THE CHEF FROM HELL

Burgoo is a seasoned stew made with a variety of meats and vegetables.  The origin of the term "burgoo" can be traced back to the 17th century.  At that time, a main staple of a sailor's diet was a porridge made with bulgur wheat.  It is believed that this dish was combined with a French style stew called "ragout" to produce a dish known as "burgout".  By the time of the Civil War in America, cooks had begun to create mutton based stews that went by the name "burgoo".  The principal region where burgoo was developed was Kentucky.  Today, Kentucky proudly lays claim to this American regional dish.  Much like Louisiana gumbo, there is no standardized recipe for burgoo.  Over the years, many cooks have tweaked this recipe to suit their own culinary preferences and you can too!

Ingredients:

1/2 stick unsalted Butter

2 large Spanish Onions, diced

3 large Green Bell Peppers; stems removed, seeded & diced

3 large Carrots, peeled & diced

2 lb Beef Stew Meat, cubed

2 lb Lamb Shoulder Meat, cubed

2 lb boneless Chicken Thighs, skin removed & chopped coarse

5 medium sized Red Potatoes, peeled & diced

2 cups canned Lima Beans

1 head Green Cabbage, cored & chopped coarse

3 cans Crushed Tomatoes, 28 oz. each

1/4 cup Cider Vinegar

1 cup Chicken Stock or Broth

Note: For my stock recipe, go to Homestyle Chicken Stock

1/2 cup Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 cup dry Red Wine

2 TBS fresh Lemon Juice

Dry Spice Mix:

• 1 TBS Crushed Red Pepper
• 1 TBS Kosher Salt
• 1 tsp Celery Salt
• 1 TBS Dry Mustard
• 2 large Bay Leaves, crumbled
• 2 tsp ground White Pepper
• 1 tsp Cayenne Red Pepper
• 1 tsp Oregano
• 1/4 tsp ground Nutmeg

Cooking Procedure: 

In a small bowl, assemble all of the ingredients for the dry spice mix

Mix well and set aside

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium high heat

Add the onions, green bell peppers & carrots

Cook this down until the onions begin to wilt

Add the dry spice mix

Stir well & cook this for 2 minutes more

Add the stew meat, lamb and chicken and enough cold water to cover the ingredients in the pot by a couple of inches

Bring this to a boil

Stir well & reduce heat to low

Cover the pot & simmer for 1 hour

Remove the cover from the pot & add the potatoes, lima beans & cabbage

Simmer for another 30 minutes

Add the crushed tomatoes, vinegar, worcestershire sauce, wine & lemon juice

Simmer for another 2 hours, stirring occasionally

During the cooking process, if the burgoo becomes too thick, add additonal chicken stock or wine

To serve: My personal preference is to serve up a burgoo with hunks of cornbread on the side