Anyone who has been in the army understands the small joys of a soldier - letters from home, leave notices and meals. The truth is that not everyone can say that they were fed well and tasty in the army. In modern times, the military does everything to ensure that the army man is satisfied with his diet. But until recently, on a soldier’s table you could see pearl barley porridge and army bicus (we’ll look at what this is below). Of course, today they disappeared from the army menu, but they left behind negative memories.
Description of the dish
Bikus is a second dish made from meat and cabbage. It is considered to be a Polish dish, but it has become widespread in Lithuanian, Belarusian and Ukrainian cuisines. There are many options for preparing this dish. Typically, a combination of fresh and sauerkraut, pork or chicken meat, tomatoes, spices, prunes or mushrooms is used here. All components were first prepared separately, then combined and stewed together. The finished dish has a thick consistency, it has a slightly sour taste and smoked aroma; it is served with bread. But in our case, army bicus (many employees know what it is) is not exactly what is usually prepared in Polish cuisine. Usually, earlier in the army, no meat or spices were added to this dish; it only contained cabbage and a small percentage of potatoes, which is why the soldiers did not like it.
Bikus in the army
This dish used to be served in military canteens almost every day. According to the original recipe, it should contain meat and cabbage, but in Soviet times, a certain military chef changed the original recipe, so in terms of cooking technique it became similar to kopalchem. Thus, a huge amount of cabbage was placed in underground storage facilities for pickling. There she soured and wandered. When the product was taken out and delivered to the kitchen, the whole unit knew that there would be army bicus for lunch (we are now considering what this is).
What should an army bicus be like?
Ingredients for five kilograms of dish:
- 1 kilogram of sauerkraut;
- 1.5 kilograms of potatoes;
- 50 grams of onions;
- salt and spices;
- 100 grams of fresh any greens;
- 2 cans beef stew;
- 3 liters of water;
- 2 bay leaves.
Preparation
This recipe uses sauerkraut with stew. Peel the potatoes and cut them into large cubes, add water, add onions and boil for seven minutes. Then add cabbage chopped into large cubes and cook until tender for about twenty-five minutes. A few minutes before the end of cooking, add stewed meat, salt and spices, chopped herbs to the mixture and mix well. Ready bigus (recipe with photo attached) is served with bread.
Light bigus of fresh cabbage with chicken
A dietary recipe for those who like to eat delicious food without harming their figure.
How much time - 40 minutes.
What is the calorie content - 63 calories.
How to cook:
- Chop the cabbage into squares and place in boiling water for three minutes, allow time to drain, transfer to a frying pan with a spoonful of oil;
- Grate the carrots into the cabbage and fry everything together for ten minutes under the lid;
- Finely chop the onion and fry it in another frying pan;
- Cut the meat into cubes and add to the onion, and when it turns white, cover and simmer for another seven minutes;
- Mix the ingredients from both frying pans in one, add salt and season, simmer for another five minutes and serve.
Tip: You can add a pinch of sugar along with the seasonings to balance the flavor.
Braised cabbage for a soldier
Of course, no one puts smoked meats or meat in this dish. Therefore it is strict and ascetic.
Ingredients:
- half a head of fresh cabbage;
- 1 onion and carrot each;
- half a can of stew;
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil;
- allspice and salt.
To prepare bigus (fresh cabbage recipe), carrots are grated and onions are chopped. These vegetables are placed in a pan, poured with oil, added half a glass of water, chopped cabbage and cooked for about twenty minutes over medium heat. During this time, all vegetables should become soft. Then add the stew, salt and pepper and mix well, simmer for another five minutes.
History of the dish
The popularity of bigus was brought about by the addiction of the Lithuanian King Vladislav II Jagiello to it. The ruler of Lithuania, and then Poland, spent all his free time hunting.
At the halt, the cooks cut up the game and stewed it in cauldrons with cabbage and spices. Usually what the king likes is widely accepted. This happened with bigus made from fresh cabbage.
Medieval Poland actively traded with Ukraine and Belarus, so the dish first migrated to these lands, and then became part of the diet of Russians and other Europeans.
Perhaps the extraordinary personality of King Vladislav also played a role. He was a prominent political and military figure of his time. During his reign, Lithuania and Poland prospered, which aroused the love and respect of the people, and the dish he adored was prepared on holidays in the homes of his subjects.
Memories of army men
According to many recollections of former serving soldiers, army bicus (many people already know what it is) was a disgusting dish, after eating which one could get indigestion. In the army, this dish was served every day, so many soldiers did not touch it. The bicus was thrown into the trash, and over time the landfill grew to enormous proportions. Thus, this army food simply changed its location. From the basements of the military unit, it moved untouched to the trash, where it decomposed, causing an unpleasant odor that spread over long distances.
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Army bicus option No. 2
Some soldiers recall that in their unit they were given stewed cabbage with pearl barley. Such bigus (the recipe with photos is in this article), of course, did not cause delight.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pearl barley;
- 800 grams of sauerkraut;
- 4 grams of salt;
- 1 teaspoon sugar;
- 15 grams of vegetable oil;
- half a liter of water.
Preparation
Add chopped cabbage, salt and sugar to the oil heated in a frying pan and simmer for seven minutes. Then lay the cereal on top and fill everything with water. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer over low heat for about an hour and a half. The finished dish is mixed and served hot. Thus, it became clear to many what they were fed in the army.
Helpful information
- Try also making stewed cabbage with sausages, a very simple and quick dish that is famous for its unusually appetizing appearance.
- Also pay attention to the excellent version of bigus made from sauerkraut, which has a surprisingly memorable taste and wonderful aroma.
- Don't miss this recipe for wonderful stewed cabbage with mushrooms, which delights many sophisticated gourmets.
- Prepare a quick stew of cabbage with meat when you don’t have time for tedious fussing around in the kitchen.
Thank you for your attention! Share your bigus recipes in the comments, leave feedback on the above guides. Let's work together to develop the perfect recipe for this amazingly delicious dish! Bon appetit everyone and more impressive victories on the culinary front!
Classic bicus recipe
Ingredients:
- 600 grams of fresh cabbage;
- 1 carrot;
- 450 grams of pork meat;
- 240 grams of smoked meats;
- 420 grams of sauerkraut;
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste;
- half a teaspoon of cumin;
- 3 peas of allspice;
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil;
- 65 grams of prunes;
- 160 grams of dry white wine;
- salt.
Preparation
This kind of bigus is traditionally prepared in Poland. As you can see, it is different from the dish that was previously served on the army table. First, the meat is washed and dried on a paper towel, and cut into large pieces. Pour oil into a saucepan, heat it and place pork on top. Fry the meat until all the moisture has evaporated, first remembering to sprinkle with salt. Then add carrots and fry for five minutes. Next add smoked meats, cut into small pieces, mix and continue frying for about two minutes. Then add tomato paste mixed with wine, cumin and spices. The cabbage is washed and chopped, added to the meat along with sauerkraut, covered with a lid and simmered for thirty minutes, stirring occasionally. There is no need to add water to the dish. The prunes are washed and chopped, added to the cabbage and continued cooking over low heat for another ten minutes. Bigus is served hot with pieces of bread, vegetables and herbs. This dish turns out to be satisfying, it has a slight sour taste and a pleasant aroma.
Bigus
Bigus with meat is simple, tasty and always satisfying. Classic recipes for bigus with meat from fresh and sauerkraut
Author: Marina DankoBigus, this is such a clever stew of cabbage with meat that even a seasoned gourmet is unlikely to refuse. And this dish seems to be created for people with an active lifestyle or those engaged in hard physical work.
If you need to normalize your metabolism, in addition to your doctor’s recommendations, include bigus cooked in vegetable oil in your diet. This version of the dish provides the body with an almost complete range of useful and nutritious substances. Complement your bigus dinner with slightly stale bread – it’s hard to imagine a more satisfying dish.
