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Kentucky burgoo
Slow-cooked meat and vegetable stew from Derby day and church picnics
Burgoo is the thick, peppery stew Kentuckians cook in iron kettles for Derby parties, church picnics and political rallies, stirred for hours with a wooden paddle. Traditionally it used whatever meat was shot or raised; today it is usually beef, pork shoulder and chicken simmered with tomatoes, corn, okra, butter beans and potatoes until it all melts together. Chef's tip: burgoo should be thick enough that the paddle stands up; cook it down more if it's soupy.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
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Fresh ingredients (12)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Brown the 1 ⅛ lb beef shin or chuck and 1 ⅛ lb pork shoulder in the 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a very large pot in batches over a medium-high heat, 8 minutes per batch.
16 minStep 2: Add the 2 onions and 4 cloves garlic for 5 minutes, then the 1 ⅓ lb bone-in chicken thighs, 8 ¼ cups water and 1 ¾ lb chopped tomatoes. Simmer covered for 1 hour.
65 minStep 3: Lift out the chicken, shred the meat (the thighs should have reached well over 165°F) and discard skin and bones.
10 minStep 4: Return the chicken with the 1 ⅛ lb potatoes, 2 carrots, 9 oz white cabbage, 9 oz sweetcorn kernels, 9 oz frozen butter beans or lima beans, 7 oz okra, 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce and 2 tbsp cider vinegar.
5 minStep 5: Simmer uncovered for 1–1½ hours, stirring often and scraping the bottom, until the meat falls apart and the stew is very thick. A common mistake is a high heat, which catches on the bottom.
75 minStep 6: Season with 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp black pepper and ½ tsp cayenne pepper and serve with cornbread.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 400 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kentucky burgoo take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 150 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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