Kentucky Burgoo

Yes, my faithful readers, I'm bringing this up again. This weekend is the Kentucky Derby and one of the traditional dishes served is Kentucky Burgoo. Burgoo is a hearty, bit spicy stew of just about anything.

I AM going to make this.

There's as many recipes for burgoo as there is for chili. I'm going to make my burgoo following a recipe from the outstanding book, Smoke and Spice by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 lbs to 3 lbs smoked chicken
• 1 1/2 lbs veal or beef shanks (I'm going to smoke them)
• 1 lb smoked mutton or lamb
• 12 cups water
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 3 cups tomato puree
• 2 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
• 3 large baking potatoes, peeled if you wish, and chopped
• 2 medium bell peppers chopped
• 2 large onions chopped
• 3 to 4 medium carrots, sliced thin
• 2 large celery ribs chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced - I might smoke this
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 1 Tbsp A-1 steak sauce
• 1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
• 3/4 tsp. ground cayenne or to taste
• 2 1/2 cups sliced okra, frozen or fresh
• 2 cups corn kernels, frozed or fresh

Cooking instructions:

• Place the chicken, beef or veal shanks and muttons or lamb in a stockpot. Pour the water over, sprinkle in the salt and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook, uncovered for 1 1/2 hours. Remove any scum from the water as it surfaces.
  
• Remove the chicken and meats from the pot. When cool enough to handle, discard the skin, fat and bones. Shred the chicken and meats into bite size pieces.
• Return the chicken and meats to the pot Add the remaining ingredients except for the okra and corn.
• Continue to simmer over medium-low heat for 2 more hours, stirring frequently.
  
• Add the okra and corn and cook for at least one hour more, preferably two.
• Add more water is the stew appears dry.

As with Brunswick stew, (Another on my list of bbq accompaniments that I want to make) the ingredients should be cooked down and no longer easily identifiable. The stew can be served immediately, but it is even better reheated the following day.

Photo of the burgoo courtesy of The Last Bite.