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Bigos - help required to cook properly.



dunkles54   Sep 9, 08, 14:46 /  #
I have several recipes for Bigos. I have made it once, and I must say mine dish had a very strong sauerkraut taste to it. The bigos I had in Poland had more of a plain cabbage taste to it. Does anybody know if it has to do with the kind of sauerkraut or what. Is it just a matter of rinsing the sauerkraut really well to make it less pronounced? Your help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Tom
Lir   Sep 9, 08, 14:59 /  #
I would have thought that maybe you should have strained it <especially if it had too much liquid at the outset >?

Also, needs to be cooked for a long time ?

I wouldn't have thought you would need to rinse it ?

My Mom used to drain it from the can or jar <depending which was available> maybe someone else can give a bit more advice ?

:)
polishgirltx   Sep 9, 08, 15:00 /  #
dunkles54:

Is it just a matter of rinsing the sauerkraut really well to make it less pronounced?

yes.... i like it more sour tho....
RJ_cdnThreads: -
Posts: 323
Joined: Sep 10, 07 		  Sep 9, 08, 15:11 /  #
polishgirltx:

dunkles54:
Is it just a matter of rinsing the sauerkraut really well to make it less pronounced?

polishgirltx:

yes

If still too sour add some fresh gabage to it.
rdywenurThreads: 5
Posts: 175
Joined: Jun 28, 08 		  Sep 9, 08, 16:49 /  #
You should rinse the sauerkraut but be careful not to rinse all the flavor too much.
plk123Threads: 30
Posts: 6,412
Joined: Aug 29, 07  Pictures: 2 		  Sep 9, 08, 18:38 /  #
dump liquids and rinse the kraut and add fresh cabbage eventually.
ZgubionyThreads: 21
Posts: 2,037
Joined: Oct 20, 06 		  Sep 10, 08, 08:45 /  #
Bigos needs to be prepared with sauerkraut and boiled cabbage. If you're just using the kraut, it'll be too sour. Check the recipes in the forum. Mine is the best ;)
Aussie SheilaThreads: -
Posts: 13
Joined: Aug 31, 09 		  Nov 2, 09, 06:44 /  #
A friend of mine brought me bigos from Poland to UK , by the time he arrived it was a little bit sour I thought it gone off a bit, though I still liked it.
stevewThreads: 3
Posts: 34
Joined: Sep 27, 09 		  Nov 2, 09, 08:28 /  #
As I recall a lot of sauerkraut produced outside of its home countries (eg in the USA) is made with far too much salt to be palatable (or healthy). This is for reasons of 'regulations' or something.

Hence a lot of the time American recipes will talk about rinsing it with fresh water which is really bad as it will remove most of the vitamins. Theres a lot of vitamin C in sauerkraut, its a waste to throw that away with the rinse water.

I never saw a Pole rinse sauerkraut and when I have made bigos I've not rinsed it. Here in New Zealand we get imported German 'white wine' sauerkraut which makes the most excellent bigos.
Polonius3Threads: 1,005
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Joined: Apr 11, 08 		  Nov 2, 09, 19:09 /  #
If draining sauerkraut, save the drippings in a sealed jar abd refrigerate. It's keep almsot indefintiely.You can use it to make the bigos tarter if it isn't tart enough or for other souring needs, eg soups such as bean, pea, lentil. cabbage, barszucz, etc.
RakkyThreads: 10
Posts: 284
Joined: May 23, 07 		  Nov 2, 09, 21:46 /  #
stevew:
imported German 'white wine' sauerkraut

That DOES sound good!
Another idea - instead of rinsing away all the vitamins, why not let the water evaporate with some pre-cooking of the sauerkraut? If you need to you can then add more water and let THAT evaporate as well? Just a thought.
nincompoop_notThreads: 4
Posts: 229
Joined: Nov 3, 09 		  Nov 3, 09, 06:13 /  #
Years and years ago some groceries (kind of 'fresh fruit and veggie/organic' shops) were selling 'freshly made' sauerkraut straight from the barrels. I loved it. And it didn't need rinsing.
But I don't think you can find any of those anymore.

