Kiełbasa Sausage and Braised Sauerkraut (Quick Bigos)

This Kiełbasa and Sauerkraut dish is a quicker, simplified version of a classic bigos stew. It’s the epitome of comfort food: crispy rounds of kiełbasa sausage are blanketed in a soft, braised sauerkraut.

📝 Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 (7 oz, 200 g) large yellow onion
• 2 apples, hard & sweet *see notes
• 1 lb (450-500 g) kiełbasa sausage (Polish ‘zwyczajna’ or ‘wiejska’)
• 7 oz (200 g) strongly smoked kiełbasa sausage (e.g. ‘jałowcowa’) *see notes
• 3.5 oz (100 g) lean smoked bacon
• 1.5 lb (24.5 oz, 700 g) sauerkraut
• 4 bay leaves
• 5 allspice berries
• 5 juniper berries
• Black pepper, freshly ground
• Salt, for seasoning
• 2 cups (500 ml) chicken stock

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Have a little taste of the sauerkraut. If...: Have a little taste of the sauerkraut. If it’s too sour, use a colander and rinse it in cold water, then drain it.
2. 2Roughly chop the sauerkraut, pieces shouldn’t be longer...: Roughly chop the sauerkraut, pieces shouldn’t be longer than 1 inch (2.5 cm).
3. 3Peel the onion, chop it finely.
4. 4Peel the apples, cut into quarters and remove...: Peel the apples, cut into quarters and remove the core.
5. 5Slice both sausages into rounds, roughly 0.5 inch...: Slice both sausages into rounds, roughly 0.5 inch (around 1 cm) thick. Slice the bacon into thin slices.
6. 6Set up your oven to 356°F / 180°C,...: Set up your oven to 356°F / 180°C, we’ll need it soon.
7. 7Heat up 2 tablespoons of butter. Add chopped...: Heat up 2 tablespoons of butter. Add chopped onion, season it lightly with salt, cook for a minute on medium heat, stirring from time to time.
8. 8Add in sausage and bacon slices. Fry for...: Add in sausage and bacon slices. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring regularly, as the onions start to brown. Take it off the heat. If you’re using a regular frying pan, move its contents into an oven-proof dish.
9. 9Add chopped sauerkraut, spices (4 bay leaves, 5...: Add chopped sauerkraut, spices (4 bay leaves, 5 allspice berries, 5 juniper berries) and apples.
10. 10Generously season with freshly ground black pepper and...: Generously season with freshly ground black pepper and optionally with salt as well (careful though - sauerkraut, kie?basa and bacon are very salty already).
11. 11Pour in the chicken stock, enough to cover...: Pour in the chicken stock, enough to cover the sauerkraut. Cover the dish with a lid.
12. 12Place the dish in the oven for 90...: Place the dish in the oven for 90 minutes. After that time take the dish out and stir well. If it’s too dry, add some more stock (or water).
13. 13Cover again and return to the oven for...: Cover again and return to the oven for another 90 minutes.
14. 14Serve warm with some bread or potatoes on...: Serve warm with some bread or potatoes on the side.