Hunters Stew (Bigos)
Hunter's Stew (Bigos) is a hearty Polish main course built around fresh sauerkraut, cabbage, root vegetables and rich meats simmered in a deep tomato-flavoured broth. The Thermomix TM7 stews everything slowly and evenly, developing the complex sweet-and-sour flavour this classic is famous for. Ideal for batch cooking and cosy winter dinners with rustic bread.
About this recipe
Hunter's Stew (Bigos) with the Thermomix TM7 brings the most iconic stew of Polish cuisine straight into your kitchen. Searching for a sauerkraut stew recipe or a hearty winter main course for your all-in-one kitchen machine? This is it. Fresh sauerkraut and white cabbage form the backbone, layered with onion, carrot, parsley root and celeriac, bound by tomato purée and meat stock paste into a robust sweet-and-sour symphony. Traditionally bigos demands hours of attentive simmering, but the TM7's slow stewing technique handles the low-temperature cooking unattended, letting the cabbage collapse into silk while the flavours marry. The result is a fragrant, spoon-tender stew that tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for weekend batch cooking, family gatherings or a quick weeknight dinner reheated from the freezer. Serve it with dark rye bread for the full Polish experience.
Preparation tips
- Rinse the fresh sauerkraut briefly under cold water if you prefer a milder stew; keeping it unrinsed gives a sharper, more traditional tang that balances the tomato purée beautifully.
- Bigos tastes even better the day after: store the cooled stew in the fridge overnight so the sauerkraut, cabbage and meats fully absorb the smoked and tomato flavours before reheating gently.
- For a family-friendly version, replace the stronger meats with mild sausage and add a spoonful of cranberry jam at serving; children love the gentle sweetness against the tender cabbage.
Recipe variations
- Vegetarian bigos: skip the meats and use smoked tofu, mushrooms and extra meat stock paste made from vegetable stock; the sauerkraut and celeriac still deliver plenty of savoury depth.
- Festive winter version: add prunes, juniper berries and a splash of red wine to the sauerkraut base for a rich Christmas twist, served with rye bread and cranberry compote on the side.
Thermomix TM7 Benefits
- Chopping precision - The TM7 chops the onion, carrot and parsley root into uniform pieces so every spoonful of bigos stews evenly. [Chopping]. [Precision Control]
- Weighing directly - The integrated scale of the Thermomix weighs the sauerkraut and rapeseed oil straight into the bowl, saving messy counters. [Weighing]. [Built-in Scale]
- Gentle simmering - The Thermomix stews the cabbage and tomato purée slowly at low temperature, developing deep flavour without burning. [Heating]. [Temperature Control]
- Hands-free cooking - The TM7 stirs the sauerkraut stew automatically while it simmers, freeing you to slice the accompanying rye bread. [Mixing]. [Hands-Free]
- Grating ease - The Thermomix grates the celeriac in seconds, releasing its earthy aroma evenly throughout the bigos. [Grating]. [Multi-Function]
Ingredients
- fresh sauerkraut
- white cabbage
- onion
- carrot
- parsley root
- celeriac
- rapeseed oil
- water
- meat stock paste
- tomato purée