This recipe was wonderful! I only added a little kitchen bouquet to the liquid when simmering and used cornstarch instead of flour to thicken. My family absolutely loved it and said it was the best tasting beef stew ever..and they’re pickey!! Thank you…
Dr Dale
September 12, 2019 at 3:24 am
Bigos (Hunter’s Stew) is a Polish dish of chopped meat of various kinds stewed with sauerkraut and shredded fresh cabbage. It is served hot and can be enriched with vegetables, spices, or wine. The flexible and forgiving recipe for bigos allows a significant number of variants, often merely using what ingredients are at hand. It is often claimed that there are as many recipes as there are cooks in Poland.
The principal ingredients of bigos are assorted kinds of meat chopped into bite-sized chunks and a mixture of sauerkraut (pickled cabbage) and shredded fresh white cabbage. The meats may include pork (ham, shoulder, bacon, ribs, loin, etc.), beef and veal, poultry (chicken, duck, goose, turkey) and game, as well as charcuterie, especially various kinds of kiełbasa, or Polish smoked sausage. The variety of meats is considered essential for good bigos; its preparation may be an excellent occasion to clean out one’s freezer and use up leftovers from other meat dishes. Some of the meats may be roasted before being diced together with different cuts of meat and braised in lard or vegetable oil.
The sauerkraut is often rinsed and drained before being chopped and mixed with shredded fresh cabbage. The proportion depends on the sauerkraut’s maturity – the longer it has cured, the sourer it tastes, calling for more fresh cabbage to balance the flavor. Traditionally, cabbage was pickled in fall, so bigos made at that time could be made with only half-cured sauerkraut, but by early spring, the sauerkraut had to be combined in equal parts with fresh cabbage. The mixture is precooked in a small amount of water before being mixed with the braised meat and left to simmer for several hours. Ideally, the stew should thicken through evaporation alone, but flour, roux, crumbled rye bread or a grated raw potato may be added to it to take up excess moisture.
Other ingredients often added to bigos include onions, diced and browned in lard together with the meat, and dried forest mushrooms that are pre-cooked separately in boiling water. The stew is usually seasoned with salt, black peppercorns, allspice, juniper berries and bay leaves. Some recipes also call for caraway, cloves, garlic, marjoram, mustard seeds, nutmeg, paprika, and thyme. The tart flavor of sauerkraut may be enhanced by adding some dry red wine or beet sour (fermented beetroot juice), which may impart a reddish hue to the stew. Bigos is often slightly sweetened with sugar, honey, raisins, prunes or plum butter is known in Polish as powidła.
Traditionally, bigos is stewed in a cauldron over an open fire or in a large pot on a stove, but it may also be prepared in an electric slow cooker. The contents should be stirred from time to time, to prevent scorching, which may impart a bitter taste to the entire batch. Bigos is considered best after it has been repeatedly refrigerated and reheated to allow the flavors to fuse.
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Ingrid
December 15, 2019 at 2:26 pm
Very interesting and inspiring for future stews! Thank you ?!
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Elliott M
December 27, 2019 at 7:19 pm
Last 20 minutes of my Stews and Bigo’s I love to make Dumplings on top out of Bisquick!!!,
Recipe on the box…Reply to this comment
Angie Rose
September 1, 2019 at 8:26 pm
Hi Jenny, just want to say I love you’re recipes, all of them I have tried and they are the best ones yet.
You make cooking very fun and easy and I love ur jokes you make me laugh. Thanks again Angie from Winnipeg MB, CanadaReply to this comment
Ingrid
June 15, 2019 at 12:35 pm
Hello Jenny!
As a Swedish immigrant I appreciate your tried and true, Canadian, American, Polish, Greek, etc. etc. Recipes. This Beef stew is delicious ?. Thank you! You are inspiring! ? Ingrid
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Granny Dee
April 29, 2019 at 6:35 pm
Hello Jenny again
On this stew will it ruin the meat if
I soak it in red wine over night? I don’t cook fancy but I have this wine
that I’ll never drink so why not? Thanks ???Reply to this comment
Dr Dale
September 12, 2019 at 2:52 am
Marinating in red wine sounds great. Use a beef stock then, ’cause it’s a stronger flavor with the combo. Be careful browning wine caramelization is un-predictable. It would be good to make a wine sauce/gravy instead. This makes a great ragoút. All this wine stuff is good for really cheap meats, using pork too! A white wine sauce is good with chicken or fish, using plenty of unsalted butter. (Sorry, Jenny.)
