Smoked Burgoo Technique?

[Badboy]

Hi Folks:

I am gearing up to make my Kentucky Burgoo for New Year's Eve. I've been smoking for years, but only now thought about smoking my Burgoo! I've searched this site and the web for tips on techniques. As far as I can tell, it basically boils down to two schools of thought.

One school smokes the meat on a rack above the pan with the veggies and broth. After smoking, everything is combined in the pot. The other school makes the Burgoo as usual but then puts the whole pot in the smoker.

Has anyone tried either or both techniques? What is your recommendation?

[Breadhead]

I would like to help you but first I'm going to google the Term Burgoo.😎

Update: Burgoo is a spicy stew, similar to Irish or Mulligan stew, often served with cornbread or corn muffins. It is often prepared communally as a social gathering. It is popular as the basis for civic fund-raisers in the American Midwest and South.

[David Parrish]

Thanks. Saved me the effort!

[Badboy]

Yes. It is very traditional in Kentucky. It is served at the Kentucky Derby. It uses several different meats, spices and vegetables. There are as many recipes as there are cooks.

[Breadhead]

Guest ...

I've never tried or heard of Burgoo before. It sounds interesting. Maybe I'll try cooking it someday.

I can't be of much help to you other than to pass along something that most AR members have learned from our fearless leader, Meathead.

The amount of Smoke applied to food should be carefully controlled. Smoke is like salt. If used properly it greatly enhances the flavor of your food. If too much is applied to the dish it can completely overwhelm/hide the flavors you were trying to achieve.

Good luck with your smoked Burgoo... Take pictures.👍

[Badboy]

I typically like a lot of smoke. But the key to Burgoo is the melding of the different meat flavors after many hours of cooking. The meats literally get stringy and form a very thick stew. So I don't want the smoke flavor to overpower the stew. That's why I was wondering about technique.

[Nate]

Badboy , I know it isn't exactly the same but in a couple of the recipes for Beans on the actual AR page it talks about putting the pan under the meat to catch the drippings. I also thought there was a video of meathead talking about this with someone once but can't remember which one or who it was with. I know that beans aren't exactly the same thing and I don't know what your normal recipe or process is but it may be worth taking a look to see if you think it would work for you.

Good luck and let us know what you did and how it turned out. I may want to try this sometime.

https://amazingribs.com/recipes/beans/boston_baked_beans.html

[DWCowles]

check this out

[Breadhead]

Now... I know Burgoo.😊

My Mama called that Monday night stew when I was a kid. That woman NEVER threw away leftovers.

I had 2 siblings and we all knew as a matter of fact... Monday night was stew night come hell or high water.

If you really think about it, it was brilliant. A middle class mother and father with 3 kids and not much money. She didn't allow us to scrape leftovers into the trash can, that was way before there were garbage disposals. She kept a pot in the refrigerator that the leftovers went into. You knew anything she cooked that you didn't eat was going into this Monday's stew.

Come Monday she would whip together this stew that was always fantastic. She would make cornbread in her cast iron skillet that was almost like dessert.😆 She would add spices and herbs to that old food that made it taste great... A little of this and a little of that and bingo... You had great stew.😋

This Burgoo dish discussion brought back old memories. I now have a garbage disposal and whatever we don't eat we scrape it into the sink. My mother would be appalled.😡

She wouldn't understand my desire to get rid of the old so I could grill or smoke the new🤓 Some days I'm pissed off because I have something to grill/smoke but due to the abundance of leftovers dictates that I ought not do that.😡

Maybe I ought to honor my mother and start making Monday stew... Or as some people call it Burgoo.👌

[Badboy]

This is a bit different from Kentucky burgoo. I put some heat in my burgoo, but not that much!

[Danjohnston949]

Gents, Thanks for the education! As a kid on the Farm next to Canada in North Central North Dakota I have eaten Stew or as my Grandmother used to call it Slum Gullion all my life! To my knowledge the Next Bowl of Burgoo I have will be My First! I bet I will like it! Dan

[Badboy]

It used to be made with whatever was killed on the hunt. Squirrel, rabbit, possum, etc. I didn't know whether to smoke the meats first or smoke the entire stew. I did the former and the beef, pork, chicken, lamb and venison are smoking as I write. I am going to use the pan drippings when I boil everything together. I'll let you all know how it turns out.

[Nate]

Good luck!

[Badboy]

It is now the next day and it is almost done. Tastes wonderful. Maybe my best batch ever!

[Danjohnston949]

Badboy, Thanks for the update! Eat Well and Prosper! 😋👍🍻👍😋 HAPPY NEW YEAR!
From Fargo ND, Dan

[Badboy]

So thick the spoon stands by itself!

[Thunder77]

Beautiful!!

[Darth_Yoda]

Burgoo is amazing. I've never smoked mine, but when I'm camping, I make it over the open fire. Good Luck!

[RonB]

It looks wonderful. I agree that it looks like what's called Brunswick Stew around here. Civic groups around here made and sell it at various times of the year.