Makes about 3 gallons, or 32 servings Burgoo is a long-time staple at big outdoor gatherings in Kentucky. It’s a meal associated with rural areas and is nearly always cooked and served outdoors, usually in a big kettle. Mindy Jacoway, a Kentucky native now living in Nashville, Tennessee, developed her recipe from a burgoo served at a burgoo festival and the one served at Keeneland Race Track. “A cup of burgoo kept us warm during brisk days at the race track,” she says. The lamb gives it a deeper, almost gamey flavor. And don’t skimp on the vegetables. “The more vegetables the better,” she says. Jacoway’s party planning includes meticulously calculating quantities. “Always plan for enough,” she says. With a big pot of burgoo, you’re well on the way to that goal.
1 ham bone (preferably from a country ham)
2 pounds veal shank
2 pounds beef shank or chuck roast (cut chuck into 3- or 4-inch chunks)
1 pound pork shank or country ribs (cut ribs into sections to fit in the pot)
2 pounds lamb breast, cut into sections to fit into the pot
1 (4-pound) chicken, quartered
8 quarts cold water
1 ½ pounds potatoes, cubed
1 ½ pounds onions, chopped
1 pound carrots, peeled, cut into thick slices
2 large green bell peppers, chopped
2 cups chopped cabbage
1 (32-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
2 cups fresh or frozen cut green beans
2 cups fresh or frozen okra, diced
2 cups fresh or frozen lima beans, butter beans, peas, or a combination
1 cup diced celery
2 cloves garlic, sliced
¾ cup Kentucky bourbon
½ cup ketchup
2 ½ tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
Tabasco sauce
Combine the ham bone, veal, beef, pork, lamb, and chicken with the water in a 3- to 5-gallon pot. Slowly bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to medium and simmer until the meat falls from the bones, 4 to 6 hours.
Remove the meat and bones from the broth and let them cool. Skim the foam off the broth. Discard the bones and the chicken skin. Chop all of the meat.
Return the meat to the broth. Add the potatoes to the pot and simmer for 1 hour. Add the onions, carrots, peppers, cabbage, tomatoes, corn, green beans, okra, lima beans, celery, garlic, bourbon, and ketchup. Simmer until the vegetables are tender and the stew is thick but still soupy, 3 to 6 hours. Season with salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Serve in mugs or Styrofoam cups with Tabasco on the side.
Makes about 3 gallons, or 32 servings
Note: This preparation is traditional, but Jacoway sometimes sears the meats before boiling, which gives the finished stew a richer, almost grilled flavor.