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sdianel_-acct_c's avatar
Jul 20, 2015

Burgoo

a friend from KY mentioned Burgoo on Facebook and I had never heard of it so I found this recipe. Too hot for it right now but this fall and winter... yum!!
INGREDIENTS
1 whole chicken breast (2 halves)
1 chicken thigh
1 chicken liver
1 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder
6 cups (1 1/2 quarts) cold water
1/2 pound dried Great Northern beans, washed, sorted, and soaked overnight in 2 cups cold water
2 large yellow onions, finely chopped
4 cups (1 quart) canned tomatoes (preferably home- canned), with their liquid
4 cups (1 quart) canned whole-kernel corn (preferably home-canned), well drained
4 cups (1 quart) canned green peas (preferably home-canned), well drained
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
PREPARATION

1. Place the chicken breast, thigh, and liver, the pork, and the cold water in a heavy, nonreactive 4-gallon kettle; set over moderately high heat and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so the water bubbles gently, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove and refrigerate all pieces of chicken. Cover the kettle again and simmer the pork about 1 1/2 hours longer or until very tender.

2. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken, cut the meat into 1-inch chunks, then pulse quickly in a food processor until the texture of coarsely ground meat (in the old days, the chicken was fed through a meat grinder). When the pork is tender, cut into 1-inch chunks, then pulse just as you did the chicken. Also pulse the chicken liver.

3. Return the chicken, liver, and pork to the kettle, add the beans and their soaking water, the onions, tomatoes and their liquid, the corn, and peas. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

4. Add the salt, pepper, and butter, reduce the heat to its lowest point, and simmer the burgoo uncovered for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally, or until as thick as chili.

5. Taste the burgoo for salt and pepper, adjust as needed, then ladle into heated soup bowls.
  • I've seen this recipe before but I'd swear it carried a different name. I wonder if it has regional naming? It sounds wonderful and hearty.
  • 'Round here we make it with wild game. Either duck or wild turkey and venison. Otherwise, much the same. Hot cornbread and your favorite beverage are all that's needed.
  • There's a recipe for opossum burgoo in one of my older cookbooks...maybe JOC?
  • Fish 'n ' Grits wrote:
    'Round here we make it with wild game. Either duck or wild turkey and venison. Otherwise, much the same. Hot cornbread and your favorite beverage are all that's needed.

    Yep, traditional burgoo is made with game meat. Like chili there's no "official" recipe, just favorite family versions. In our travels we remember burgoo as being popular in and around west KY.
  • Here in Owensboro, Ky. The Burgoo capital of the world, we use mutton as the meat. For more info, Goggle the Moonlite BBQ Restaurant.
  • I'll have to work out a tweak that allows for some time in the smoker with the meat.
  • Grew up in Kentucky - burgoo was made with whatever meat is handy - it could be chicken as listed in the op's recipe or rabbit or beef, etc. But it is mainly a mutton recipe. I've been to Moonlite BBQ & have had several helpings of their burgoo!

    Very similar to Brunswick Stew enjoyed here in Georgia where I live now.
  • Here in West Tenn, it is also known as Brunswick Stew. Game meat is more common in the country, chicken and pork for "citified" folks.
  • Guess it depends on how hungry you are....

    Actually, I remember it as popular with local organizations doing fund raising, ie Lions, Rotary, etc. Huge iron kettle 3 foot diameter, cooked overnight with a wood fire, probably some adult beverages involved. Also it was sold by the quart/gallon, bring your own container(s).