Kentucky Burgoo
I was in Bowling Green for the Southern Kentucky Bookfest, and my darling assistant and I ate at a charming restaurant called The Bistro (very original). The soup of the day was their infamous burgoo—heard as "bird goo"—which immediately sent us into paroxysm of laughter, so we had to order it. Oh, my, people. It was not bird goo, but a classic Kentucky soup/stew, also known as Roadkill Stew, that I could have eaten a vat of, if given the choice. Of course, finding a recipe was impossible, as every restaurant and every family have their own handed‐down secret recipe. So this month, I'll share what I think was a close approximation of what we had, adapted from Simply Recipes. And if you have a family recipe you're willing to share, please, please send it.
Chef's Note: I swear I tasted cumin in the bowls we had. Just a thought…
Ingredients
3 tablespoons EVOO
3-4 pounds pork tenderloin
3-5 chicken breasts
2-3 pounds chuck roast, stew meat, or other inexpensive cut of beef, cut into large pieces (3-4 inches wide) OR 1 turkey breast (white meat only)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
celery ribs, chopped
5 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 quart chicken stock or broth
1 quart beef stock or broth
1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
2 large potatoes (we used russets)
1 bag of frozen corn (about a pound)
1 bag of frozen lima beans (about 14 ounces)
4-8 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste
Tabasco or other hot sauce on the side
Directions
Heat EVOO oil on medium-high heat in a large soup pot or Dutch oven (at least 8-quart size). Salt the meats well on all sides. When the oil is hot, brown all the meats, working in batches. Do not crowd the pan, or the meat will steam and not brown well. Do not move the meat while browning a side. Let the meat pieces get well seared. Remove the browned meats to a bowl.
Add the green bell pepper, onions, carrots and celery to the pot, and brown them. If necessary, add a little more oil to the pot. After a few minutes of cooking, sprinkle salt over the vegetables.
When the vegetables are well browned, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, until fragrant. Add the meats back into the pan, and pour in the chicken and beef broths and the tomatoes, stirring to combine. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 2 hours.
Uncover and remove the meat pieces. Break the larger pieces of meat into smaller, more manageable pieces (the reason you did not do this at first is because the meats stay juicier when they cook in larger pieces). Return all the meat pieces to the pot, and bring the mixture to a strong simmer.
Peel and cut the potatoes into chunks about the same size as the meat pieces (if using new potatoes, you can skip the peeling, but you'll want to peel russets, if using). Add them to the stew, and cook them until they are done, about 45 minutes. When the potatoes are done, add the Worcestershire sauce, mix well and taste for salt. Add more Worcestershire sauce to taste, if needed.
Add the corn and lima beans. Mix well and cook for at least 10 minutes, or longer if you'd like. Here is the point where you decide whether you want a burgoo that's been hammered into a thick mass, or a stew with bright colors in it. It's your call.
To serve, taste one more time for salt, and add either Worcestershire or salt if you want. Serve with crusty bread or cornbread and a bottle of hot sauce on the side.
Seriously, is your mouth not watering already?