Bigus with meat - general principles of preparation
• The classic recipe for bigus with meat involves the use of sauerkraut and fresh white cabbage at the same time. In modern cooking, recipes for dishes made from only one type of cabbage are increasingly common.
• A cauldron is an ideal vessel for preparing bigus. If you don’t have such a container, you can use a deep frying pan, but it must be thick-walled. A multicooker can do a great job of preparing the dish; bigus is often cooked in a clay pot in the oven.
• This dish can be prepared with any meat. When it comes to pork, it is better to give preference to ribs or neck; if the choice falls on beef, take brisket. If you use poultry, the dish will be leaner. You can also cook bigus with minced meat; it is better to twist it from fatty pieces of pork in combination with lean beef.
• Not only meat is added to bigus from any cabbage, but other vegetables are also added: onions, potatoes, carrots, bell peppers. Often supplemented with rice, mushrooms, prunes, and tomatoes. A wide variety of seasonings are used, but in moderation so as not to interrupt the main taste.
• Bigus with meat in itself turns out to be satisfying and can be served without adding a side dish.
Classic recipe for bigus with meat
Ingredients:
• pork pulp – 400 gr.; • 200 gr. smoked meats (sausages or meat); • fresh cabbage – 600 gr.; • one large carrot; • 600 gr. sauerkraut; • spoon of tomato puree; • two peas of allspice; • refined oil; • 70 gr. prunes; • 150 ml of dry wine of any white variety; • cumin – 0.5 tbsp. l.
Cooking method:
1. Cut the meat into even small pieces. Place a frying pan on low heat, add oil and heat well. Place pieces of pork in the heated fat and fry until golden brown.
2. Lightly add salt and immediately add coarsely grated carrots to the meat. Stirring regularly, cook for five minutes. Then put the smoked meats cut into small cubes into the frying pan and fry well. Don’t forget to stir – you need to brown the ingredients well and prevent them from burning.
3. Dilute the tomato with wine (or drinking water as an option) and add it to the fried ingredients. Add allspice and cumin, mix well and place finely shredded fresh cabbage in the pan. Add the sauerkraut, cover with a lid and leave to simmer, lowering the heat to low. Cook for half an hour, stirring the contents.
4. Scald the prunes with boiling water, cut the berries into strips or small pieces and add to the almost finished dish. After mixing well, take a sample and, if necessary, add salt. Let the bigus simmer for another ten minutes and turn it off.
Bigus with meat from fresh cabbage without tomato
Ingredients:
• pork ribs – 300 gr.; • onion head; • fresh white cabbage – 400 gr.; • small carrots; • 0.25 spoons of ground pepper (black); • ready-made seasoning “For meat dishes”; • 50 ml of oil, always refined; • glass of water.
Cooking method:
1. Finely chop the onion and place the pieces in a frying pan with heated oil. Cook over low heat until translucent and add carrots. Cook until the vegetables are evenly golden brown.
2. Place pork ribs in a frying pan. We continue to heat until the juice released from them has completely evaporated.
3. Shred the cabbage into thin strips and place in the pan with the meat. Season everything with spices to your taste, cook over medium heat for five minutes. Make sure that the cabbage does not burn.
4. Add salt and add water. Simmer the bigus under the lid, on low heat until the cabbage softens.
Bigus with meat (minced meat) and potatoes
Ingredients:
• low-fat, mixed pork and beef, minced meat – 500 g; • sauerkraut, not too sour cabbage – 300 gr.; • half a kilo of white cabbage, fresh; • 600 gr. potatoes; • one bell pepper, red pepper; • fresh tomato; • two large carrots; • 50 ml oil; • bulb.
Cooking method:
1. Pour oil into a cauldron and place it on low heat. Using a meat grinder, grind the minced meat again and lower it into the cauldron when the oil is well heated. Stirring, fry until cooked, mash large pieces with a fork.
2. At this time, finely chop the carrots and cabbage, cut the onion into small squares, and cut the potatoes into cubes.
3. First add the onion to the finished meat, fry, stirring, for three minutes and add the carrots. Cook for another five minutes, add the potatoes, and after another five minutes add fresh cabbage.
