Polska Bigos

I really like polish food.

A couple of years ago, as part of a graphic design project, I discovered that I like polish food, and I found this recipe for "Bigos," or Hunter's stew.
Several weeks ago (perhaps even a couple of months, or so), it was suggested that we have a "Russian potluck" for our New Year's eve celebration. I mentioned that I have a Polish stew recipe, so it became more of a Slavic themed meal (Rob made borscht, and it was delicious).

The recipe I found online is as follows:        

• One 33 ounce jar of Sauerkraut
• One Savoy Cabbage
• Two pounds beef
• Two pounds pork
• One pound of breakfast sausage
• ½ pound smoked bacon
• One pound Kielbasa
• One onion
• One SMALL can of Tomato paste or sauce*
• 3 to 5 Bay Leaves
• salt, pepper, oil

I modified it a little, and this is what I put in the pot in the end:

• 12 ounces smoked, thick sliced bacon
• 28 ounces kielbasa
• Two pounds beef
• Two pounds pork
• One 32 ounce jar of sauerkraut
• One cabbage
• Three onions
• Two potatoes
• Two cups pearled barley
• 3 to 5 Bay Leaves
• 2-3 cups Vodka

I eyeballed how much water I would need (sorry, didn't think to take a pic of that), added the vodka, brought it to a boil, and threw in the potatoes. After trimming as much of the fat as I could from the beef and pork (I made sure I bought enough that it would still be around two pounds of meat after trimming), I browned all the meat (browning the kielbasa is very important; without this the slices would dissolve into the stew), seasoning the pork and beef with sea salt, black pepper, dill weed (lots of this), rosemary, and a little basil. Then I sautéed the onions in the leftover grease from the meats, seasoning it in the same way, and threw it all in the pot, with the cabbage and sauerkraut.

Kielbasa

Beef  [Sorry, I forgot to take shots of the pork and bacon]

Onion

I put about a teaspoon of fennel seeds in a tea ball, and tossed that too. Then I threw in the barley, and let it simmer on the lowest heat possible for six to seven hours.

Bigos

Bigos should be served with a dollop of sour cream. I apologize for not getting a photo of the presentation, but I was a little too busy eating this delicious meal.


*The absence of tomato paste in my recipe was entirely accidental, and I would have added it right after the onions, if I had remembered. Next time I try it, I'll have to remember to add the tomato paste, and let you know how it turns out.