NPR News

Kentucky Burgoo

NPR

Published July 2, 2009 at 3:10 PM EDT

If you can't find the lamb shoulder chops, substitute 1 1/2 pounds of lamb stew meat or beef chuck stew meat.

Serves 6 to 8

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
6 lamb shoulder chops (6 to 8 ounces each), about 1/2 inch thick (see note)
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 1/2 cups baby lima beans
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1. BROWN MEAT pat chicken and lamb dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high until just smoking. Brown chicken, about 5 minutes per side; transfer to plate. Pour off fat from pan and reserve. (You should have about 3 tablespoons fat; if you have less, supplement with vegetable oil.) Add 1 tablespoon reserved fat to Dutch oven and heat until just smoking. Brown half of chops, about 5 minutes per side; transfer to place. Repeat with additional 1 tablespoon fat and remaining chops.

2. COOK AROMATICS Add remaining fat and onions to now-empty pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and flour and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, tomatoes, and Worcestershire, scraping up any browned bits with wooden spoon. Return chicken and lamb to pot and bring to boil.

3. SIMMER MEATS Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until chicken is tender, about 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate. When cool enough to handle, pull chicken into bite-sized pieces and reserve in refrigerator; discard bones and skin. Continue to simmer stew until lamb is tender, about 40 minutes longer. Transfer lamb to plate. When cool enough to handle, pull lamb into bite-sized pieces and reserve in refrigerator; discard bones.

4. ADD VEGETABLES Add potatoes to pot and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Add corn, lima beans, reserved chicken, and reserved lamb and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Season with salt. Skim fat, if necessary. Serve.