Bigos

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Pound Ground Pork (Diced)
• 1/2 Pound Bacon (Diced)
• 1 Large Onion (Diced)
• 1/2 Pound Mushrooms (Sliced)
• 4 Cloves Garlic (Minced)
• 3 Large Carrots (Diced)
• 4 Cups Sauerkraut (Unrinsed - You Want To Save The Pickling Liquid)
• 1/2 Medium Cabbage (Shredded)
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 3/4 Teaspoon Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Allspice
• 2 Tablespoons Paprika
• 1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
• 1 Teaspoon Dried Marjoram
• 1 Teaspoon Caraway Seeds (Crushed)
• 1 Pound Kielbasa Sausage (Sliced)
• 1 Cup Chicken Stock
• 1 Cup Red Wine
• 1 Cup Pitted Prunes (Diced)

Directions

1. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil, and saute ground pork and bacon until it is just browned and rendered its fat. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
2. Saute the onions, mushrooms, minced garlic, and diced carrots in the rendered fat for 5 minutes. Stir in the sauerkraut and it's liquid, diced cabbage, all the seasonings, the browned bacon, ground pork and Polish sausage.
3. Stir in chicken stock and red wine, and bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for at 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. If the bigos dries out too much, add another splash of chicken stock, this should be a juicy stew, and it is much better the longer it cooks - I normally cook mine for at least 3 hours.
4. In the last 30 minutes of cooking stir in the diced prunes. Serve with hearty rye or peasant bread.