Name: Kentucky Bourbon Burgoo
Yield: 12 to 14 servings
Ingredients: 2 pounds pork shank; 2 pounds veal shank; 2 pounds beef shank; 2 pounds breast of lamb; 1 (4-pound) chicken; 8 quarts cold water; 1 1/2 pounds potatoes; 1 1/2 pounds onions; 1 bunch carrots, peeled and sliced thickly; 2 green peppers, seeded and chopped; 2 cups chopped cabbage; 1 quart tomato puree; 2 cups whole corn, fresh or canned; 2 pods red pepper; 2 cups diced okra; 1/2 cup chopped parsley; 2 cups dry lima beans; 1 cup diced celery; 3/4 cup Kentucky bourbon; Salt and pepper; Tabasco; Steak Sauce; Worcestershire sauce

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Kentucky Bourbon BurgooKriech-Higdon Photo

"If gumbo is the national stew of Cajun country, burgoo is the stew of Kentucky," Ronni Lundy asserts in her book Shuck Beans, Stack Cakes, and Honest Fried Chicken. Because the stew is made in many different ways with a variety of ingredients, the "Burgoo Song" by Robert Myles claims, "You can toss in almost anything that ever walked or flew." Many early recipes for burgoo include squirrel in addition to chicken, beef, and pork. In Kentucky, Anderson County, which hosts its Burgoo Festival every September, is known as the burgoo capital of the world. Arenzville, Illinois, makes a similar claim. But the French lay claim to the basic concept of burgoo, and it's conceivable that the word burgoo arose somehow from the French ragout (pronounced ra-goo), also a term describing a stew.

Burgoo makers agree

• Burgoo should be made in stages: cook the meat first, and then add the vegetables.
• No less than 4—6 hours should be devoted to making burgoo. Some recipes call for a 24-hour cooking period.
• Burgoo should contain more than one meat.
• Burgoo should be prepared outdoors over an open fire.

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