Classic bigus with meat and cabbage

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Bigus (bigos) is a common Polish dish consisting of fresh and sauerkraut with meat and, of course, smoked meats. At the moment, there are a large number of different recipes for this dish. As in our case with borscht, every Polish housewife prepares bigus in her own way, using various tricks and culinary secrets accumulated with experience.

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We tried to present to your attention a classic recipe for bigus with cabbage and pork, which can be a good basis for tests. There is no strictness in the recipe: if desired, you can add or slightly change the composition of the goods. But regular ones should throw in fresh and sauerkraut, meat and smoked meats, because these are the main ingredients for a Polish dish.

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Ingredients:

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fresh cabbage - 600 g;
carrots - 1 pc.;
pork - 400 g;
smoked sausage (or other smoked meats) - 200 g;
sauerkraut - 400 g;
tomato paste - 1 tbsp. spoon;
cumin - ½ tbsp. spoons;
allspice - 2-3 peas;
vegetable oil - 2-3 tbsp. spoons;
prunes - 50-70 g;
salt - to taste;
snow-white dry wine (or water) - 150 ml.

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Bigus classic recipe with cabbage and pork

How to cook bigus with meat and cabbage

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We wash the pork pulp, dry it and cut it into small pieces. Cover the bottom of a large fireproof saucepan with a thin layer of oil and heat. Place the cooked meat on a hot surface.
Stirring, fry the pork over moderate heat. Once all the moisture released by the meat has evaporated and the pieces begin to brown, lightly sprinkle them with salt. Next we load the carrots, grated with large shavings.
After 3-5 minutes, add the sausage, cut into small cubes. At this step, be sure to control the temperature and do not forget to stir the contents of the saucepan! Our task is to fry the ingredients perfectly, but at the same time prevent them from burning!
2-3 minutes after adding the sausage, add the ingredients with tomato paste mixed with dry wine or plain drinking water. Add cumin, a few peppercorns and/or other spices at your discretion.
Finely chop the freshest white cabbage and place it in a saucepan.
Next add the pickled mixture. Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan with a lid and simmer the ingredients of the bigus for about 30 minutes. There is no need to add additional water, because thanks to the sauerkraut and fresh cabbage, there will be enough juice.
After the designated time, take a sample and add salt as necessary. We cut the washed prunes into small pieces and add them to the already prepared dish. Mix everything and continue to simmer the ingredients over low heat under the lid for another 10 minutes.
Serve classic bigus with meat and roast cabbage, complemented with slices of fresh bread, herbs and/or vegetables. A hearty, warming dish with a special sourness and tempting aroma can be served as an independent second course, or as a hearty snack.

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The classic bigus with meat and cabbage is completely ready! Bon appetit!

Wonderful bigos, or What can you find in cabbage?

Bigos is a common Polish dish based on meat and cabbage. With all this, real bigus is as different from ordinary stewed cabbage with meat as an imperial stout is different from Zhigulevskoye. This is an unusual, certainly ceremonial dish with an old, very fascinating history, an unusual range of products and a complex recipe. Complex, but at the same time completely reproducible at home. Well, let's learn!

According to the traditional recipe, bigos is prepared from the consistency of fresh and sauerkraut, with various meat ingredients, smoked meats, dried fruits and alcohol - wine or beer. But simply combining all this in a cauldron is not enough - there are a lot of aspects in manufacturing, compliance with each of which has a positive effect on the result. Of course, it’s an ancient dish; the recipe was honed by Polish chefs for centuries until it reached perfection. This is not Ukrainian borscht for you, which is different for every housewife - here everything needs to be created according to science. Although a certain amount of imagination is still allowed - where would we be without it?

Without what is it forbidden to prepare bigos according to the traditional recipe?

Like any other dish, bigus needs a certain basic set of goods. In my opinion, the main things that shape the taste of this dish are:

