Polish · main
Bigos (Hunter's Stew)
Bigos (Hunter's Stew) reads sourness 6.0, funk & ferment 5.1 and umami 5.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Polish main, about 45 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 6.0 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 5.8 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 6.1 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 2.8 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 4.7 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 3.3 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Sourness 6.0 · Funk & Ferment 5.1 · Umami 5.0 · Fruity 4.7 · Richness 4.5 · Sweetness 3.7 · Salinity 3.6 · Allium 2.9 · Earthy 2.6 · Warm Spice 2.2 · Floral 1.9 · Bitterness 1.5 · Heat 0.8 · Herbaceous 0.7
What's in it (13)
- 1 lb sauerkraut, drained
- 1 lb fresh white cabbage, shredded
- 1 lb mixed cooked meats (pork shoulder, kielbasa, smoked bacon), cubed
- 1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 3 bay leaves
- 4 allspice berries
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 juniper berries
- 1 tbsp lard
- salt to taste
Time & effort: about 45 min · effort: medium
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 126.9 kcal, 3.7 g protein, 6.8 g fat, 17.7 g carbs
Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (4 steps)
- Soak dried mushrooms in hot water, then add the soaked mushrooms and their liquid to a large pot with sauerkraut, fresh cabbage, tomato paste, wine, and spices.
- Add the cooked meats and smoked sausage, then stew on very low heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Bigos tastes better reheated over several days as the flavours deepen.
- Serve with dark rye bread.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Paksiw Na Pata (Braised Pork Hocks) — Filipino
- Sauerbraten — German
- Kapustnica (Christmas Sauerkraut Soup with Dried Mushrooms and Prunes) — Slovak
- Asado Negro — Venezuelan
- Mushroom Bourguignon over Mashed Potatoes — French
Keep reading: what sourness, funk & ferment, umami mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.