Polish Hunter's Stew

Instructions

1. Prepare the cabbage
   Rinse the sauerkraut under cold water to reduce sourness if desired. Drain well. Shred the fresh cabbage finely. In a large pot, combine both cabbages with 2 cups of water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Brown the meats
   While the cabbage is simmering, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced bacon and cook until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. In the same skillet, brown the pork shoulder cubes in batches until golden. Remove and set aside. Then brown the sliced kielbasa and set aside.
3. Prepare the base
   In the same skillet with the remaining fat, sauté the diced onions until translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add paprika and caraway seeds, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
4. Combine all ingredients
   Add the sautéed onion mixture, all browned meats, rehydrated mushrooms, bay leaves, and chopped prunes (if using) to the pot with cabbage. Pour in the red wine and stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Slow cook the stew
   Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to very low. Cover and simmer for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The longer it cooks, the better the flavors will develop. Traditional bigos is often cooked for several hours or even days, reheating and adding ingredients as needed.
6. Rest and serve
   Remove the stew from heat and let it rest for at least 15-20 minutes before serving. Bigos is traditionally served with rye bread and tastes even better the next day after flavors have had time to meld.