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Burgoo, a classic Southern stew that hails from Kentucky, includes a variety of meats and veggies in a tomato-based broth. This shortcut version features ground beef, pulled pork, chicken, and vegetables — and it’s ready in about 1 hour!
Table of Contents
You can’t beat a healthy, freezer-friendly, one-pot meal that comes together easily on the stovetop. This quick version of Kentucky burgoo is satisfying and flavorful, and delicious alongside a warm skillet of cornbread and a jar of homemade apple butter. It’s a perfect way to nourish your family and friends, and it would make a great dish to feed a crowd at your next Kentucky Derby party!
What is burgoo?
Burgoo is a stew (similar to Brunswick Stew) that originated in Kentucky. It was traditionally prepared in large quantities over a smoldering fire, using giant cauldrons called burgoo kettles. The classic Southern stew was stirred by cooks using boat oars long enough to reach the bottoms of the pots. A big batch of burgoo could feed an entire community or church congregation, and was often sold at fundraisers, political rallies, and stump speeches.
Traditional burgoo was made using any meats and vegetables available at the time — including venison, squirrel, possum, raccoon, rabbit, and game birds. Today, it’s more common to find bbq restaurants serving burgoo made with pork, chicken, beef, and/or mutton. Typical vegetables in burgoo include lima beans, okra, corn, tomatoes, cabbage, and potatoes — but anything goes. Take this basic recipe and make it your own!
Why is it called burgoo?
The origin of the word “burgoo” is unclear. Some say that the name was born from a mispronunciation of bird stew or barbecue. Others believe that burgoo is derived from the combination of the Welsh words for “yeast” and “cabbage.”
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a pot of Kentucky burgoo. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Ground beef: the red meat portion of this stew! You can sub with cooked, shredded chuck roast, such as leftover pot roast, if you prefer.
- Olive oil: to sauté the veggies.
- Onion, carrots, green bell pepper, celery, and garlic: fresh vegetables that create a flavorful base for the stew and bulk up the dish with healthy nutrients.
- Tomato or vegetable juice: gives the stew a thicker, richer, tomato broth. I use original V8 juice, but canned tomato juice is also fine.
- Crushed tomatoes: for even more tomato flavor in the stew.
- Chicken broth: the liquid base of the stew. Feel free to sub with beef broth or vegetable broth if you prefer. You can make your own chicken broth using this easy recipe, or pick a high-quality store-bought brand.
- Worcestershire sauce: provides a salty, umami flavor. Soy sauce works well as a substitute, too.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper: to enhance the other flavors in the dish.
- Crushed red pepper flakes: for a touch of heat. Omit this ingredient for a mild dish, or add extra red pepper flakes if you like it spicy.
- Celery salt: for even more savory flavor.
- Potatoes: I use a large russet potato, but you can sub with red potatoes or gold potatoes. If using red or gold potatoes, you don’t need to peel them.
- Frozen corn, frozen lima beans, and frozen okra: no need to thaw these veggies before you add them at the end.
- BBQ pulled pork: I use either leftover pulled pork from a previous meal (such as this recipe), or I purchase a container of refrigerated pulled pork bbq at the store, such as Jack Daniels brand.
- Chicken: you’ll need cooked, shredded or diced chicken for this recipe. A store-bought rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut, or you can cook 1 lb. of boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs at home.
- Parsley: fresh herbs add a bright, flavorful finishing touch to the stew.
How to Make Burgoo
While a traditional Kentucky burgoo recipe requires the meat to be slow-cooked over a fire for hours, this shortcut method is so much easier! I’ve included the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here’s the quick version:
- Brown the ground beef in a Dutch oven or other large soup pot.
- Saute the veggies.
- Add the liquid, crushed tomatoes, seasoning, and potatoes.
- Cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
- Stir in the frozen veggies, as well as the pork, chicken, and cooked ground beef.
- Cook for about 10-15 more minutes, or just until everything is heated through and the frozen vegetables are tender.
- Stir in fresh parsley, season with additional salt and pepper if necessary, and then ladle into bowls and serve!
Serving Suggestions
For a full Southern feast, serve the burgoo with any of these easy sides:
- Fluffy Bakery-Style Corn Muffins, Southern Cornbread, Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn, Sweet Cornbread, Pumpkin Cornbread, Cake Mix Cornbread, Skillet Cornbread, Corn Sticks, or Honey Cornbread
- Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, 4-Ingredient Butter Swim Biscuits, 7UP Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cheddar Biscuits with Bacon and Chives, Cheese Biscuits, Pumpkin Spice Biscuits, or Drop Biscuits
- Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
- Virginia Spoon Bread
- Jiffy Corn Casserole
- Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette, Wedge Salads, House Salad or Caesar Salad
- Southern Fried Apples or Baked Apple Slices with Brown Sugar and Cinnamon
- Applesauce
- Apple Bread or Apple Cinnamon Muffins
- Homemade White Bread with Milk and Honey or Homemade Dinner Rolls
How Much Burgoo Per Person?
