Harry Young's Burgoo Recipe

Active Time:

45 mins

Total Time:

5 hrs

Servings:

25

"If it walked, crawled, or flew, it goes in burgoo." That old adage once applied to this stew that hails from Kentucky and was originally made with an assortment of game and livestock cooked in giant cauldrons known as burgoo kettles.

It's a classic Southern stew, made in huge quantities over a smoldering fire, stirred by cooks using boat oars long enough to reach the bottoms of the pots. They would prepare enough burgoo to feed an entire community, often selling it at fundraisers or doling it out to attendees at political rallies and stump speeches. These days, burgoos are still meant to be shared, but they have been scaled back to feed large families instead of small towns.

Most burgoo recipes, such as this one, still call for a variety of meats and a long list of vegetables—but only those found easily at a local grocery store. This hearty stew freezes well, which is a good thing because it feeds a large crowd and you may have leftovers. It tastes even better the next day when the flavors have had time to marry.

What Does Burgoo Taste Like?

The ingredients for this hearty stew may vary depending on where you're enjoying it, but it typically has at least two types of meat and a variety of vegetables, cooked low and slow for a deep, rich flavor and fall-apart texture.

This burgoo recipe calls for a mix of pork loin, whole chicken, and ground beef for a flavorful trio that's equally filling and delicious. The meaty base is complemented by the sweetness of corn, peas, and carrots, a savory bite from tomatoes, onion, okra, and green bell pepper, and the rich, velvety texture of cooked lima beans and potatoes. The stew is seasoned simply with parsley, pepper, and salt to let the flavor of the ingredients shine.

Ingredients for Harry Young's Burgoo

To make this hearty stew, you'll need:

Meats: Bone-in pork loin roast, whole chicken, and ground beef.
Vegetables: Frozen corn, frozen purple hull peas, frozen lima beans, cabbage, russet potatoes, yellow onion, tomato or vegetable juice, canned crushed tomatoes, frozen cut okra, carrots, green bell pepper, and celery.
Seasonings: Flat-leaf parsley, crushed red pepper, kosher salt, celery salt, and black pepper.

For this stew, feel free to use what you have available. Pork, chicken, or beef can be substituted with any proteins you prefer, including wild game. The frozen vegetables can be swapped for fresh, and any of the listed vegetables can be swapped with other types you prefer. You can also adjust the types and quantities of seasonings as desired.

How To Make Harry Young's Burgoo

Burgoo is meant to simmer long and low, and the longer cook time is definitely worth it for that fall-apart texture. Full instructions are below, but here's a brief recap before you get started:

Step 1. Combine pork, chicken, and water in a large Dutch oven; bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 2 hours over medium-low.
Step 2. Remove meat; let cool 15 minutes. Remove bones and shred pork and chicken. Refrigerate.
Step 3. Brown one-third of the beef in a large skillet. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with remaining beef.
Step 4. Stir beef and remaining ingredients into Dutch oven with cooking liquid. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium-low, stirring often, 2 hours, adding in shredded pork and chicken during last 15 minutes.

How To Store and Reheat Leftover Burgoo

The good news? Burgoo only improves as the flavors marry, particularly overnight. Refrigerate leftover burgoo in an airtight container for up to four days, or freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen, and reheat on the stovetop until hot throughout before serving.

What To Serve With Burgoo

This filling stew doesn't need much—just serve with a side of crusty bread, cornbread, or biscuits for soaking up every last bite.

More Hearty Soup and Stew Recipes You'll Love

When the seasons change, these soups and stews will keep you warm and satisfied:

Editorial contributions by Katie Rosenhouse.

Ingredients

1 (2- to 2 1/2-lb.) bone-in pork loin roast
1 (3 1/2-lb.) whole chicken
3 qts. water
4 lbs. 80/20 ground beef
6 cups frozen whole kernel corn (about 2 lb.)
5 cups frozen purple hull peas (about 1 3/4 lb.)
5 cups frozen lima beans (about 1 3/4 lb.)
3 cups chopped cabbage (about 16 oz.)
3 cups diced russet potato (about 16 oz.)
3 cups chopped yellow onion (about 12 oz.)
1 (32-oz.) bottle tomato or vegetable juice (such as V8)
1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes, undrained and chopped
2 cups frozen cut okra (about 10 oz.)
3 cups diced carrots (about 1 lb.)
1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper (about 6 oz.)
3/4 cup chopped celery (about 3 stalks)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. celery salt
1 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Directions

Cook pork and chicken:

Combine pork, chicken, and water in a large Dutch oven; bring to a boil over medium-high. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 2 hours.
Shred meat:

Remove meat, reserving cooking liquid in Dutch oven. Let meat cool about 15 minutes. Remove and discard bone from pork; shred pork. Shred chicken, discarding skin and bones. Refrigerate shredded chicken and pork in airtight containers until ready to add to recipe in Step 3.
Cook ground beef:

Brown one-third of ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high, stirring to crumble, until no longer pink, 6 to 7 minutes; drain. Transfer beef to a large bowl. Repeat procedure twice with remaining ground beef.
Combine remaining ingredients, andsimmer:

Stir ground beef, corn, peas, lima beans, cabbage, potato, yellow onion, tomato juice, tomatoes, okra, carrots, green bell pepper, celery, parsley, red pepper, kosher salt, celery salt, and black pepper into reserved cooking liquid in Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring often, 2 hours, adding in shredded pork and chicken during last 15 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is burgoo like Brunswick Stew?

Burgoo and Brunswick stew are both one-pot, hearty stews that contain different types of meats and vegetables, cooked long and low for a tender, meaty result. One main differentiator is that burgoo may contain mutton, while Brunswick stew does not.
Why is it called burgoo?

While there's no definitive answer on where the name burgoo originated, it may have come from the French word ragout, a combination of the Welsh words for yeast (burym) and cabbage (cawl), or the Arabic burḡul.
What state is best known for burgoo?

Kentucky is famous for its burgoo, and it's often served as part of the Kentucky Derby, as well as for political and other sports events.