On 9/10/2014 9:54 AM, John Gordon wrote:
> In om> "l not -l" > writes:
>
>> I was born in western Kentucky and lived there until my teen years. Burgoo
>> often contained mutton and venison; but, they were not required. Burgoo
>> suppers were a staple at school and church fund-raisers and was often a
>
> In southern Illinois it's called chowder, not burgoo, but it sounds like
> much the same thing. Ground pork, beef and chicken, and all manner of
> vegetables, boiled in large vats. The end product is a brownish-reddish
> soup. (No squirrel in the chowder, although I do remember fried squirrel
> on my grandparent's table at other times.)
>
> When I was young the whole family would visit my grandparents in southern
> Illinois every August around chowder time. I was talking to my cousins
> recently and turns out that they never really liked it! I had no idea;
> I thought it was quite good.
>

I have no idea whether this is the most or least authentic recipe, but
here goes:

http://www.moonlite.com/Burgoo_Soup.html

Owensboro's burgoo is a hearty soup made from mutton, chicken, and a
variety of vegetables. No two cooks prepare it the same way and most
keep their recipes a closely guarded secret. One tradition says that
burgoo came to this country from Wales. It found it's way to the
Kentucky frontier through Virginia, but Daviess Countians have long
claimed that the Welsh-Virginian dish was a
low quality soup,not burgoo. The evolution of burgoo, and its contents
in its early days, seem markedly similar to those of Brunswick Stew.
Burgoo developed in the early 1800's as a squirrel stew with vegetables
and it was first served to crowds at political rallies and later at
church picnics.
Burgoo experts disagree about what meats actually go into burgoo. Each
area of Kentucky, and even individual burgoo cooks use different types
of meat in their burgoo. At the Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn we prefer to use
mutton, beef, and chicken. Mutton gives burgoo a wild game like flavor
that holds its own against the red pepper and vegetables in our burgoo.
Mutton gives the burgoo the same oomph that squirrel and other wild game
formerly provided.
About the only point on which burgoo experts agree is the consistency of
the soup. A good burgoo should be thick, but still soupy. This is the
reason for the long, slow cooking time. It gives the burgoo time to
thicken naturally.
The Burgoo Recipe
4 lb. Mutton
1-3 lb. Chicken
3/4 lb. Cabbage Ground or Chopped Fine
3/4 lb. Onion Ground or Chopped Fine
5 lb. Potatoes Peeled and Diced
2-17 oz. Can Corn (we like Shoe Peg)
or 2 Cups Fresh Corn
3/4 Cup Tomato Catsup
3-10 3/4 oz Can Tomato Puree
Juice of One Lemon
3/4 Cup Distilled Vinegar
1/2 Cup Worcestershire Sauce
2 1/2 Tablespoons Salt (or more to taste)
2 Tablespoons Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Cayenne (more if you like)
Water

Boil mutton in enough water to cover. Cook until tender about 2-3 hours.
Throw out the broth and bones. Chop meat fine. Set aside. Boil chicken
in 2 gallons of water in large kettle until tender. Remove chicken, add
potatoes, cabbage, onion, corn, catsup and one gallon of water to
chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Meanwhile, chop chicken meat, discarding
bones and skin. When potatoes are tender add chicken, mutton, lemon,
salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and puree. Let this simmer
for two hours or longer, stirring often from the bottom as it thickens.
Yield: 3 Gallons Burgoo is often served with bread, but crackers or corn
bread are also good with burgoo.