Bigos (Hunter's Stew) - Dairy-Free Version

Instructions

1. 1Place the about 28.4 g dried mushrooms in a heatproof bowl. Pour enough hot water over them to cover completely. Let them soak for 30 minutes. Once softened, carefully drain the mushrooms, but save the dark, flavorful soaking liquid. Chop the rehydrated mushrooms into small pieces.
2. 2Prepare your meats and vegetables. Cut the about 450 g pork shoulder and about 450 g beef chuck into uniform 2.54 cm cubes. Slice the about 450 g smoked sausage into rounds. Chop the 2 large onions. Shred or finely chop the 1 medium head fresh cabbage.
3. 3Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat (about 205°C / 200°C). Add the cubed about 450 g pork shoulder and about 450 g beef chuck. Brown the meat on all sides for about 5-7 minutes, until a nice crust forms. Add the sliced about 450 g smoked sausage and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. 4Add the chopped 2 large onions to the pot with the meats. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes, until the onions are softened and translucent. Stir in the 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
5. 5Add the about 910 g sauerkraut, chopped 1 medium head fresh cabbage, the chopped about 28.4 g dried mushrooms, the 1 cup prunes, 1 cup red wine, the reserved mushroom soaking liquid (carefully leaving any sediment behind), 3 bay leaves, 6 allspice berries, 6 juniper berries, 1.5 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper to the pot. Stir everything together to combine.
6. 6Bring the stew to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, immediately reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 hours. Stir the stew every 30 minutes to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom. The stew is ready when the pork and beef are very tender and easily pierced with a fork, and the flavors have deeply melded together.
7. 7Remove the bay leaves, allspice berries, and juniper berries from the stew. Taste the bigos and add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Serve the Hunter's Stew hot.

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