbage;
• 1.5 kg of sauerkraut (not pickled);
• 3 large onions;
• 0.6 kg of pork neck;
• 0.4 kg of pork shoulder;
• 0.3 kg of sausage (juniper or hunting sausage is best);
• 0.2 kg of smoked bacon;
• 1.5 tablespoons of tomato paste;
• 120 g of smoked plums;
• 60 g of dried mushrooms;
• 3 bay leaves;
• 3 allspice balls;
• 3 juniper seeds;
• 2 teaspoons of marjoram;
• 2 teaspoons of dried savory;
• Salt and pepper;
• About 100 ml of dry red wine;
• Fat for frying (e.g. rapeseed oil).

Preparation method:

1. Start the whole process with soaking dried mushrooms – pour water over them for about 4 hours, then pour the whole thing into a small pot and cook over low heat for about 50-60 minutes.
2. Chop the sauerkraut into smaller pieces and then put them in a separate pot. Add enough water to cover the cabbage, then cook it covered for about an hour over medium heat (check from time to time to make sure the water is not evaporating and top up if necessary).
3. In the meantime you can take care of the second cabbage. Take a large and sharp knife and cut it into thin strips. Throw them into a separate pot, add two teaspoons of salt and pour warm water over it (to cover it). Cook everything covered over medium heat for about 35 minutes. Once it is soft, add it to the pot with the sauerkraut.
4. Time for meat. Cut the neck and shoulder into cubes, the sausage into thicker half-slices, and the bacon into strips. Fry the neck, shoulder and sausage in rapeseed oil (about 1.5 tablespoons), then add to the boiling cabbage. Now add the bacon to the pan, and when the fat melts, add the diced onion. Fry until the onion is translucent, then add everything to the pot with the cabbage and meat.
5. When the mushrooms are ready, drain them and chop them into smaller pieces. Add them to bigos and mix everything thoroughly. Slice the smoked plums into small pieces and fill the dish with them. Add wine, tomato paste and spices. Mix everything thoroughly and cook for about 1.5 hours.
6. After this time try bigos and season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Christmas bigos tastes great with a slice of fresh, country bread. This traditional Polish dish will certainly be a hit during a family gathering. It is worth knowing that it tastes best a day or two after preparation.

Source: guster.pl