Chef John's Bigos (Polish Hunter's Stew)

Ingredients

• 0.25 cups dried porcini mushrooms
• 0.5 cups warm water
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small head green cabbage , quartered and sliced
• 2 cups packed , not rinsed
• 4 stripss bacon , cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound pork shoulder , cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
• 1 pound boneless beef chuck , cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound Polish sausage links , or any other sausage
• 1 large onion , peeled and chopped
• 3 pitteds prunes , diced
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 large bay leaf
• 0.5 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 0.25 teaspoons allspice
• freshly ground black pepper
• salt to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak mushrooms in warm water in a bowl to soften, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain, then chop.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, melt butter in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add cabbage and sauerkraut; cook, stirring occasionally.

3. 3

   Cook bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until browned but not crisp; transfer to the pot with cabbage, leaving drippings in skillet.

4. 4

   Add pork shoulder to skillet; sprinkle with salt. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes; transfer to the pot. Add beef to skillet; sprinkle with salt. Cook and stir until browned, about 4 or 5 minutes; transfer to the pot. Add sausage to skillet; cook and stir until browned. Transfer to the pot.

5. 5

   Reduce skillet heat to medium. Add onion; sprinkle with salt. Cook and stir until onion translucent and starts to color. Stir in mushrooms and prunes; cook and stir about 2 minutes. Pour in red wine; increase heat to medium-high. Simmer until wine is reduced and very little liquid remains. Transfer onion mixture to the pot; season with paprika, thyme, bay leaf, caraway seeds, allspice, black pepper, and salt. Stir to combine and evenly distribute.

6. 6

   Cover pot tightly; simmer over medium-low heat until meat is tender, 1 to 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool stew slightly. Refrigerate to let flavors blend, 8 hours to overnight.

7. 7

   Place pot over low to medium-low heat; add splash of water. Bring stew to a low simmer, stirring occasionally; cook until hot, 10 to 15 minutes.