I use Krakus or Victus sauerkrat and my mum's advice was to rinse the sauerkraut or, if needed, add some fresh cabagge.

Different regions have different recipes for bigos.
I make it using sauerkraut only (I'm lazy), my mum does it sweet+sauert or just sweet (fresh cabbage).

If you use saurkraut, put a little bit oil in the frying pan/pot and let it cook for half an hour. The saurkraut will change a colour a bit and will become more translucent (like onion when you fry it) and soft. Then you can put it in the pot/mix with the sweet cabbage and cook it with the rest of the ingredients.

Always good idea to leave some of the liquid aside (as advised above) in case it's not 'sauer' enough. It's really easy.

Smacznego!
stevewThreads: 3
Posts: 34
Joined: Sep 27, 09 		  Nov 4, 09, 04:33 /  #
Rakky:
Another idea - instead of rinsing away all the vitamins, why not let the water evaporate with some pre-cooking of the sauerkraut?

Unfortunately the reason for the rinsing is to get rid of the salt.

Evaporating water from it wouldn't help in that case, if anything it'd make it worse :(

Better to use sauerkraut from countries that actually know how to make it properly!
pgtxThreads: 49
Posts: 6,327
Joined: Feb 14, 09  Gold Member MEMBER 		  Nov 4, 09, 04:39 /  #
stevew:
Better to use sauerkraut from countries that actually know how to make it properly!

proper to you may be improper to others...

anyway, just rinse the sauerkraut before cooking... if you like it salty, don't do it... that's all...
polkamaniacThreads: 1
Posts: 514
Joined: Aug 2, 09  Pictures: 1 		  Nov 5, 09, 04:42 /  #
You have to add fresh cabbage to sauerkraut.When my wife makes it,she takes samples as she mixes in the sauerkraut to the fresh cabagge until she it's how we like it.
stevewThreads: 3
Posts: 34
Joined: Sep 27, 09 		  Nov 5, 09, 04:44 /  #
pgtx:
proper to you may be improper to others

Its my understanding that in, for example, the USA, there are food hygiene regulations which stipulate that sauerkraut *must* be made with far more salt than would be used in Poland.

I think that definitely counts as 'improper'. They change the recipe for arbitrary pseudo-scientific reasons and thereby ruin it.

Improper.

:P
krysiaThreads: 26
Posts: 3,604
Joined: Aug 10, 06 		  Nov 5, 09, 05:18 /  #
polkamaniac:
You have to add fresh cabbage to sauerkraut.

That's how my mom makes it too.
stevew:
Its my understanding that in, for example, the USA, there are food hygiene regulations which stipulate that sauerkraut *must* be made with far more salt than would be used in Poland.

Depends what brand you buy. You can buy salt free if you like too.
RakkyThreads: 10
Posts: 284
Joined: May 23, 07 		  Nov 5, 09, 21:28 /  #
krysia:
polkamaniac:
You have to add fresh cabbage to sauerkraut.
That's how my mom makes it too.

I've NEVER heard of anyone doing this before. Amazing. How the heck do I get to be this age and not know something like this? It's so simple - and such a great idea. Diakuju.
sadieannThreads: 4
Posts: 320
Joined: Apr 28, 09 		  Nov 5, 09, 21:53 /  #
polkamaniac:
sauerkraut to the fresh cabagge

This is how I make my bigos as well. Slowly cook, it get's better and better. The flavors really need time. Worth the wait.
stevewThreads: 3
Posts: 34
Joined: Sep 27, 09 		  Nov 6, 09, 04:46 /  #
krysia:
You can buy salt free if you like too.

How is it possible to have salt-free sauerkraut?

Its a brine-fermentation...
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