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Gaylyn
April 14, 2019 at 6:27 pm
you were fun too
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Gaylyn
April 14, 2019 at 6:17 pm
Thank you for this recipe , and thank you for not droning on and on… makes this a very nice sight, it was delicious and easy, and its in my bank of recipes
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karen sue renken
March 17, 2019 at 8:06 am
Not only does the recipe look amazing you are the only person I think on YouTube that doesnt talk you to death and repeat what they are saying over and over! I am so happy to subscribe to your channel!
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Debbie
March 8, 2019 at 2:52 pm
Thank you so very much for the beef stew recipe, the meat was so tender and it was so simple to make thanks to your fun video. 🙂
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Katie
March 2, 2019 at 4:57 pm
I have always used beef stock or bullion when I make beef stew. As per this recipe, I used chicken broth and I will not try that again. Beef stew needs a beef flavored broth! The flavor of the gravy was not as good as it could have been. I also added baby peas to the stew as per my mother’s recipe. The meat turned out incredibly tender and the rest of the recipe was fine. As long as beef broth or stock is used this is a very tasty recipe.
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Jodi P
March 9, 2019 at 8:39 pm
You can add a few blubs of Worcestershire or soy sauce to get a meatier flavor with the chicken broth. But make sure your broth is salt-free, because the sauces have a lot of sodium
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Brendakpenn
January 14, 2020 at 5:35 pm
My daughter-in-law uses radishes instead of potatoes, but when it is finished the radishes tastes like potatoes. But healthier. Her kids can’t tell the difference.
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Katie
March 2, 2019 at 4:52 pm
I have always used beef stock or bullion when I make beef stew. As per this recipe, I used chicken broth and I will not try that again. Beef stew needs a beef flavored broth ! The meat turned out incredibly tender and the rest of the recipe was fine. As long as beef broth or stock is used this is a very tasty recipe.
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Beve
See AlsoCorned Beef and Cabbage Recipe | What's Cooking AmericaBeef Barley Soup RecipeRecipe: Copycat Panda Express Orange ChickenConverting Slow Cooker Recipes to the Oven | Days To FitnessFebruary 2, 2019 at 4:06 pm
The picture and receipt — That is exactly like my Grandmother and Mother made stew, and me too! You did have celery in the picture,which wasn’t in the receipt but again matched exactly!!!!
I am going to check your other receipts. YUMReply to this comment
Jenny Can Cook
February 2, 2019 at 4:55 pm
Celery IS in the recipe, after carrots.
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Samantha
January 24, 2019 at 7:09 pm
Jenny, what a lovely recipe!! Thank you for your wonderful disposition and humor in your videos as well. We are sitting down to a venison version of your beef stew. Bon appétit!
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Molly,M
January 21, 2019 at 2:16 pm
I love to watch you cook. Please don’t stop making the videos yet.
I had surgeries in my mouth and can’t eat by mouth for 2 years. Have to use G tube for all the meals but you are my inspiration. One day when I can eat by mouth again ,I would cook your recipes. I can sense it that they are all delicious. They are prepared with love. Thank you Jenny.Reply to this comment
Jenny Can Cook
January 21, 2019 at 3:05 pm
I’m so sorry about your surgery and look forward to hearing from you as you recover.
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Doc Mason
January 15, 2019 at 1:54 pm
Great receipt and for the clear how-to instructions.
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Doc Mason
January 15, 2019 at 1:53 pm
Thank you so much for your receipt and for the clear how-to instructions.
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Patty
January 12, 2019 at 3:03 pm
Love love the stew recipe.. can the recipe be used in a crock pot ? Anyone tried it … thanks
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Anna
January 9, 2019 at 9:40 am
Can this be cooked in the oven?
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Arlenie
December 26, 2018 at 8:46 pm
Wonderful!! I added one cup of wine for some of the broth as well as a jalapeño for spice. Used potato starch to make it gluten free. Delicious!!
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Laura
December 26, 2018 at 7:32 pm
Just made this for dinner tonight. Followed it to the T (except for adding a little more veggies) and it was worth the wait. Considered making it in the Crock-Pot but saw this recipe and thought it was easy enough. It was delicious. First time making beef stew and my husband loved it. On his second bowl as I type this ?
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J D 3 ICE CUBS
December 17, 2018 at 12:25 pm
So very very GOOD it’s amazing
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Richard
December 13, 2018 at 10:25 pm
.I don’t like to cook. I’m not very good at it, but I’m going to give this a try. Thanks for sharing this. It looks really good.
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Mariann
December 12, 2018 at 3:36 pm
Made this tonight exactly as written. Smells and tastes delicious. I love the ease of it. No dredging so therefore less oil. I used the low sodium chicken broth I had on hand & it worked perfectly Thanks for a great recipe. Hubby gave it s thumbs up.
