Bigos Hultajski in Slow Cooker

Bigos Hultajski is the rogue’s bigos, the everyday one: sauerkraut, beef and smoked kielbasa, with potatoes, carrot and garlic going into the pot alongside so the whole dinner cooks in one go. Where my Bigos Królewski is rounded out with mushrooms, wine and dried fruit, this one is sharper and more direct, built on undrained sauerkraut and a bottle of dark beer.

Like the royal version it goes in the slow cooker, and for the same reason. Bigos catches on the bottom of a pot, so on the hob you are stuck stirring it every half hour, and one catch turns the whole batch bitter. A slow cooker has no hot spot, so there is nothing to scorch and nothing to stir. Six hours later you lift the lid on supper.

If you would rather build your own somewhere between this one and the royal version, my bigos builder lets you set the meats, the sauerkraut to cabbage ratio and the cooking method, and works out the quantities for you. For where bigos sits in Polish cooking as a whole, see my guide to Polish food.

“As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

PPin it

What is Bigos Hultajski?

Bigos Hultajski is the rogue’s bigos, named for the hultaj, the ne’er-do-well rather than the peasant. Where my Bigos Królewski is rounded out with dried mushrooms, an apple, a prune and a glass of red wine, this one goes the other way: sauerkraut on its own and left undrained so the sourness leads, beer and beef stock in place of the wine, and juniper in place of the allspice. Potatoes, carrot and garlic go in the pot with it, so it arrives as a complete dinner rather than something wanting a side.

• Check out my recipe for Bigos Królewski
• Bigos Królewski - Polish Hunter’s Stew and Authentic Polish Braised Cabbage

Bigos - A Traditional Polish Dish

Bigos Hultajski: The Rustic Polish Stew

Worth clearing up, since it gets repeated everywhere: the difference is not one of rich against poor. Both of my bigos carry the same weight of meat, and both use the same stewing beef. What changes is the character. Bigos Królewski is the deeper, sweeter, more layered pot, built for a long table and a bit of ceremony. Bigos Hultajski is sharper, leaner and more direct, the version you make on a weeknight because everything goes in one pot and looks after itself.

What really sets it apart is the beer. Where the royal version leans on red wine, something dark goes in here instead, and it pulls the whole pot in a maltier, rounder direction that stands up well to the undrained sauerkraut.

PPin it

---

What Kielbasa to Use for Bigos?

When making Bigos, choosing the right kielbasa can significantly impact the flavour of your stew. Traditionally, a variety of Polish sausages can be used, each adding its own unique taste and texture. Here are some great options:

• Kiełbasa Biała: This white, uncured sausage is often used in Polish soups but can also work in Bigos. It’s not smoked, giving it a fresh, mildly garlicky taste that balances well with the tangy sauerkraut.
• Kiełbasa Krakowska: This sausage, known for its smoky flavour and firm texture, is perfect for Bigos. Made from high-quality cuts of pork and seasoned with garlic and pepper, Kiełbasa Krakowska gives the stew a robust, traditional Polish taste.
• Kiełbasa Toruńska: A milder option with a slightly more delicate flavour, Kiełbasa Toruńska is a great choice if you prefer a sausage that blends harmoniously with the other ingredients in the stew. Its gentle smokiness enhances the overall richness without overpowering the dish.

---

What to Serve with Bigos Hultajski?

Since Bigos Hultajski already includes hearty potatoes, it pairs perfectly with a slice of crusty sourdough bread. The tangy flavour of the bread complements the rich, smoky stew and soaks up all those delicious juices. If you want to make your own, try my sourdough bread recipe - it’s simple, rustic, and perfect alongside this dish.

For a truly authentic Polish experience, serve Bigos with a chilled shot of vodka. It’s a classic pairing that cuts through the richness of the stew and enhances the overall flavours. Alternatively, a glass of cold Polish beer works just as well if vodka isn’t your thing.

Bigos tastes even better the next day, so don’t be shy about reheating it and enjoying it all over again!

How to Make Bigos Hultajski, Step by Step

Full quantities are in the recipe card below. The slow cooker does the long work, but the first ten minutes in a frying pan are where the flavour is built.

1. Sear the beef first. Frying pan on a high heat and colour the diced beef properly, a real crust rather than just a change of colour. Into the slow cooker it goes, leaving the fat behind in the pan. The crust you build now is most of the flavour you get six hours later, so it is worth the extra few minutes. The sour liquid it goes into is on your side here: acid helps meat hold on to its moisture through a long cook.
2. Brown the sausage in the same fat. Sliced kielbasa into the pan the beef came out of, fried until it takes some colour, then into the cooker alongside the beef.
3. Onion, carrot and garlic, still in that pan. Sear them in what the meat left behind until softened and lightly browned, then tip them in too. That rendered fat is doing the real work here, which is the whole reason everything goes through one pan.
4. Everything else in, and six hours on high. Sauerkraut undrained, brine and all, with the potatoes, beef stock, beer, bay, juniper, marjoram, caraway, honey, pepper and tomato puree. Stir after the first hour and every hour or so after. Leaving the kraut undrained is deliberate and it is what makes this the sharper of my two bigos, with the beer and stock rounding it out from the other side. Keep an eye on the liquid: a slow cooker loses almost nothing to evaporation, but the potatoes drink a surprising amount, so top it up with a little hot stock or water if it looks tight at the halfway mark. Do not be surprised if those potatoes take longer than you expect either. Acid keeps the cement between plant cell walls from dissolving, so anything cooked in a sour pot softens far more slowly than it would in plain water. It is the same effect that stops the cabbage collapsing over six hours, and it works on the potatoes whether you want it to or not.
5. Bay leaves out, then taste. No salt goes in earlier, because undrained sauerkraut, beef stock and kielbasa bring plenty between them, so season now rather than at the start. If it has finished sharper than you like, stir in a little more honey. Serve hot with buttered sourdough bread.
6. Day two is better again. Cool it properly rather than leaving the pot out to come down on its own: split it between shallow containers and get it into the fridge inside a couple of hours, because a deep pot of stew stays warm long enough to matter. Then refrigerate overnight, then reheat on the hob until it is bubbling right through. Each reheat softens the meat further and settles the sourness. It keeps in the fridge for up to four days. Do not reheat it from cold in the slow cooker, which takes too long to bring it up to temperature.

