Bigos myśliwski - hunter's stew

Published: April 2nd, 2023 - Last updated: July 23rd, 2023

Bigos is a traditional Polish dish known for centuries. Regardless of whether you are looking for a filling, rich in ingredients meal or a delicious dinner at any time of the year, bigos is a great choice. There is really no single recipe. Depending on the region, season or other culinary preferences, the recipe may vary. Typically, however, the recipe for bigos contains solid ingredients such as cabbage, meat, sausages, mushrooms and aromatic spices. However, each cook or housewife has her own recipe.

How was bigos created?

The history of the creation of bigos is quite tortuous. On the one hand, it is a dish that contains all the ingredients easily available in a rural kitchen. On the other hand, the dish was cooked in field conditions by both poachers and hunters. Some even trace its origin to the early Middle Ages, when bigos was supposedly cooked from what was at hand. Its early varieties, however, differed from its current form. In the book "Compedium Ferculorum" from 1682, you can find several recipes for bigosek, among others, from capon, carp or bigosek with crayfish. However, none of the recipes contained therein mentions cabbage, which was more associated with rural cuisine. It is possible, however, that in this period there were also rural versions with cabbage.

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, bigos was cooked during various types of hunting, hence the later common name of the variety hunting bigos. Over time, this dish spread so much that it found its way into the homes of every inhabitant of Poland. Currently, it is served on various occasions or family gatherings.

How to prepare bigos?

There are numerous ways to prepare Bigos. Certain chefs prefer utilizing solely sauerkraut, while others favor sweet cabbage exclusively; however, some blend two distinct types of cabbage. Commonly made with roasted or smoked pork or sausage and bacon, the ingredients for Bigos undergo stewing until they reach a soft texture before being heavily seasoned.