How to cook bigus at home

Stewed cabbage with meat is often prepared, but few people thought that this is an old recipe for a Polish dish - bigos. In general, this is the traditional food of the Slavic peoples: Poles, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Russians, Lithuanians.

There is a legend that the recipe for cooking from Lithuania to Poland was brought by the Prince of Lithuania and the King of Poland Vladislav Jagailo, who was very fond of tasting bigus during halts on the hunt.

The original recipe implied the composition of the lungs of the wolf. Cabbage was not there, it was added later. Cooked in inns in huge cauldrons of roe deer or wild duck. Later adapted to products in the public domain.

Since cabbage is well stored, prepared for the future. In Russia they froze and took on a long journey. Today, there are many options for cooking bigus at home. Consider the nine most popular recipes.

The main option is a mixture of sauerkraut and fresh cabbage with meat - pork or game, with the addition of smoked meats (sausages), homemade lard with a large layer. Mushrooms, tomatoes, prunes, wine, many spices (to taste) are put in the bigus. Usually the ingredients are prepared separately: the cabbage is stewed, the meat and sausage are fried, then everything is combined and stewed together.

In finished form, the bigus turns out to be thick, goes like a second dish, has a sour taste, smells of smoked meats. It is customary to serve with bread, in the recipes hot bread is indicated. There is no difference, rye or from premium flour. Experts say that this is an exceptional hot vodka appetizer.

Classic Polish recipe

For the recipe you will need many varieties of meat (pork, beef, chicken) and sausages. This option is notable for the complexity of preparation and the abundance of ingredients. For a duck, add duck, a rabbit or goose. Smoked sausage, for example, cervelat.

• Cut the meat products into small portions and fry in vegetable oil until crusted over high heat. Transfer to a pan with a thick bottom.
• In the remaining oil, fry the carrots, previously grated on a coarse grater, add 2 onions (cut into half rings or chop). When the onion is fried until golden brown, pour the tomato paste.
• Pitted prunes (the berries are not very large), put the resulting fry and sauerkraut in a pan with meat, pour hot water to the top. Wait until it boils, reduce the heat, simmer for an hour and a half, stirring occasionally.
• About 10 minutes before the end of cooking, pour half a glass of wine, add heat to evaporate alcohol, and sprinkle spices to taste. Leave on the stove turned off for 2 hours to insist.

How to cook fresh cabbage bigus

The recipe uses not only meat, but also smoked meats (any smoked sausage).

• meat of beef or pork - 0.5 kg;
• smoked sausage - 200-300 g;
• vegetable oil;
• 1 head of cabbage;
• 2 pcs. carrots;
• 1 onion;
• 1-2 tbsp. l tomato paste;
• salt, spices to taste;
• some cranberries and lingonberries;
• 2-3 cloves of garlic.

1. Cut the meat into small portions, put in a heated deep frying pan, fry in any vegetable oil, stirring occasionally, until a characteristic crust.
2. Chop the middle head, add to the meat, then darken under the lid for about 10 minutes, then pour two glasses of hot water into the pan, put two leaves of bay leaf and simmer for about 40 minutes.
3. While the cabbage is cooking, in another pan, fry the onion, cut into half rings, sausage (cut into slices or straws, but not finely), grated carrots. Stew a little, then add tomato paste and spices.
4. Send the resulting frying to a pan and simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from the stove. Season with garlic and cranberries or lingonberries.

Serve hot or cold.

Sauerkraut Bigus

• pork (or beef) - 0.5 kg;
• sauerkraut - 0.5 kg;
• 2 pcs. carrots;
• 1 large onion;
• salt, spices - to taste.

1. Put the cabbage in a pan, pour water to completely cover the vegetable, put the stew.
2. Cut the beef or pork into small portions, onion in half rings, and grate the carrots.
3. Onions are fried in vegetable oil until golden brown, carrots are poured. Stew a little, then put the meat in vegetables, fry another 10 minutes.
4. Combine the resulting frying with bigus, mix well, salt, add spices and simmer for 1 hour.

Everything can be served!

Tasty bigus with rice

• pork or chicken - 0.5 kg;
• sauerkraut - one and a half cups;
• rice - half a glass;
• 1 carrot;
• 1 onion;
• vegetable oil - 60-80 ml;
• salt, spices, garlic - to taste;
• bay leaf - 1-2 pcs. (or at the discretion).

1. Cut pork or chicken into small portions, fry in vegetable oil in a deep frying pan or cauldron to a characteristic crust (about 10 minutes).
2. Separately, fry onions, carrots and send to meat, fry together. Rinse the rice in several waters, add to meat and vegetables, mix, lightly fry, like a risotto.
3. Sauerkraut rinse in cold water, squeeze, send to bulk. Stir and simmer over medium heat. After 5 minutes, pour water, spices, salt, garlic and keep on low heat until rice is ready.

Invite guests to the table!

Original recipe with potatoes

• beef - 600-800 g;
• lard - 200 g;
• large potatoes - 6 pcs.;
• large onions - 1 pc.;
• medium carrot - 1 pc.;
• fresh cabbage - 0.5 kg;
• garlic - 2-3 pcs.;
• bay leaf - 2-3 pcs.;
• allspice - about 5 peas (for an amateur);
• salt, sugar, spices - to taste.

