Kentucky Burgoo

Burgoo is Kentucky's answer to slow-cooked communal feasting — a thick, long-simmered stew of whatever meats and vegetables were on hand, stirred in massive iron kettles at Derby parties and church fundraisers for well over a century. Each family and pitmaster guards their own recipe, making every pot a piece of living culinary heritage.

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 700g (1.5 lb) bone-in chicken thighs
• 500g (1 lb) beef chuck, cut into 4cm (1.5-inch) pieces
• 300g (10 oz) pork shoulder, cubed
• 400g (14 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (about 400g / 14 oz)
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 200g (7 oz) frozen corn kernels
• 200g (7 oz) frozen lima beans or butter beans
• 1 tbsp (15ml) Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 litre (4 cups) low-sodium chicken stock
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Place chicken thighs, beef chuck, and pork shoulder into a 6-litre (6-quart) slow cooker. Add onion, garlic, and crushed tomatoes.
2. Pour in the chicken stock and add Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
3. Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours, until all meats are completely tender and falling apart.
4. Remove chicken thighs and shred the meat, discarding bones and skin. Return shredded chicken to the pot.
5. Add potatoes, carrots, corn, and lima beans. Increase to HIGH and cook a further 45-60 minutes, until vegetables are soft and stew is thick.
6. Taste and season with salt. The stew should be very thick — almost spoonable rather than pourable. Serve with cornbread.

Cook's Notes: Traditional burgoo is left unstirred for long periods to develop deep, concentrated flavour. For outdoor events, it was stirred with a boat paddle. Leftovers improve greatly the next day.