Kentucky Burgoo (KY)
intro
A thick, slow-simmered Kentucky Southern stew packed with three tender meats, seasonal garden vegetables, and deep savory flavor, ideal for serving groups at outdoor gatherings.
Ingredients
Steps
Sear all the meats
Heat 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil in a large 8-quart heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-high heat (190C/375F pan surface, oil shimmering but not smoking). Pat beef chuck and pork shoulder cubes completely dry with paper towels, season with 1 teaspoon (5g) kosher salt, then sear in 2 separate batches for 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden brown on all edges. Add chicken thighs skin-side down, sear 4 minutes per side until skin is crisp and golden, then transfer all seared meats to a clean plate and set aside; do not wipe out the pot.
Saute aromatic vegetables
Reduce stovetop heat to medium (160C/320F pan surface), leave 1 tablespoon of rendered fat in the pot, and carefully pour off any excess. Add diced yellow onion, celery, green bell pepper, and minced garlic to the pot, saute for 5 minutes while stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until vegetables are soft and translucent with no dark browning. Stir in smoked paprika and dried thyme, cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the spices.
Slow-simmer meat base
Return all seared meats to the pot, pour in 8 cups (1900ml) beef broth, 2 cups (480ml) undrained diced tomatoes, 2 tablespoons (30ml) Worcestershire sauce, and remaining 2 teaspoons (10g) kosher salt. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil over high heat (205C/400F pan surface), then reduce heat to low (93C/200F, with small gentle bubbles breaking the surface), cover the pot, and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes to prevent sticking on the pot bottom, until meats are fork-tender.
Shred cooked meats
Use tongs to carefully remove all meats from the simmering broth, transfer to a large wooden cutting board, and let rest for 10 minutes until cool enough to handle. Discard chicken skin and bones, then shred chicken, beef, and pork into bite-sized pieces using two forks, removing any excess fat or tough connective tissue. Return all shredded meat back to the pot and stir to combine with the broth.
Add root vegetables
Stir diced carrots, cubed russet potatoes, and 1 teaspoon (2g) black pepper into the pot, maintain low heat (93C/200F), cover, and simmer for 30 minutes until potatoes and carrots are just tender when pierced with a fork, but not yet mushy.
Finish and thicken stew
Stir in corn kernels, lima beans, sliced okra, 1 tablespoon (15ml) apple cider vinegar, and 2 tablespoons (20g) fine cornmeal, stirring constantly for 1 minute to prevent cornmeal clumping. Cover and simmer for an additional 25 minutes over low heat (93C/200F), until okra is tender, stew is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, and all flavors are fully melded. Taste and add extra kosher salt if needed before serving.
Tips
2.For a lump-free, evenly thickened stew, mix the cornmeal with 60ml (1/4 cup) cold beef broth before stirring it into the pot.
3.Traditional burgoo is cooked over open wood fire; add 1/4 teaspoon hickory liquid smoke during the final 25-minute simmer to replicate that classic smoky flavor when cooking indoors.
OMG made this for our neighborhood Labor Day potluck and people went back for thirds! I used a mix of smoked pork shoulder and chicken like my grandma used to, and that slow simmer for 3.5 hours made all the veggies so melt-in-your-mouth tender. SO good, I’m already saving this to make for our Derby watch party next May. My kids even ate the okra in it no complaints, total game changer.
First off, this tastes exactly like the burgoo I get at Keeneland every fall, no cap. Only question: can I swap the lamb for more beef if I don’t have any on hand? I don’t love gamey flavors and I already have 2 lbs of chuck roast in the fridge I need to use up.
I prepped a huge batch of this on Sunday for weekday lunches, and it’s even better on day 3! The flavors meld so much as it sits in the fridge. I was worried the 3.5 hour cook time would be too long for a lazy Sunday, but it was mostly hands off so I got laundry and grading done while it simmered. 10/10.
Threw this on the camp stove over the weekend during our deer hunting trip, used a bit of ground venison in place of part of the beef and it slapped. Hearty, warm, sticks to your ribs after being out in the cold all morning. Don’t skip the dash of hot sauce at the end, trust me.
This was my first time making burgoo ever, and I was nervous about the medium difficulty rating, but the steps were so straightforward! I will say I added a can of butter beans because my family loves them, and it worked perfectly. My husband said it’s better than the burgoo he had at a Kentucky wedding last year.
Took off one star because I wish the recipe noted how much this makes! I made it for just me and my roommate and we have enough burgoo to last us two full weeks, ha. That said, the flavor is insane, I just wasn’t prepared for the massive yield.
Made this for our church potluck last Sunday and it was the first dish gone! People kept asking who brought the burgoo, I felt like a celebrity. I followed the recipe exactly, no swaps, and it came out perfect. The mix of meats is what makes it, I think—you don’t get that depth from just one protein.
Made a pot of this before our fall backpacking trip and portioned it out into vacuum seal bags. Boiled the bags in hot water at camp each night and it tasted just as good as the day I made it. So warm and filling after 10 miles of hiking, will absolutely be making this every fall from now on.
Help! I’m 22 and just moved into my first apartment, I tried making this for my parents when they visited and I think I overcooked the potatoes? They turned totally mushy. Did I do something wrong? The flavor was still good but the texture was off.
I’ve been making burgoo for 40 years, and this recipe is the closest I’ve found to the old-school version they served at Kentucky church picnics when I was a kid. Most modern recipes cut corners with too many canned veggies or skip the multi-meat mix, but this one does it right. Don’t rush the cook time, that slow simmer is non-negotiable.