This recipe yields about 16 cups of stew. If you’re serving a crowd, it’s safe to assume about 1 ½ – 2 cups of stew per person as a main dish. This batch will make enough for about 8-10 people.
Preparation and Storage
Leftover stew will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To extend the life of your burgoo, pack the cooled leftovers in airtight containers or in freezer-safe Ziploc bags and freeze for up to 3 months. I normally freeze in batches of 3-4 cups so that it’s easy to thaw the right amount for a single meal or two.
When ready to enjoy, thaw the frozen burgoo in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, just until warmed through. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for 1-2 minutes on high power.
Recipe Variations
- Omit the crushed red pepper flakes for a mild stew, or use extra red pepper for a spicier dish.
- Use any combination of meats that you prefer. For instance, swap out the ground beef for 2 cups of extra shredded chicken, or use leftover pot roast in lieu of the ground meat.
- Crock Pot Method: after browning the ground beef and sauteing the vegetables, transfer all of the ingredients to a slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or on HIGH for 1-2 hours, until the vegetables are tender.
- Swap out the green pepper for any other type of sweet bell pepper — red, orange, or yellow all work well.
- Add a couple of bay leaves or some fresh or dried thyme to the pot for even more earthy flavor.
Tips for the Best Kentucky Burgoo Recipe
- While it’s not as big as a traditional burgoo kettle, you’ll still need to use a very large Dutch oven for this big batch of stew. I recommend a Dutch oven with a capacity of at least 7 quarts. Here’s my favorite!
- You do not need to thaw the corn, lima beans, or okra before adding them directly to the pot.
- If using pulled pork in bbq sauce (such as this homemade pork shoulder version or this Jack Daniels brand), add the bbq sauce right into the pot with the pork. It gives the stew even more sweet and zesty flavor!
- Add an acidic component at the end to brighten up the dish, such as a splash of apple cider vinegar or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
More Southern Stew Recipes to Try
Virginia Oyster Stew
25 mins
Brunswick Stew Recipe {Crock Pot}
6 hrs 10 mins
Dutch Oven Pork Stew
2 hrs 35 mins
Shortcut Kentucky Burgoo
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed (about 1 teaspoon total)
- 2 cups tomato or vegetable juice (such as V8 juice)
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- 1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 1 very large potato)
- 2 cups frozen corn kernels
- 2 cups frozen lima beans
- 1 cup frozen cut okra
- 1 (16 ounce) container prepared bbq pulled pork, such as Jack Daniels brand (or use leftover pulled pork from a previous meal)
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (such as the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the meat is no longer pink, stirring to crumble, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the ground beef to a plate or bowl; set aside. Drain off excess grease from the pot.
- Heat the olive oil in the same Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, bell pepper, and celery. Cook, stirring regularly, until the vegetables start to soften, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute.
- Add the tomato juice, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, celery salt, and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.
- Stir in the corn, lima beans, okra, pulled pork, shredded chicken, and ground beef. Continue cooking for at least 10-15 minutes (or longer, if you like the corn and other veggies really soft).
- Stir in fresh parsley. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Ladle into bowls and garnish with additional chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
- While it’s not as big as a traditional burgoo kettle, you’ll still need to use a very large Dutch oven for this big batch of stew. I recommend a Dutch oven with a capacity of at least 7 quarts. Here’s my favorite!
- You do not need to thaw the corn, lima beans, or okra before adding them directly to the pot.
- If using pulled pork in bbq sauce (such as this homemade version or this Jack Daniels brand), add the bbq sauce right into the pot with the pork. It gives the stew even more sweet and zesty flavor!
- Add an acidic component at the end to brighten up the dish, such as a splash of apple cider vinegar or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Hey Blair! This sounds like the Camp Stew that our great aunt would make when we would make our July 4th trips to Alabama! I don’t think it had the hamburger meat, but only the pulled pork and possibly chicken! It was so yummy to me as a kid and I do believe the little bit of barbeque sauce may have given it that special flavor! Blessings!
Yes, it’s probably very similar. Also similar to Brunswick stew! You can make it with just pulled pork or just pulled pork and chicken. BBQ sauce is a great addition — either with the pork or just on its own. Hope you give it a try!