R.I.P Colonel Sanders

R.I.P.
Colonel Harland Sanders
September 9, 1890 - December 16, 1980

Yes Virginia, there really was a Colonel Sanders. In case you don't know the good Colonel, he founded Kentucky Fried Chicken and created its signature secret flavor recipe of 11 herbs and spices that creates the famous "finger lickin' good" chicken.

I love this guy. In 1973 he sued Heublein Inc. (the KFC parent company at the time) over alleged misuse of his image in promoting products he had not helped develop. In 1975 Heublein Inc. unsuccessfully sued Sanders for libel after he publicly referred to their gravy as "sludge" with a "wallpaper taste". I wish there were more like him.

He must be turning in his grave over the mashed "potatoes" and bowls they serve today.

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.

The Kentucky Barbecue Trail

With the Running of the Roses taking place this weekend in Kentucky, I've been searching around the internet for more information on Kentucky barbecue and lookit what I found. The Kentucky Barbeque Trail.

I have to admit that I don't know too much about Kentucky Barbecue. Oh sure, I know about the Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn and its legendary BBQ Mutton,Tina's Bar B-Q, Frances Bar-B-Que and a few others, but I didn't know that Kentucky had so many famous BBQ joints.

Take some time and check out The Kentucky BBQ Trail. You'll be glad you did.

BBQ Foods: Kentucky Burgoo

It's Thursday and I don't have a lot to say.

So here's a link to a story about Burgoo. What's Burgoo you say? Well it's "the 150-year-old burgoo tradition in her hometown of Owensboro, Ky. There, men gather all night to grill on an epic level -- mutton, chicken and a cut of pork they call Boston butt -- to prepare burgoo for parish picnics that serve thousands and raise funds for their church communities."

Take a look at this great article from NPR all about the mysterious stew.

Burgoo: The Fellowship of Meat