History

Burgoo grew out of 19th-century Kentucky barbecues and political rallies, where whatever meat the county could muster went into communal kettles that simmered for the better part of a day. The stew became racetrack food along the way and remains a Keeneland tradition. In Lexington, Stella's Kentucky Deli keeps burgoo on the menu year-round, built on beef, chicken and pork from neighbouring farms with a chicken-stock base.

Make it at home

Yield Serves 8Hands-on 45 minTotal 4 hrDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 500g beef chuck, cubed
  • 500g chicken thighs, bone-in
  • 300g pork shoulder, cubed
  • 2 litres chicken stock
  • 400g tinned tomatoes
  • 2 potatoes, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 150g sweetcorn
  • 150g butter beans
  • 100g okra, sliced
  • 2 tbsp cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt, black pepper, cayenne

Method

  1. Brown the beef and pork in batches in a heavy pot, then add the chicken, stock and tomatoes.
  2. Simmer gently for 2 hours, skimming, until the chicken falls off the bone; pull the meat and shred everything.
  3. Return the meat with the potatoes, carrots, onion and simmer 45 minutes more.
  4. Add the corn, beans and okra and cook until the stew is thick enough that a spoon stands briefly upright, about 30 minutes.
  5. Season with vinegar, Worcestershire, salt, pepper and cayenne; rest 20 minutes before serving with cornbread.

Tip from the editors. Burgoo is a leftovers stew at heart, so substitute freely, but keep three meats minimum or it eats like ordinary vegetable soup.

Where to eat burgoo

Burgoo in Lexington

Stella's Kentucky Deli ★ 4.3

Southern$$jefferson-streetMon-Sun 09:00-15:00

Stella's Kentucky Deli builds farm-sourced sandwiches in a Jefferson Street cottage, a daytime Lexington habit for fried green tomato BLTs and weekend brunch.

Tip: Daytime only, 09:00-15:00. The weekend brunch menu is small; arrive before 10:30 to dodge the queue.

143 Jefferson St, Lexington, KY 40508

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Burgoo in Louisville

Mark's Feed Store Bar-B-Q ★ 4.0

American BBQ$

Mark's Feed Store on Shelbyville Road has hickory-smoked Kentucky BBQ since 1988, the Saint Matthews counter where pulled pork plate with sides comes.

Try: Pulled pork plate with two sides

Tip: Walk-in counter. Order pulled pork, brisket or chicken with two sides for the cheapest sit-down meal.

11422 Shelbyville Road, Louisville, KY 40243

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More cities are in research. Want burgoo covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

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