Description
This meaty stew is usually made with wild game such as venison or boar, but you can use beef, pork, or other meat–just use a lot. It’s perfect for feeding a crowd, especially when the weather turns cold and dreary.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup dried porcini mushrooms
- ½ cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups packed, drained sauerkraut (not rinsed)
- 1 small head green cabbage, quartered and sliced
- 4 strips bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 pound boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound Polish sausage links, sliced (or any other sausage)
- 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
- 3 pitted prunes, diced
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 1 large bay leaf
- freshly ground black pepper
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Place mushrooms in warm water to soak and soften
- 10 or 15 minutes. Drain and chop.
- Heat butter in a heavy pot or Dutch oven; add sauerkraut and sliced cabbage. Cook over medium-low
- stirring occasionally. Brown the meat and add it to pot while sauerkraut is cooking per directions below.
- Heat skillet over medium-high heat; add bacon and cook until browned but not crisp. Transfer bacon to pot with cabbage
- leaving bacon grease in skillet.
- Brown pork shoulder pieces in bacon grease over medium-high heat. Sprinkle with salt. Cook and stir until browned on all sides
- 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer pork to pot. Add beef chunks to skillet; sprinkle with salt. Cook and stir until browned
- about 4 or 5 minutes. Add sausage slices to skillet and cook and stir until browned. Transfer slices to pot.
- Reduce heat under skillet to medium. Add chopped onion and a sprinkle of salt; cook and stir until onion turns translucent and starts to take on some color. Stir in chopped mushrooms and diced prunes. Cook and stir about 2 minutes. Pour in dry red wine; raise heat to medium-high. Simmer until wine is reduced to where very little liquid remains. Transfer onion mixture to pot with cabbage and meat. Add paprika
- caraway seeds
- thyme
- allspice
- bay leaf
- pepper
- and salt. Stir to evenly distribute all ingredients.
- Cover tightly; simmer over medium-low heat until meat is tender
- 1 to 1 1/2 hours
- stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Allow stew to cool slightly; refrigerate overnight to let flavors blend.
- Place pot over low to medium-low heat and add a splash of water. Bring stew to low simmer
- stirring occasionally
- and cook until hot
- 10 to 15 minutes.
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 2 hrs 30 mins
Total Time: 11 hrs
Servings: 6