Made with a variety of meats and vegetables, burgoo is a Kentucky tradition often cooked in large quantities and for events and barbecues. There is quite a bit of speculation as to the origin of the word burgoo, from a mispronunciation of the word barbecue to a mispronunciation of bird stew, but the origin remains a mystery.
This Kentucky burgoo is a typical version, a chicken and beef stew with cabbage, potatoes, okra, and lima beans.
Ingredients
- 1 (3- to 4-pound) chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper (coarsely ground)
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 (29-ounce) can tomato puree
- 12 small potatoes
- 2 cups onion (chopped)
- 1 medium head cabbage (finely chopped)
- 3 (14 1/2-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
- 1 pound carrots (sliced)
- 3 (12- to 15-ounce) cans whole kernel corn (drained)
- 1 cup fresh sliced okra
- 1 1/2 cups butterbeans (or lima beans, fresh or frozen)
- 2 green peppers (finely chopped)
- 2 to 4 teaspoons salt (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
Steps to Make It
-
Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic -
In a large pot, cook chicken and beef in chicken broth, beef broth, and water with coarsely ground pepper and cayenne pepper until chicken and meat are very tender - about 30 to 45 minutes.
The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic -
Remove bones, dice and shred chicken and meat, and return to the liquid.
The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic -
Add tomato puree, potatoes, onions, cabbage, diced tomatoes, carrots, corn, okra, butterbeans, and green pepper. Season with a little of the salt and pepper and the Worcestershire sauce.
The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic -
Cook slowly for 2 to 3 hours, stirring from the bottom to keep from scorching. Taste and add salt, to taste.
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Add water, if necessary, to keep from sticking.
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Serve in a bowl and enjoy!
The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic