Best Moms Polish Stew Recipes

BIGOS (HUNTER'S STEW)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and kielbasa; cook and stir until the bacon has rendered its fat and sausage is lightly browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat and transfer to a large casserole or Dutch oven.
• Coat the cubes of pork lightly with flour and fry them in the bacon drippings over medium-high heat until golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork to the casserole. Add the garlic, onion, carrots, fresh mushrooms, cabbage and sauerkraut. Reduce heat to medium; cook and stir until the carrots are soft, about 10 minutes. Do not let the vegetables brown.
• Deglaze the pan by pouring in the red wine and stirring to loosen all of the bits of food and flour that are stuck to the bottom. Season with the bay leaf, basil, marjoram, paprika, salt, pepper, caraway seeds and cayenne pepper; cook for 1 minute.
• Mix in the dried mushrooms, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, beef stock, tomato paste and tomatoes. Heat through just until boiling. Pour the vegetables and all of the liquid into the casserole dish with the meat. Cover with a lid.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until meat is very tender.

BIGOS (POLISH HUNTER'S STEW)

Steps:

• Place sauerkraut in a large pan or casserole dish and pour in 4 cups of boiling water. Add prunes, allspice, and bay leaves. Simmer until Sauerkraut is soft, about 50 minutes.
• Pour about 1 cup of boiling water over mushrooms and soak to rehydrate, about 30 minutes. Drain and chop mushrooms, reserving the liquid.
• Heat oil in a frying pan over medium to high heat. Add onion and sausage. Saute while stirring until onion is soft and sausage is browned, about 5 minutes.
• In a separate pan, bring about 4 cups of water to a boil. Add beef, pork, and bacon. Simmer until cooked through for 20 minutes, then drain.
• When sauerkraut is soft, add the drained meat mixture, sausage-onion mixture, and soaked mushrooms; mix well. Simmer uncovered over low heat, about 20 minutes.
• Pour in red wine and cook for 15 minutes until flavors are well blended. Season with caraway seeds, marjoram, salt, and pepper. Stir in tomato puree. If the stew is too dry, pour in some of the water reserved from soaking the mushrooms, and simmer so flavors combine, about 5 minutes.

POLISH STEW

Steps:

• Sauté sausage 15 minutes; remove to casserole.
• Add oil to sausage drippings; brown beef in oil, 15 minutes; remove to casserole.
• Sauté onion; add to casserole.
• Sauté mushrooms with sauerkraut and wine.
• Add tomato sauce, soy sauce, caraway seeds and vegetable seasoning.
• Add this to casserole also, mixing well.
• Cover and bake at 375°F for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• Stir casserole every 30 minutes.
• Or cook in crock pot on high heat for 4 hours.

MOM'S POLISH STEWED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook and stir onions and garlic in hot oil until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Stir cabbage, vinegar, caraway seeds, and sugar with the onion mixture; bring to a simmer and cook until the cabbage is softened, about 15 minutes.
• Stir sausage, tomatoes, and salsa with the cabbage mixture; season with salt and pepper. Place a cover on the Dutch oven and cook until cabbage is completely tender, 45 to 60 minutes.

MOM'S POLISH STEW

Steps:

• Cut the core out of the cabbage. Rinse & cut into quarters then cut the quarters in half. Peel the potatoes & cut into large chunks.
• Cut the sausage into 1/2 inch pieces. Then brown in a frying pan for 5 minutes.
• Add all the ingredients into a large pot except the cheese. Add enough water to the pot to cover the cabbage.
• Cover & cook over medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes. The soup is done once the potatoes are tender.
• Optional: Halfway through cooking cut the cheese into chunks & add to the soup. Stir until melted.