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Nikki
November 19, 2018 at 3:26 pm
Hi, Jenny! I just made your Beef Stew and No Knead Bread for dinner tonight. What a success! I stumbled accross your videos on YouTube while I was looking for another Polish dish to make with my pierogi for Christmas this year and decided I will be making your Cabbage Rolls. Yummy. Thank you for the inspiration and for the videos. (You look beautiful in them by the way.)
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Adan
November 10, 2018 at 6:30 pm
This is the best stew I’ve ever made. Normally I have to doctor recipes that I find..but not this one. Thanks for the great recipe!
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Kylene
November 10, 2018 at 5:54 pm
OMG! Best beef stew recipe ever! My whole family loved it and my 12 yo son ate 2 large bowls which made me a happy mama. I’ll have to double the recipe next time!
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Debbie
November 9, 2018 at 12:39 pm
Still loving this wonderful recipe! Ready to serve for supper on a cold rainy day. Never thought I could make beef stew this good! Thanks Jennie!
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Cathy
November 9, 2018 at 12:38 am
I love watching you, you are teaching me so much! And with a Great sense of humor, I laughed so hard about the high heels!
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Old Texan
October 6, 2018 at 8:10 am
Me again. Folks asked about making this stew in the Crockpot.
I made your almost exact recipe, but followed your directions exactly, using the Presto Crockpot.
1) Brown beef, onions and garlic per your directions.
2)Transfer browned beef mixture to Crockpot.Add spices, beefstock,and bayleaf per instructions. Set Crockpot on Low (8 hr) setting. Make sure that the mixture simmers, that is small bubbles forming around the sides. If it is not bubbling, change to the High setting.
3) Simmer 2 hours like you have been told.
4)Add vegetables and simmer until done.
5) Then finish the recipe per instructions.If time and work requires it, before work,you could quickly brown the beef, onions, etc. and put to slow cook until after work, then add the vegetables and finish on High. The beef doesn’t have to be done, but it MUST be browned for the long cook.
My variation is I don’t make a gravy, but add about a half cup No Salt Added.Petit diced tomatoes, with juice to this recipe. Either is traditional in Texas.
Ok now make Jenny’s Hashbrowns to accompany this stew. Don’t get creative, make them exactly as the you are told.
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Old Texan
October 1, 2018 at 10:13 am
I just found your website. I’m a 79 yo male, whose Mother and Grandmother taught to cook. I have read several of your recipes and I’m amazed that many of them are about the same as what I call Old Real Southern and Texas cooking. I see recipes for authentic real down home Southern cooking that are giggle-worthy in their being just plain wrong.
I am going to make this stew now and I will finish in the crockpot (so I won’t forget it and let it burn).
To answer a couple of questions, yes you can use any cut of beef to make stew. My favorite is sirloin, roast or steak. It makes for super tender beef.Today I am going to use a super lean cut of beef called London Broil. It is just a thick, lean round steak.
I will brown the ingredients in a perfectly seasoned iron skillet, over 100 years old that has been washed in hot soapy water after every use for all that time. I make a stew the same as this recipe, only I don’t make a gravy and add tomatoes. This freezes well and I usually eat it over lots of brown rice. Both are traditional in Old Texas cooking.
This would be a great pressure cooker recipe as is. Just interrupt the cooking after the beef is done, then add the vegetables and pressure a few minutes until they are cooked. If you cook the vegetables with the meat, they will be over-done and mushy.Reply to this comment
Jenny Can Cook
October 4, 2018 at 8:50 pm
Thanks for sharing so much with us. ❤️
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Marie
September 27, 2018 at 9:09 am
Does this make a gravy? In the picture, it doesn’t look like there is much gravy to this.
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Amber
September 30, 2018 at 11:49 am
I have the same question.
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Old Texan
October 24, 2018 at 12:27 pm
Marie and Amber,
Yes, the recipe as given makes gravy.Reply to this comment
P
August 28, 2018 at 9:58 pm
Hi Jenny,
I just wanted to say thank you for sharing your amazing recipes! I’m a mom of two and I’m not so great when it comes to cooking. I made your beef stew over the wintertime and my little ones LOVED it… they even ate all the veggies!!! Thank you so much and I look forward to making more of your recipes!!!!Reply to this comment
Meagan
August 3, 2018 at 12:20 pm
If I do this in the crockpot should I put the meat in for the whole time?
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Kelz
April 6, 2018 at 10:58 am
How many servings does this make!? I’m tying to make it for my work lunches. Will I get 5 servings or should I make more?
