Richard Matthew's Burgoo

3 quarts water or stock

3/4 pound lean inch-diced stewing beef

3/4 pound inch-diced pork shoulder

3 1/2 pounds chicken -- disjointed

water to cover 2 1/2 cups ripe tomatoes, quartered -- peeled and seeded

1 cup fresh lima beans

1/2 red pepper -- diced

4 green peppers -- diced

3/4 cup onion -- diced

1 cup carrots -- diced

2 cups potatoes -- diced

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

2 cups corn freshly cut from the cob

Mulligan stew is said to have originated in hobo camps during the early 1900s, mulligan stew is a sort of catch-all dish of whatever is available. It

usually contains meat, potatoes and vegetables in just about any combination. The name indicates that its origins might come from IRISH STEW, but it's also often compared to Kentucky BURGOO. The cook at a hobo camp responsible for putting this tasty concoction together was called a "mulligan-mixer."

If you are like most people you have never heard of much less eaten burgoo. This is one of those times its definately best to be in the minority. Burgoo is a savory stew made from a varying array of ingredients. If is often cooked in enormous iron kettles outdoors over an open flame. Cooking can take as long as 30 hours and flavor improves as it ages. It has been said that burgoo is more of a concept than a recipe. This is because there are as many different ways to prepare burgoo as there are people who prepare it. The meats could include any or all of the following meats: mutton (sheep/lamb), beef, pork, chicken, veal or opossum, rabbit, squirrel You will also find some combination of these vegetables: potatoes, corn, lima beans, tomatoes, okra or green beans. Of course there are also many spices to choose from as well. As you might imagine there are many people who keep their recipes a closely guarded secret.

It is believed that the word "burgoo" originated in the 17th century on the high seas. These sailors used to subsist on an oatmeal-like porridge made from the Middle-Eastern grain, bulgur (or bulghur) wheat. The term first appears in the 1650 book "Adventures by Sea" by Edward Coxere.

Put in a heavy lidded kettle with:

3 qts. water or stock

3/4 lb. lean inch-diced stewing beef

3/4 lb inch-diced pork shoulder

Bring pot one slowly to a boil. Reduce heat at once..and slowly simmer about 2 1/2 hours.

In another heavy kettle put:

1.1 disjointed 3 1/2 lb. chicken with just enough water to cover.

2.Bring these ingredients to a boil.

3.Reduce the heat at once...and simmer about 1 hour or until the meat can

easily be removed from the bones. 4.Put the chicken meat and the water in which it was cooked into the first

kettle with the other meat after it has simmered the 2 1/2 hours as directed.

At this time also add:

2 1/2 cups quartered ripe, peeled and seeded tomatoes

1 cup fresh lima beans

1/2 red diced pepper

4 diced green peppers

3/4 cup diced onion

1 cup diced carrots

2 cups diced potatoes

1 bay leaf

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Simmer this whole mixture 1/2 hour or more before adding

2 cups corn (freshly cut from cob)

Cook about 15 minutes more or until all the vegetables are soft Correct the seasoning.

Some think Burgoo is not Burgoo without squirrel, but then maybe that was Hunter's Stew, which was made in an old iron wash pot, out doors over a fire. To be eaten at night while listening to mountain music....hounds running a coon up and down ridges & hollers.