Old Kentucky Colonels Burgoo

[cowdery]

I just came across this and thought I'd share it. This is the official burgoo recipe of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels, first published in 1946 and used since 1934 at official Colonels events.

Ingredients:
2 lb. each ground veal, lamb, pork and beef
1 whole chicken
5 lb. veal bones (optional)
1 can tomato paste
1 no. 2 can of each: tomato puree, whole tomatoes, corn and peas
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 pounds each butter beans, chopped onion, and diced potatoes
1 whole lemon
1 whole orange
salt, cayenne, pepper, worchestershire sauce, and sherry, to taste

Add to 3-4 gallons chicken broth or water. Cook in an iron kettle over an open fire for 24 hours, occasionally stirring. Makes 5 gallons.

[callmeox]

I thought that burgoo had Possum in it, or am I thinking of something else?

Granny's vittles, perhaps??

[cowdery]

I thought that burgoo had Possum in it, or am I thinking of something else?

Granny's vittles, perhaps??

Historically, burgoo was 'critter stew' and I'm sure you can find burgoo recipes that call for them. I know people who will cook up something like this recipe in a huge batch and throw in the meat of one squirel, just for old-time's sake.

[squire]

A departed elderly acquaintance of mine from Ky told me burgoo was a way of softening up a hunk of mutton.

[Josh]

A departed elderly acquaintance of mine from Ky told me burgoo was a way of softening up a hunk of mutton.

I think the mutton was/is used to replicate the gameyness of the game.

[squire]

Reminds me of the Cajun kid carrying a recently killed hawk stopped by a game warden on a country road.

Warden: whatcha goin do with that hawk son.
Kid: goin make me some gumbo.
Warden: hawk make good gumbo?
Kid; bout like eagle.

I think of burgoo as KY gumbo.

[ratcheer]

The recipe reminds me a lot of the Brunswick stew we have eaten in the Deep South for a long time.

Tim

[smokinjoe]

The recipe reminds me a lot of the Brunswick stew we have eaten in the Deep South for a long time.

Tim

Ahhhh, it's been so long since I've had a good homemade Brunswick Stew. When I was a kid, Mrs. Barfield down the street, made it regularly, and in quantities that could fill a whiskey barrel. She basically fed the neighborhood for a week, with it. Absolutely, delicious. I had a hankerin' for it here last week. So, I just bought a can of Castleberry's over the weekend, as I had found that for "out of the can", it wasn't too bad. Well, things have changed for the worse. Nowhere good as I remember it. You're right Tim, Burgoo and Brunswick are similar. I remember Bettye Jo's as being really good Burgoo.

[OscarV]

Actually this Burgoo stuff sounds kinda nasty.
Boiling down meat to a mushy pulp just doesn't sound good.

[cas]

A little armadillo in there and you've got a meal.
Craig