1. Cut the beef into small pieces, stew with pork fat in a pan with a thick bottom (a deep frying pan is suitable).
2. Add onions, a little frying, carrots. Leave on low heat for 40 or 50 minutes, stir occasionally.
3. Pour cabbage into a saucepan, cover with a lid, simmer until reduced in volume (usually 2 times).
4. Put the seasoning, salt, sugar, then throw the potatoes. Add a glass of water, simmer until the potatoes are ready.

Serve hot because the cooled potato loses taste.

Homemade bigus with sausage and potatoes

• fresh cabbage - ¼ part of the head;
• potatoes - 4 pcs. (medium size);
• Cracow sausage - half a ring;
• carrots - 1 pc.;
• onion - 1 pc.;
• vegetable oil.

1. Cut cabbage, put in a well-heated pan. Rub one potato on a coarse grater, add to the vegetable, mix. Stir fry so as not to burn.
2. Peel the remaining potatoes, cut into cubes, put in a pan, simmer under a closed lid over medium heat.
3. Cut the sausage into cubes, add to the bigus, continue to simmer.
4. Finely chop the onion, add to the mass, mix well, bring to readiness.

If there is no fresh cabbage, sauerkraut is suitable, which will need a glass and a half. If there is a problem with Cracow sausage, take any half-smoked, but not dry. Rarely take boiled.

Diet Bigus with Chicken

• chicken - 1 pc. (or 2 chickens);
• fresh cabbage - half a head of cabbage;
• sauerkraut - 1-1.5 cups;
• onion - 1 pc.;
• vegetable oil - 50-80 ml;
• bay leaf - 2-3 pcs.;
• peppercorns - 4-5 pcs.;
• salt, pepper to taste;
• any greens - 1 bunch;
• chili sauce or ketchup to taste.

1. Cut the chicken, cut into medium pieces, fry without oil over medium heat until half cooked. Salt and pepper. In the fat that was left from the chicken, fry sauerkraut. If it is old, squeeze juice, rinse in cold water.
2. Fry for about 5-6 minutes, then transfer to another dish. Fry the onion in this fat (cut coarsely).
3. In another bowl in vegetable oil, fry finely chopped fresh cabbage for 10 minutes. Put onion, fry for another 5 minutes.
4. Put the pickled vegetable in the mass, pour a glass of water, simmer another 10 minutes.
5. Add chicken, stew for about half an hour. If you like spicy dishes, use chili sauce or ketchup. 5 minutes before the end of cooking, put bay leaf, peppercorns, greens.
6. Mix well, remove from heat, leave under a closed lid for several minutes.

Bon Appetit!

Traditional vegetarian bigus

• medium-sized fresh cabbage - 1 pc.;
• large carrots - 1 pc.;
• large onion - 1 pc.;
• garlic - 3 cloves;
• potatoes - 1 pc.;
• bouillon cube - 1 pc.;
• a bunch of any greenery;
• onion feather - 1 bunch;
• garlic feather - 1 bunch;
• tomato paste - 2 tbsp. l .;
• vegetable oil - about 1 cup.

1. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan, chop the onion into cubes, carrots in small thin cubes, garlic in half, toss into the oil.
2. While the vegetables are fried until golden, we cut the heads in strips and add to the vegetables.
3. Mix, pour 2 cups of boiled hot water, tomato paste, salt to taste.
4. Stir and let simmer for 10 minutes. If you want, cook and brussels sprouts.
5. We put potatoes, cut into 4 parts and a bouillon cube. Close the lid, simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Open the lid, throw finely chopped greens, mix.

Vegetarian bigus is ready, you can try!

Fish recipe

An unusual version of bigus, which may seem strange, because fish is used. However, it turns out a delicious dish. This recipe is good for those who do not eat meat.

• fish (pollock, rasp or whatever) - about 1 kg;
• fresh cabbage - 600-800 g;
• carrots - 1-2 pcs. (if large, one piece);
• onion - 1 pc.;
• tomato paste - 2 tbsp. l (can be replaced with ketchup);
• vegetable oil - about 80 ml;
• salt to taste;
• spices - at the discretion (black pepper, hops-suneli).

1. You will need a thick-walled pan or a high frying pan. Pour oil into a saucepan and heat, drop finely chopped cabbage, fry a little, add onion, chopped in half rings and carrots (grate on a coarse grater). Pour in about a glass of water, leave to simmer for about 30 minutes over medium heat.
2. Cooking at this time pollock. Rinse the fish, separate the fillet from the bones, cut into portions. We put the fish, salt, simmer for 20 minutes over medium heat.
3. We fall asleep spices, tomato paste, and if necessary - a little water. Simmer for 15 minutes over low heat.

Everything, you can try what happened!

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Bigus is one of the best solutions for those who prefer light but tasty dishes. Its advantage is that of the available and simple components, an unusual dish is prepared at home that resembles childhood, which will not leave anyone indifferent. Bon Appetit!