Pork Bigus

Blog's Category: My Staple Food, USSR-era Recipes

Intro
This dish is purely Eastern European one just because it meant to be made with sauerkraut. And what else could be more Eastern European that sauerkraut? For this dish, sauerkraut sold in US groceries, is the perfect one - it has plenty of sourness to it which is good in this particular case. Let's start?

Variations
- Take any pork sausage and call it "Sausage Bigus"- you will great hearty dish as well.
- This recipe is so "optimized" that I could not think of any other variations of it :)

Taste Description
Taste is bright and hearty, sweet and sour, and at the same time not heavy at all. Pork gives a lot of meaty but mellow tones to this dish. It could be a great candidate for one of your favorite comfort food if you wish so. 

How to Serve
Today we have it served over the rice - very tasty! My favorite way although is over the mashed potato - perfect homey meal.

Pork Bigus

2 lb pork (I used loin, but any cut will work), cut in small 1/2" pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 lb sauerkraut  (1 pack)
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1/3 to 1/2 tsp of salt
1 piece of jaggery (or 3-5 tbs of brown sugar)
about 2 c of tap water
black pepper
3-4 bay leaves
3 tbs olive oil

- In a large pot, cook pork until it makes a lot of juices. Stir occasionally. Continue to cook until juices evaporate and pieces of pork will get golden-brown. It will take about 15-2o minutes.

- Add salt, onion, bay leaves, pepper and carrot and continue to cook on a medium heat, stirring, for about 5-7 minutes.

- Add sauerkraut, jaggery (or sugar), water and cook covered, stirring occasionally, on a low heat, for about 15 minutes until flavors are merried together.

- Stir, taste and adjust sugar and salt if needed. Do not affraid to add sugar as much as you need (your sauerkraut can vary in acidity level) - in this dish, you have to reach that perfect balance between acid and sweetness that makes taste unbelievably attractive. Also make sure you added enough water in a previous step (add some more if needed) - there should be enough liquid sauce in a bottom - you will be fighting for this sauce to soak your sides (i.e. rice, pasta..whatever) in it :)

- Serve and enjoy!

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IN PICTURES

This is a jaggery (substitute it with a brown sugar if you don't have it). I like jaggery - it gives very subtle flavor and taste to a dish (or I imagine it :))