4. Mix everything thoroughly, fry slightly so that the cabbage settles, and add sauerkraut. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.
5. Add pepper, cut into strips, and small pieces of tomato. Continue cooking for seven minutes without changing the heat and stirring occasionally. Then add some salt to your taste and add a little ground pepper. We take a sample and, if the cabbage is ready, remove it from the heat.
6. Let the bigus brew under the lid for about half an hour.
Bigus with meat and fresh cabbage rice
Ingredients:
• beef brisket or pork pulp – 500 gr.; • large onion; • half a glass of short grain rice; • 400 gr. white cabbages; • a glass of drinking water (250 ml); • carrot – one, large; • sunflower, non-fragrant oil – 80 ml; • two large cloves of garlic.
Cooking method
:
1. Wash the meat, cut into small oblong slices and place in a deep frying pan. Fill it level with water and simmer over low heat. After waiting for the liquid to evaporate, add oil and fry until a golden brown but not crispy crust appears.
2. Add carrots, grated on a coarse grater and small slices of onion, continue cooking for 10 minutes. Don't forget to stir so that the vegetables fry evenly.
3. Finely chop the fresh cabbage and place it in the pan with the meat. Simmer covered for a quarter of an hour. Then add the washed rice and add boiled (cold) water. Mix well, season with ground pepper and add.
4. Reducing the heat to low, simmer the bigus until the rice is ready. At the end, add the crushed garlic cloves and, after stirring thoroughly, remove from the stove. Let's stand for a while.
Bigus with meat from sauerkraut in a clay pot (in the oven)
Ingredients:
• one and a half kilograms of pork ribs; • 1.8 kg of coarsely chopped sauerkraut (can be replaced with fresh); • three long, not thick carrots; • 150 gr. prunes; • two onions; • three bay leaves; • two spoons of thick tomato; • refined vegetable oil; • half a teaspoon of peppercorns; • caraway seeds (optional component).
Cooking method:
1. Cut the processed meat, washed with water, into pieces of two ribs, if you took the pulp - into large square pieces, 4x4 cm in size. This is important!
2. Fry the pieces of meat in a frying pan in vegetable oil until lightly browned. This should be done over high heat so that the crust forms quickly.
3. Place the pork in a clean frying pan, pour 2-3 tablespoons of oil and add the carrots cut into thin rings. Place the onion half rings there and fry over medium heat until softened and golden brown. Add the tomato to them, stir and, after simmering for a minute, remove from the stove.
4. We disassemble two large cabbage “pellets” into sheets, cut the rest into checkers, 3x3 cm in size. The pieces should not be small.
5. Pour some oil into the bottom of a large clay pot. Dip two peppercorns, one bay leaf and pieces of cabbage into it.
6. Spread the roasted vegetables on top in an even layer. Place 5-6 prunes scalded with boiling water, the remaining laurel and peppercorns on top. Sprinkle with cumin and lay out the meat, add salt. The cabbage is sauerkraut, so add very little salt. If there are any products left, repeat the layers.
7. Cover everything on top with cabbage leaves from the disassembled pellets, sprinkle with caraway seeds. Add enough water to cover the top layer of cabbage, cover with a lid, and place the clay container in a cold oven. In 15 minutes we bring the temperature to 170 degrees and cook for two and a half hours.
Recipe for bigus with meat and mushrooms from fresh cabbage for a slow cooker
Ingredients:
• beef (pulp) – 400 gr.; • medium-sized carrot; • 600 gr. fresh cabbage; • fresh mushrooms (champignons) – 200 gr.; • large white onion; • 100 gr. unsalted tomato; • one bell pepper – large pepper; • one and a half tablespoons of oil; • 100 ml of drinking water; • a teaspoon of spices “For meat”; • soft, not overdried prunes – 5 fruits.
Cooking method:
1. Wash the pulp, dry it with a paper towel and cut into four-centimeter strips, one centimeter thick.
2. Pour one and a half tablespoons of oil into the bottom of the cooking bowl. Add the beef and level it out.
3. Cover the meat with coarsely grated carrots and add onion half rings. Cut the bell pepper pulp into thin strips and add to the vegetables.
