Bigos

“Hunter’s Stew” aka “Poor man’s feast”, a Polish national dish!

Serves: 10-12, with leftovers
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 3-4 hours

Ingredients:

1 head of cabbage, shredded
2 bags of sauerkraut
3-4 carrots (sliced)
3 packages of Polish kielbasa (sliced)
Bacon (cut into small pieces or cubed) - optional
2-3 pound piece of bone-in pork
Peppercorns (roughly 15, just eye ball it)
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon cumin
2 small cans of tomato paste
1 large onion, diced
1 large pack of sliced mushrooms

 Steps

1. Drain the sauerkraut and reserve the juice.
2. Place sauerkraut into a LARGE pot, cover with enough water to come half way up the sauerkraut (not covering it!).
3. Bring to boil, and simmer for 30 minutes until the sauerkraut is on the softer side.
4. Place rinsed piece of pork into the pot.
4. Toss in carrots, shredded cabbage, bay leaves, peppercorns, tomato paste and add more water (4-5 cups), again, not covering the cabbage, just enough to see it underneath, just over half way. Make sure the pork is covered.
5. Bring to boil, then simmer covered for about an hour. Mix and flip the pork occasionally. 
6. Meanwhile, heat up a tablespoon of olive oil/butter and fry the bacon, kielbasa, and any until browned (and crispy). Add the onion and mushroom until onion is translucent.
7. After about an hour, remove the pork from the pot and clean the meat off of the bone.
8. Return the diced/shredded pork, along with the kielbasa, bacon, onion, mushroom mixture, back into the pot.
9. Cover and cook for an additional hour or 2 on medium low.
*Optional: you may add some of the reserved sauerkraut juice during the final steps if you like your dish tangy.

Better picture coming soon.