Recipe Card for Bigos Hultajski in Slow Cooker

FAQ for Bigos Hultajski in Slow Cooker

Can I use a different type of meat instead of beef?

Yes, you can use pork or venison instead of beef. The cooking time may vary depending on the type of meat used, so keep an eye on it and adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Can I omit the beer from the recipe?

Yes, you can omit the beer from the recipe or substitute it with beef broth or red wine.

Can I use canned sauerkraut instead of fresh sauerkraut?

Yes, you can use canned sauerkraut instead of fresh sauerkraut. Make sure to drain the liquid before using it in the recipe.

Can I use different types of sausage in the recipe?

Yes, you can use any type of sausage you prefer, such as chorizo, Italian sausage, or bratwurst.

Can I make Bigos in advance and freeze it?

Making it ahead is a good idea, and it keeps in the fridge for four days. Freezing needs one bit of care that most bigos recipes will not mention, because most bigos has no potatoes in it. Potato frozen in liquid turns grainy and mealy once thawed, so if a batch is headed for the freezer, lift the potatoes out first, or leave them out altogether and boil fresh ones on the day. Everything else freezes beautifully for about three months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat it on the hob until it is bubbling right through.

Why is bigos better the next day?

Bigos is traditionally cooled, chilled and gently reheated over two or three days, and most Poles agree it is at its best after that rest. Each reheat lets the sour sauerkraut, smoky meats, mushrooms and spices meld together, so the flavour deepens and the sharp edge softens. Just cool it within a couple of hours, keep it in the fridge (up to about a week), and reheat only what you are going to eat, right up to steaming hot.

Do you have to use sauerkraut, or can you use fresh cabbage?

Real bigos is built on sauerkraut - that tang is the whole point - but most Polish cooks blend it with fresh white cabbage rather than using kraut alone. The fresh cabbage softens the sourness and adds a little sweetness and body; somewhere between half-and-half and two-thirds sauerkraut is typical, depending on how sharp your kraut is. Using only fresh cabbage is not really bigos, so keep at least some sauerkraut in there.

Why is my bigos too sour, and how do I fix it?

Too much sourness usually comes from very sharp sauerkraut, too high a kraut-to-fresh-cabbage ratio, or not enough slow cooking to mellow it. Rinse and drain the sauerkraut before it goes in, add some extra fresh cabbage, and lean on a little sweetness - dried prunes are the classic fix, but a spoon of tomato paste, a grated apple or a touch of honey all work. A longer, slower cook and the next-day reheat will round it out too.

What meats work best in bigos, and can I use leftovers?

Bigos is all about a mix of meats - the more the merrier. My card keeps it to two, stewing beef and smoked kielbasa, which is all it really needs. If you want to build it out, smoked bacon or a fatty cut of pork are the usual additions, and traditionally game like venison or wild boar goes in too. Leftover roast or smoked meats are perfect here; the dish was invented to use them up. Just avoid lean, quick-cooking cuts - you want fatty meats that hold up to hours in the pot. A handful of dried forest mushrooms adds a lovely woodsy depth.

How long does bigos need to cook in a slow cooker?

Either setting works. The recipe card gives you HIGH for about 6 hours, which is what I do when I want it the same evening, and it turns out very well. If you have the time, LOW for 8 to 10 hours is better still: the longer, gentler cook lets the sauerkraut soften without collapsing and gives the beef more chance to go properly tender. Overnight on LOW is ideal. Whichever you choose, brown the meats and soften the onion in a pan first, and give it a stir every hour or so when you can.

Can I add dried or frozen mushrooms to bigos?

Yes, and they add lovely depth. Dried forest mushrooms (soak them first, then chop) bring a real woodsy richness; frozen mushrooms work too - thaw them and give them a quick fry before they go in, so they season and brown rather than water down the pot. Stir them in with the rest so their flavour cooks right through.

Can I preserve bigos in jars?

I would not, and I freeze mine instead. Bigos is a low-acid meat dish, so the hot-fill-and-invert method you often see passed around, and boiling-water or oven “pasteurising”, do not get hot enough to make it shelf stable. Only a properly tested pressure-canning process would, and there is not a reliable published one for bigos. Freezing is the honest answer: cool it, portion it and it keeps for about three months, and bigos genuinely improves after a rest anyway. In the fridge it is happy for several days.

Are potatoes traditional in bigos?

No, and that is a fair question to ask. Classic bigos is cabbage, sauerkraut and meat, and it is normally served with potatoes on the side rather than cooked in with everything else. Putting them in the pot is my own addition. In a slow cooker it makes sense: the potatoes take on all the smoky, sour flavour around them, and it turns bigos into a proper one-pot supper with nothing else to cook. If you would rather keep it traditional, leave them out and serve boiled potatoes or a slice of rye bread alongside instead.

PPin it

A Few Words from the Chef

I trust you enjoyed making this traditional Polish food! I’m eager to hear your feedback on my family recipe for Bigos Hultajski. Thanks for trying out this staple of Polish Cuisine! Let me know in the comments below!