Burgoo fit for America’s greatest race

Every year at Churchill Downs, the Kentucky Derby takes place on the first Sunday in May, capping a two-week-long festival known as the Kentucky Derby Festival. Dubbed “The Run for the Roses,” the Derby is one of the most exciting events in sports and the first leg of the American Triple Crown. A horse must win the Derby as well as the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes to win the Triple Crown.

Home chefs may garner inspiration from the foods of Kentucky when hosting their own Derby parties. In addition to mint juleps, celebrants can try Kentucky Burgoo. Burgoo is a stew, similar to Mulligan stew or Irish stew, that is served at big gatherings. It is a celebrated dish that helped make Kentucky famous and is often made with ingredients readily found in the refrigerator. Try this version, courtesy of Makers Mark and Chef Newman from Bravo’s Top Chef.

Burgoo

Yield: 12–15 portions

• 6 ounces raw bacon, diced
• 1 boneless turkey breast, diced
• 2 pounds diced chuck roast or other beef roast
• 1 pound diced lamb stew meat or lamb shoulder
• 1 pound smoked barbecue pork shoulder
• 1 pound smoked chicken, meat only
• 3 white onions, diced small
• 2 heads celery, sliced thin
• 4 carrots, peeled and diced small
• 3 ounces (2 shots) Makers Mark® Bourbon plus more for garnish
• 1 quart Kentucky Wonder beans or other flat, Roma-style green bean
• 2 pounds fresh-dug new potatoes
• 6 ears of corn cut from the cob
• 1 head of cabbage, chopped
• 1 pound of lima beans
• 2 pounds diced tomatoes
• 8 quarts chicken stock
• 1 cup Maker’s Mark Gourmet Sauce (or other barbecue sauce)
• Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper
• Tabasco® sauce

Use a large, thick-bottomed pot. The key to great burgoo is to simmer slowly over a long time. The thicker the pot bottom, the less likely you are to scorch anything.

At medium-high heat, add the diced bacon. When it starts to render and release fat, stir. Remove bacon when crispy and reserve.

In batches, sear the diced beef, lamb and turkey until golden brown. Remove meat, keeping the fat in the pot.

Add onion, celery and carrot and stir well. Pour in the Maker’s Mark and stir to deglaze any bits sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes until vegetables soften.

Add chicken stock and barbecue sauce and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add only the seared meat back to the pot and cook over low heat for 3 to 4 hours or until all meat is tender.

Add all remaining vegetables and the smoked pork and chicken to the pot and cook for another 1 to 2 hours.

Constantly stir and taste your burgoo. Season with salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco® sauce as you go.

Once all vegetables are tender and broth tastes good, let burgoo cool completely (at least overnight, but a few nights is even better). Rewarm slowly in another thick-bottomed pot and taste for seasoning.

To serve, ladle burgoo into a large soup bowl and top with a splash of Maker’s Mark on top as garnish. It will add an incredible aroma and flavor.