Polish or Russian Hunter’s Stew
Polish hunter’s stew is also often known as Russian hunter’s stew or even German hunter’s stew. Generically, it is a stew made with a variety of meat that usually includes wild game and is combined with cabbage.
The stew is a great way to use venison, whether it is ground or cubed.
When the stew is very thick it is also known as Bigos-a traditional Polish dish of meat, cabbage, and kraut.
Polish or Russian Hunter’s Stew
½ lb boneless stew beef, chopped into 1’’ chunks ½ lb boneless venison leg, chopped into 1’’ chunks 4 bacon strips, diced ½ lb smoked kielbasa, thickly sliced 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped 1 small head cabbage, finely sliced 1 ¾ lb sauerkraut Handful of dried wild mushrooms 1 cup prunes, pitted and quartered ¼ cup all purpose flour 1 cup dry red wine 3 tbsp vegetable oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Rustic bread, for serving
Ingredients
- ½ lb boneless stew beef, chopped into 1’’ chunks
- ½ to 1 lb venison ground or chopped into 1’’ chunks
- 4 bacon strips, diced
- ½ lb smoked kielbasa, thickly sliced
- 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 small head cabbage, finely sliced
- 1 ¾ lb sauerkraut
- Handful of dried wild mushrooms
- 1 cup prunes, pitted and quartered
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Rustic bread, for serving
Instructions
- Tip the sauerkraut into a colander to drain and transfer it to a saucepan.
- Empty a couple of cups water into the saucepan and stir in the bacon bits.
- Put a lid on and bring the mixture to boil over moderate heat.
- Reduce to a simmer and continue to do so for about 20 minutes or until the sauerkraut softens and bacon is cooked through.
- In the meantime, toss the dried mushrooms and fresh cabbage into a separate saucepan and fill it up with water.
- Heat the mixture until it begins to boil before bringing it back to the simmer.
- Cook likewise for half an hour and drain into a bowl; set aside.
- Wash the meat clean and blot dry with paper towels.
- Place them in a bowl of flour and toss well until properly dredged with it; shake off any excess and set aside.
- Drizzle a tbsp of vegetable oil in a stockpot and wait until it heats up over moderate flame.
- Throw in the onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until it softens.
- Drain them out using a slotted spoon and keep it aside.
- Heat rest of the oil in the same pot and toss in the dredged meat, few at a time.
- Cook one side of the meat for a couple of minutes or until it browns slightly and flip it over to cook the other side similarly.
- Drain them out into a paper towel-lined bowl and set aside.
- Increase the speed and add a splash of wine into the pot.
- Dump the meat back to the pot, along with its juices, sautéed onion, sauerkraut, cabbage-bacon mixture, prunes as well as sausages and season with a dash of seasonings.
- Pour in the cooking liquid of the sauerkraut and give it a nice stir to mix well before bringing it to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer the stew, covered, for a couple of hours or until the meat is cooked through and the broth turn rich, brown in colour.
- Keep stirring it at times until half of the cooking liquid evaporates and pour it into a large casserole.
- Serve alongside thick slices of rustic bread.
Last Updated on April 21, 2023 by Carleen