Cabbage . Definitely a mixture of fresh and fermented – there’s no other way! The freshest, properly fried cabbage will give sweetness, an appropriate smell, a dark, slightly caramel color, and pickled cabbage will give it sourness.
Meat component . Naturally, vegetarian bigos is nonsense. There must be meat in it, and in abundance: 1 part of meat products to one and a half parts of cabbage. The best choice: pork pulp, veal, smoked meats (smoked pork ribs are perfect, chicken is a little worse), sausages: from Krakow sausage or hunting sausages to blood sausages and even sausages or pork chops. It is generally believed that the more types of meat there are in bigos, the better it is. At least three meat products. My tried and tested basic set is: pork, smoked ham and blood sausage.
Prunes , definitely smoked! I will repeat the words of the first capital chef I read on the net: “no prunes - no bigos!” In addition to prunes, you can add other dried fruits to the dish: smoked pears, dried apricots, raisins.
Spices. Traditional seasonings for bigos are, in general, a basic set of “European-style” spices. Definitely: cumin. Variation: fennel, coriander, rosemary, thyme, sage, dill, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom. Naturally, peppers: dark, reddish, snow-white, aromatic. A little paprika wouldn’t hurt – for the most striking color.
Alcohol. The usual option is reddish wine. But here it all depends on your imagination - I prefer bigos with dark beer, you can use wheat beer, snow-white wine, Madeira, even cognac! But some kind of alcohol is definitely needed - both for the smell, and for the correct acidity, and so that the cabbage has a more delicate taste.

And one more important thing that will be useful to you is time. Bigus is not a quick dish. It is in no hurry. Be prepared to spend a couple of hours on production, maybe more. Plus, bigos needs to sit for another hour before tasting. This is what - in the old days, bigus was considered ready only on the third day: after production, it was exposed to the cold overnight (that is, in the dark), the next day it was reheated and stewed again, then again in the cold, reheated again and cold again. Naturally, in our time, “throwing bigos before swine” is overkill, but it won’t hurt to let the dish brew in its finished form.

Regular Polish bigos

So, we prepare bigos in the old Polish way, from sauerkraut and fresh cabbage with pork, chicken and blood. In the photo below are the ingredients that I used for my own bigos (meat was not included in the photo).

white cabbage – 2/3 of a large head
sauerkraut – 600-700 grams
pork pulp (thigh) – 700 g
hot-smoked chicken legs – 2 pcs.
blood sausage or Krakow sausage – 0.5 kg
2 large onions
smoked prunes – 150 g
head of garlic
dark beer – 0.5 l
oil - for frying
ground paprika – 20 g
caraway seeds, coriander, thyme, hot pepper, dill seeds – optional

As already mentioned, smoked chicken is not the best option; bigos works better with pork ribs. But - what can you do! – regular ribs (not boiled-smoked, but roasted, or even better, cool-smoked) are not always on sale. It is better to choose meat that is not of the highest grade - it should contain inclusions of connective tissue (the structure of tissues of living organisms is studied by the science of histology) , perhaps even bones - this way the broth will be tastier and richer, and the pieces of pork will literally not boil over during production.

Step 1. Preparation

Almost everything that goes into bigos is pre-fried. In order not to make the dish too fatty, it is better to use a small amount of sunflower oil; the cabbage can be completely fried in a dry frying pan with a non-stick coating. I use a large iron cauldron to make it. This is the most reliable option, because the “everything in one pan” principle is generally more characteristic of Eastern European cooking.

We cut the meat into pieces the size of a matchbox. If the pork is firm or you are using beef, you can simmer it slightly after frying. But usually this is not required - in an hour and a half, while the bigos is stewing, the meat will already become soft.
Add chopped smoked meats to the meat and fry over high heat. I put the leg along with the bones - this makes the dish tastier, and during the manufacturing process the bones soften so much that they can be completely bursted.
Cut the onion into rings or half rings, place in a cauldron and fry until golden brown.
You need to prepare both types of cabbage in advance. The freshest - chop or cut thinly, sprinkle with salt and knead well with your hands or with a rolling pin on a board. It is especially important not to skip this step if you are using coarse, hard winter cabbage. Sauerkraut must be squeezed and cut, throw in the brine - you will still need it.
First, add the freshest cabbage to the cauldron, fry until the color changes and the appropriate smell appears, with light caramel notes. Add the sauerkraut and fry again - now you need to watch closely so that it does not burn.
Add a little salt, paprika, bay leaf. Fill our mash with beer and the remaining brine from the cabbage - the liquid should completely or almost completely cover the vegetables; if there is not enough, add a little water. We wait until it boils, stir, reduce the heat to low, and cover with a lid. That's it, we're completely free for the next hour!

Step 2. Braising

To cook bigos correctly, you should not rush. Before proceeding to extreme steps, the cabbage must be completely ready - become completely soft, tender in the mixture. This can take less than an hour, and even more - it depends on the cabbage itself, the temperature and much more.

