Bigos Recipe

• 2 thick slices Hickory-smoked Bacon
• 1 pound Kielbasa Sausage (sliced into ½-inch pieces)
• 1 pound Pork Stew Meat (cubed)
• ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour
• 3 cloves Garlic (chopped)
• 1 Onion (diced)
• 2 Carrots (diced)
• 1½ cups fresh Mushrooms (sliced)
• 4 cups Green Cabbage (shredded)
• 1 (16 ounce) jar Sauerkraut (rinsed and well drained)
• ¼ cup dry Red Wine
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 tsp dried Basil
• 1 tsp dried Marjoram
• 1 tbsp Sweet Paprika
• ¼ tsp Salt
• 1/8 tsp Black Pepper (ground)
• 1/8 tsp Caraway Seeds, crushed
• A pinch of Cayenne Pepper
• ½ ounce dried Mushrooms
• 1 dash of bottled Hot Pepper Sauce
• 1 dash of Worcestershire Sauce
• 5 cups Beef Stock
• 2 tbsp canned Tomato Paste
• 1 cup canned Tomatoes (diced)

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Place a large pot over medium heat and add bacon and kielbasa sausage.
• Cook while stirring, till the bacon has separated from its fat and the sausage turns lightly brown.
• Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large casserole.
• Heat the bacon drippings in a saucepan.
• Coat the pork cubes with all-purpose flour.
• Fry them in the heated bacon fat over medium-high heat, till they turn golden brown.
• Remove and transfer to the casserole.
• Add garlic, onion, carrots, fresh mushrooms, green cabbage and sauerkraut to the saucepan.
• Reduce the heat to medium and cook till the carrots are soft, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes.
• Pour in the red wine and deglaze the pan, stirring well to loosen the food and flour stuck to the bottom of the pan.
• Season with bay leaf, basil, marjoram, paprika, salt, pepper, caraway seeds and cayenne pepper. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
• Add dried mushrooms, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, beef stock, tomato paste and diced tomatoes.
• Heat the preparation well, until it starts boiling.
• Remove and pour the preparation into the casserole dish.
• Cover and bake in the oven for 2½ to 3 hours, till the meat turns tender.
• Serve hot.