Instructions:
- Prep Mushrooms: Place dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with 1.5 cups of hot water. Let soak for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve (reserving the liquid!) and roughly chop the rehydrated mushrooms.
- Brown the Meats: In a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat, render the diced bacon/salt pork until crispy. Remove bacon bits, reserving the fat. Sear the cubed pork shoulder in batches until well-browned on all sides; remove and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add butter/oil if needed. Sauté the onions until soft and translucent (about 8 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and paprika, cooking for 1 minute more.
- Build the Base: Deglaze the pot with the red wine, scraping up any brown bits (fond). Allow the wine to reduce by half.
- Layer the Cabbage: Add the shredded fresh cabbage to the pot. Sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it begins to wilt.
- Combine & Simmer Initial Stage: Add the drained sauerkraut, browned pork shoulder, rehydrated mushrooms, reserved mushroom soaking liquid (carefully leaving any grit behind), bay leaves, allspice, juniper berries, and marjoram. Stir well.
- First Long Simmer: Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cover, reduce heat to the lowest setting, and cook for 1.5 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Stir in the sliced kielbasa and the prunes. Season with pepper. Check seasoning for salt.
- Second Long Simmer: Continue to simmer, covered, for another 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the pork shoulder is completely fork-tender and the flavours have fully married.
- Rest & Final Check: Remove the bay leaves. Allow the stew to rest, off the heat, for at least 30 minutes before serving. Adjust salt and pepper as necessary.