Finely chop the prunes. You can throw a few whole berries into the cauldron for beauty.
Cut the blood sausage into thick slices and fry it in a separate frying pan on both sides - it acquires a beautiful, almost dark color.
We prepare the spices - cumin and coriander grains and other large spices can be heated in a dry frying pan to intensify the smell, and then crushed.
Place the blood milk, prunes and spices into the cauldron and mix thoroughly. Bigos only has about 10-15 minutes left to simmer.
At this time, peel and chop the garlic. We prepare lemon and sugar - you may have to adjust the acidity of the dish.
That's it, it's time to take the first sample! Add what you think the dish is missing – salt, pepper (it’s better to use reddish). If there is little sourness, add the juice of half a lemon; if there is too much, add half a tablespoon of sugar. Not enough spices? You have an extreme chance to enrich the taste of bigus with additional spices! Throw in the garlic and let the dish bubble for another 2-3 minutes.

Step 3. Submission

Our dish is a self-sufficient thing; bigos is not supposed to be served as a side dish. Although I have come across recipes for bigus with rice - maybe this makes sense if the dish is too greasy and you need some kind of sorbent with a neutral taste. Otherwise, a few pieces of dark bread will suffice - the Poles love to eat bigus with Radziwillskiy or Narochanskiy, but Borodinskiy, Belovezhskiy, preferably pure rye, will do just fine - it has the appropriate sourness, which perfectly complements the taste of cabbage. Additionally, you can serve pickles - cucumbers, mushrooms, pickled hot peppers. Well, of course, sprinkle the freshest herbs - dill, parsley - just before serving.

But with alcoholic accompaniment, there is plenty of room for imagination! Bigus, prepared according to a traditional recipe, mixes wonderfully with an abundance of European vodkas - zubrovka, Ukrainian pepper, Borodino tincture. But the best choice is, naturally, Polish starka! If you want something lighter, take dark or rye beer, certainly with a pronounced bitterness and a strong hop aroma.

Regular bigus in Polish with meat and wine

Bigus (bigos) - is a stew of fresh and sauerkraut with meat, which is characterized by a thick mixture, slightly sour taste and notes of smokedness. The dish is considered Polish, but apart from its native country it is popular in Ukraine, Lithuania and Latvia. According to legend, the recipe for bigus was brought to Poland by Lord Vladislav Jagiello from the Majestic Duchy of Lithuania. Bigus is usually served with fatty dishes, as its sourness promotes digestion. This is also a good appetizer for vodka and “male” liqueurs: pepper, horseradish, Borodino, etc.

There are several hundred recipes for making bigus, but a number of points distinguish it from ordinary stewed cabbage:

a mixture of the freshest white cabbage and sauerkraut is used in approximately equal proportions, while the sauerkraut adds the appropriate sourness, and the freshest gives juiciness;
The composition must certainly contain boneless meat, the standard includes 2 types - regular and smoked. The choice of meat is wide: beef, pork, chicken (the worst option due to low fat content) and even sausages, for example, sausages;
traditional bigus is characterized by smoked notes, usually this is due to the corresponding meat, but to enhance the effect, pitted prunes are also added.

As additional goods, you can use any available vegetables, for example, onions or carrots, and mushrooms.

The creators of some recipes call for separately frying meat and stewing cabbage, then combining and slightly simmering them together. But this contradicts the very spirit of the dish - at first it was cooked by hunters in a cauldron over a fire, which excludes the possibility of preparing the ingredients separately.

Classic bigus recipe

Ingredients:

fresh white cabbage – 600 g;
sauerkraut – 400 g;
meat (pork) – 500 g;
smoked ribs – 200 g (optional);
pitted prunes – 70 g;
animal fat (or vegetable oil) - for frying;
dry wine (or water) – 150-200 ml;
onions – 1 piece;
carrots – 1 piece;
tomato paste – 40 g (optional);
bay leaf – 3 pieces;
allspice – 3 peas;
salt, dark ground pepper - to taste.

The ribs (only boneless pulp will be used) can be replaced with other similar smoked meats or you can add 20-30 g more prunes. Instead of fat, vegetable oil is also suitable for frying, but the taste will not be as rich. The composition of seasonings and spices can be changed at your own discretion.

Natural dry wine enriches the smell and taste. Reddish varieties with low acidity are often used. Snow-white wines are very acidic, they can be combined with chicken meat, but before doing this, you should soak the sauerkraut in water to reduce the acidity. Wine is not an essential ingredient of bigus and is simply replaced with ordinary water.

Manufacturing development

1. Cut the meat into pieces 5-7 cm, including fat layers.

2. Heat fat or vegetable oil in a thick-bottomed saucepan, saucepan, cauldron (preferably) or multicooker bowl. Fry the meat over medium heat until the water has completely evaporated and is lightly browned.