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Kelz
April 6, 2018 at 11:00 am
I SEE THE SERVING SIZE NOW. I don’t know how I missed it. Lol
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KOVAMD
March 12, 2018 at 12:33 pm
I have made this exactly as it is written for family, friends, “girlfriends cook together” afternoons, folks recovering from injury, and have taken it to pot lucks. This is an awesome, hearty, go-to meal! Thank you!
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Surfersgirl
March 10, 2018 at 1:41 pm
This is so identical to the one I have made for 45 years? I add fresh mushrooms also if I have them and a bay leaf because my mother always did. It gives an added dimension to the flavour. Love, love, love your recipes. WW ciabatta is in the oven right now! Thanks for all you do?
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Teresa
March 6, 2018 at 7:10 am
Made this last night. Hubby said it’s the best he’s ever had… do not tell his mother lol!! I added some red wine into the beef stock for extra flavoring. So delicious!
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Rose
March 4, 2018 at 8:52 am
I would love to try this recipe in a slow cooker. Any suggestions?
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kim
February 25, 2018 at 9:17 am
this is a fantastic recipe that i keep on hand!! the only things i change is i coat the meat in flour before browning and add a dash of worcester. if i need to add flour at the end, i mix a tiny bit of flour with cold water in a bowl and slowly drizzle into stew and never have lumps that way. thanks again!!
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Shar
February 16, 2018 at 8:56 am
I made this and it’s the best best stew.
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Marc
February 16, 2018 at 3:54 am
Tried this recipe and it is now a hit at home. Best stew I’ve ever tried.
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Kim
January 17, 2018 at 5:14 am
She was so great!! She was so funny with her comments and loved the old time recipe!! She is a pleasure to watch, listen and learn. What a great friend she would be!! Thank you for your old time recipe and all the enjoyment of watching and feeling like I was in your kitchen learning, feeling like I was back in time with my mom. Love u. Hope to see so much more recipes!! Kim.
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Visual learner
December 31, 2017 at 6:31 am
As im getting older, im shying away from some tomato based recipes. (Spaghetti, stews). When i was in 2nd or third grade the spag. sauce was so bad i wouldnt eat it. But the teachers would come around and check if you ate everything. Solution: i dumped my whole tray on the floor by my feet. Problem solved.
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Yadviga
April 14, 2018 at 8:29 pm
LOL. When we were kids, frozen peas were not available, so it was canned peas 6 nights out of 7 – Dad loved them. I tried everything imaginable to get from eating them, but got caught every time. Finally figured to swallow them whole with milk. Got to be a big milk drinker and now I can swallow all my meds and vitamins with no problem.
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lightmagick
November 22, 2019 at 9:11 pm
I felt the same way about lima beans as you feel about peas. To this day they make me gag and I don’t eat them. As a kid my dad would put them on my plate and make me sit at the table until I did. Enter THE GREAT BEAN WAR. I put them in my socks. I stuffed them in my cheeks and went to the bathroom and spit them out in the toilet. I went to my room,wrapped them in Kleenex, and buried them in my trashcan. They drew maggots.That was too much for my mother. I think she finally said something to my dad and after that he stopped putting beans on my plate. By that time I was 12 years old!
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Carrie
December 18, 2017 at 12:06 pm
Do you peel the red potatoes?
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Collene
December 12, 2017 at 2:16 pm
Thank you for the best stew ever. My family loved it and so easy to prepare. Love the videos as I am not the best cook around. Also did the chicken pot pie. Keep the videos coming, I am a visual learner when it comes to cooking.
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Hank
December 3, 2017 at 6:50 pm
Tried this recipe this evening and it tastes great! I doubled it so I would have plenty through the week. Thanks!
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Sandra
December 3, 2017 at 5:58 pm
I made you beef stew tonight. It was delish. I’ve never used celery or tyme in mine. Made it more flavorful. This is how I will be making it from now on. Thanks for the recipe.
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Sam
November 22, 2017 at 5:16 pm
Hi Jenny !
I loved your you tube channel!!
I am wondering if I can use a slow cooker for this recipie
Thanks!Reply to this comment
Debbie S
November 2, 2017 at 7:45 pm
OMG! Love your videos, you crack me up Jenny!! ? Can’t wait to make rhis beef stew. Looks amazing! ?
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Kesh
October 29, 2017 at 5:10 pm
I made this for dinner Saturday night, I was watching Utube videos when I stumbled across your video, watched it and thought wow! Looks good and simple I think I’ll try it. I can’t tell you how GREAT every thing tasted. I only had on hand vegetable stock from 360 regardless of that, it was delish!!