4. Shred the cabbage, adding a little salt? knead lightly with your hands. Transfer to the bowl with the meat.
5. Sprinkle the cabbage layer with spices and add champignons and prunes cut into pieces or thin slices. Dilute the tomato in 50 ml of water, pour into the bowl and close the lid.
6. Set the “Stew” program, start the multicooker, setting the timer to one hour. Then we switch to “Frying” and bring the bigus to readiness for 10 minutes.
Bigus with meat - cooking tricks and useful tips
• Bigus with meat will turn out richer and tastier if you add smoked meats. This could be sausage, chicken breast or legs, chicken legs, etc.
• Granulated sugar helps bring out the underlying flavor of vegetables. Add it to the cabbage when stewing, but only a little, literally a pinch.
• If you don’t have sauerkraut on hand, to add a slight sourness, add just a little citric acid or freshly squeezed juice.
• The most delicious is considered to be bigus prepared not with vegetable oil, but with lard; you can also use fresh lard.
Polish stewed cabbage with mushrooms
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste;
- 55 grams of flour;
- 1 onion;
- 260 grams of cabbage;
- 300 grams of fresh champignons;
- 2 tablespoons chopped celery root;
- salt and spices.
Preparation
Here is another recipe for what real Polish bicus should be like. First, the mushrooms are washed and cut into thin strips. The cabbage is chopped. Mushrooms are stewed in water for about five minutes. All these components are mixed. Separately, tomato paste is fried with flour and added to the vegetables. Simmer the dish for fifteen minutes over low heat. A few minutes before the end of cooking, add salt and spices and mix. Serve the dish hot or warm.
Thus, previously soldiers could not eat bigus for a long time (the recipe for fresh cabbage is given above), as it caused discomfort in the stomach, heartburn, etc. Cabbage was prepared in military units on a huge scale, adding it daily to various army dishes, which is why the soldiers hated the kitchen and their diet. Thus, the employee’s diet has recently been revised. More “edible” dishes, which do not harm the body, began to be placed on the army table. Bicus is not on the menu today, and this pleases many military personnel who remember the times when sauerkraut was present in the diet every day. I would like to believe that in the future the defenders of the Motherland will be fed a little better, because the country’s combat capability to some extent depends on this.
Description of preparation:
Of course, when opportunities permit, it is better to cook bigus from natural meat, but sometimes, say, at the dacha or on a hike, it is quite possible to make this version of this dish.
Believe me, army bigus at home turns out to be very tasty, and if you use homemade stew in it, you can get a really chic dish. In general, this simple recipe for army bigus is a real godsend in those cases when you need to quickly and tasty feed everyone with minimal time and food. 1) First, peel the potatoes, wash them, cut them into small cubes and put them in a saucepan. Fill the potatoes with water (about 3 liters) and put on the fire, cook for 5 minutes after boiling. 2) Then we peel and chop the onions, put them in the pan with the potatoes and continue to cook everything for another 5-7 minutes. 3) After this, you need to drain off the excess water; there should be very little left so that the vegetables can be stewed in the liquid. Squeeze and chop the sauerkraut; if necessary, you can rinse it if the cabbage is very sour. Place the cabbage in a saucepan and simmer everything over low heat until the potatoes are ready and the cabbage is soft. 4) About 5 minutes before the dish is ready, add the stew, bay leaf, chopped herbs, salt and pepper to the pan. Mix all the ingredients, simmer the bigus for a couple more minutes and remove from the heat. In general, this bigus cooks very quickly, and its taste is quite good, however, you can always diversify the dish with various smoked meats and even mushrooms, it’s a matter of your taste. Bon appetit everyone! Purpose: For lunch / For dinner / Inexpensive Main ingredient: Meat / Vegetables / Cabbage / Offal / Stew Dish: Hot dishes / Bigus Geography of cuisine: Polish / Belarusian / Lithuanian / European