3. Cut the onion into quarters of rings, grate the carrots on a large grater, chop the freshest cabbage into medium pieces, the main part is not very small, otherwise the bigus will become very boiled. Mash the cabbage slightly to release the juice.

4. Add onions and carrots to the meat, fry over medium heat until the vegetables become soft.

5. Cut the ribs into strips, then cut the meat from the bones and divide it into pieces. If you use other smoked meats, cook them using the same method. The meat must be boneless.

6. Add smoked rib meat and tomato paste to the fried vegetables, lightly salt, pour in wine or water (the liquid must be at the same level as the vegetables), stir. Simmer for 5 minutes with the lid open.

7. Add fresh and sauerkraut (squeeze until dry in advance). Stir, cover tightly, simmer over low heat for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Attention! If the sauerkraut is very sour or the recipe uses dry white wine, you should first soak the cabbage in cool water for 60-90 minutes, then squeeze it out.

8. Pour bitter water over the prunes, leave for 3-5 minutes, then remove and dry with cardboard towels. Add prunes to bigus. Do not cut dried fruits into pieces, otherwise the pulp will boil and turn into porridge.

9. Add bay leaf, aromatic peppercorns, salt and pepper to taste. Mix.

10. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

11. Divide the finished bigus into portions and serve hot with fresh bread. It is believed that the dish fully reveals its taste only the next day, when it sits under a closed lid.

Bigus with pork

It is curious that when heated, bigus loses little in taste and smell, so it is prepared in large batches and frozen.

Bigus

Mushroom bigus “Special”

Bigus is a common dish in Polish, Lithuanian and Belarusian cuisine. And it approaches the word as prohibited for Great Lent. Celery root gives the dish a unique smell and taste. There are a huge number of options for making bigus. I’m offering one of them for the “Fasting with Moulinex” competition.

Bigus in a slow cooker

It’s a simple dish to make, but at the same time it’s a tasty, slightly nutritious dish.

Bigus on pork ribs

Simple, fast and delicious!

Bigus in Stavropol

This dish is for those who love sauerkraut. Although it is made with raw cabbage, the sour cabbage in combination with prunes imparts that indescribable taste that is inherent in bigus.

Bigus with apples and lingonberry jam

Bigus (Bigos) is a common dish in Polish cuisine. It is also typical for Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania. But in the era of globalization, this magnificent dish has spread to Russia and enjoys well-deserved popularity here. There are a huge number of bigus options - with knuckle, bacon and smoked ribs. Prunes, raisins and plum jam are added to bigus. My version with apples and lingonberry jam and a drop of my favorite soy sauce!

Bigus

It's very simple and tasty, and most importantly, it's economical and there's a lot of it :):):):).

Bigus with pork and mashed potatoes

Bigus (or bigos) is an Eastern European dish of sauerkraut with meat. There are many manufacturing options, only two ingredients remain unchanged - cabbage and meat. I make it with sauerkraut and pork. Although I remember the time when it was considered right for us to cook bigus with sausages). Excellent mixed with mashed potatoes.

Bigus

Simple and delicious. Small amount of ingredients.

Bigus

Another tasty dish of Ukrainian cuisine. Almost everyone attributes this dish to Polish cuisine, and maybe it is so. Therefore, this dish originates in Galicia, which belonged to Poland at one time.

Bigus with prunes and chicken gizzards

Not nutritious, but very tasty dish. Can be served as a main.

Bigus . Bigus (also bigos, bigas) is a common Polish dish. There are also options for its production in Ukrainian and Belarusian cuisines, in Baltic cuisine.

The main products of the dish are cabbage (fresh, pickled) and meat product. There are also a huge number of options for preparing the dish.

Bigus can have a lot of different components. The essence of making a dish comes down to the initial frying of meat in vegetable oil until half cooked. Next, sautéed separately are added to the meat, or products such as onions, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, chopped herbs and others continue to be cooked together with the meat.

Quite often, foods are added to a dish to add sourness to it. For example, lemon juice, pickles, quince, sauerkraut.

The finished bigus is seasoned with spices, including, naturally, salt and ground dark pepper, also bay leaf, nutmeg, cumin, fennel, and ground coriander. Some bigus recipes contain different types of wines and vinegar.

Bigus often has the smell of smoked meats, because this dish is often prepared using them.

You can cook bigus in a cauldron, in a multicooker bowl, in an oven, or in a container with a closed lid. Bigus is served warm or hot.