This is very popular dish in Poland. No party, celebration (especially in Silesia and Mountain's region) can be without it! It's also traditionally served on the Christmas Day. I like it a lot. There are many versions of bigos - I would say that each family have their own, unique recipe. This is how my Hubby makes it - and it's great :) But I still miss my Dad's bigos - can't recreate it!
"Bigos - a savory stew of cabbage and meat... Typical ingredients include fresh and fermented white cabbage (sauerkraut, 'kapusta kiszona' in Polish), various cuts of meat and sausages, often whole or puréed tomatoes, honey and mushrooms. The meats may include pork (often smoked), ham, bacon, beef, veal, sausage and, as bigos is considered a hunters' stew, venison or other game. Leftover cuts find their way into the pot as well. It may be seasoned with pepper, caraway, juniper berries, bay leaf, marjoram, pimento, dried or smoked plums and other ingredients...
As with many stews, bigos can be kept in a cool place or refrigerated then reheated later—its taste actually intensifies when reheated. A common practice is to keep a pot of bigos going for a week or more, replenishing ingredients as necessary. This, the seasonal availability of cabbage and its richness in vitamin C made bigos a traditional part of the winter diet in Poland and elsewhere." - by Wikipedia.org
How to make it...
