Southern Fried Bites

Deep fried alligator tail and hush puppies (or whatever tender road kill we can find).

Slow Cooked Pork

We will slow roast the largest piece of pig we can find!

A variety of barbeque sauces will be available for sampling.

Kentucky Burgoo – serves 12-16

If you are unfamiliar with the concept of burgoo, it’s Kentucky’s most famous stew, usually made for big gatherings (such as Derby Day) in huge kettles. Burgoo dates to before the Civil War and as legend has it, was invented by a French chef. Like a mulligan stew, it’s a sort of empty-the-fridge recipe. Burgoos typically have at least three different meats, and plenty of vegetables such as corn, okra, and lima beans. As with most stews, burgoo is even better the second day.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3-4 pounds pork shoulder or country ribs, cut into large pieces (3 to 4 inches wide)
• 2-3 pounds chuck roast, stew meat, or other inexpensive cut of beef, cut into large pieces (3 to 4 inches wide)
• 3-5 chicken legs or thighs (bone-in)
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 quart chicken stock or broth
• 1 quart beef stock or broth
• 1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
• 2 large potatoes (we used russets)
• 1 bag of frozen corn (about a pound)
• 1 bag of frozen lima beans (about 14 ounces)
• Salt and pepper
• 4-8 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• Tabasco or other hot sauce on the side

Directions:

1. Heat vegetable oil on medium-high heat in a large soup pot (at least 8 quart size). Salt the meats well on all sides. When the oil is shimmering hot, working in batches brown all the meats. Do not crowd the pan or the meat will steam and not brown well. Let the meat pieces get well seared. Remove the browned meats to a bowl.
2. Add the onions, carrots, celery and green pepper to the pot and brown them. If necessary, add a little more oil to the pot. After a few minutes of cooking, sprinkle salt over the vegetables.
3. When the vegetables are well browned, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, until fragrant. Add back the meats, and the chicken and beef broths and the tomatoes, stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 2 hours.
4. Uncover and remove the meat pieces. Strip the chicken off the bone and discard skin. Break the larger pieces of meat into smaller pieces. Return all the meat pieces to the pot and bring it up to a strong simmer.
5. Peel and cut the potatoes into chunks about the same size as the meat pieces. Add them to the stew and cook them until they are done, about 45 minutes. When the potatoes are done, add the Worcestershire sauce, mix well and taste for salt. Add more Worcestershire sauce to taste if needed.
6. Add the corn and lima beans. Mix well and cook for at least 10 minutes, or longer if you’d like.
7. To serve, taste one more time for salt, and add either Worcestershire or salt if you want. Serve with crusty bread or cornbread and a bottle of hot sauce on the side.

Janet Hampton’s Corn Bread – Makes 2 pans or double batter and use a larger pan.

Ingredients:

• Slightly more than ½ cup cornmeal
• Slightly less than ½ cup flour
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/3 cup milk
• About 1 Tbsp. shortening (enough to cover the bottom of an 8” cast iron skillet when melted)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place cast iron skillet in the oven and add the shortening. Heat until the shortening melts in the pan. Remove the pan from the oven carefully! Gently swirl melted shortening around the pan to coat halfway up the sides.
3. Mix all the other ingredients in a bowl. The batter will be stiff. Pour in the melted shortening from the pan and mix well. Pour the batter back into the cast iron pan and cook until golden and crisp around the edges, about 20 minutes. Flip onto a plate. Best served immediately.

Kentucky Green Beans

Ingredients:

• 6 -8 cups fresh green beans – washed, trimmed and cut into 2-3 inch lengths
• 1/3 lb. fatback or thick cut bacon – chopped into bite-sized chunks
• ½ of a small yellow onion – diced
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Saute bacon in a heavy bottomed pan. When the fat begins to melt, add the onion.
2. Cook until onion is soft and bacon is cooked, but not crispy.
3. Add green beans and cook on low temperature until tender, mixing well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Collard Greens

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. garlic
• 6-8 cups collard greens – chopped and washed
• 1/2 cup cooked bacon pieces

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in the bottom of a large pan.
2. Add garlic and sauté until lightly browned and fragrant.
3. Add collard greens.
4. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often, until greens are just soft.
5. Top with about bacon pieces.

Pecan Pie

The best southern pecan pie is made with “golden syrup”, which is more flavorful and less sweet than corn syrup. Unfortunately, “golden syrup” is very difficult to find. Using dark brown sugar helps approximate the flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 heaping cup pecan pieces or halves (plus about 1 more cup pecans for the top)
• 1 pie shell, unbaked, 9-inch

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine corn syrup, brown sugar, salt, butter, and vanilla; mix well.
2. Add slightly beaten eggs and blend well; stir in pecans.
3. Pour into the unbaked pie shell. Top with additional pecans.
4. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 45 – 55 minutes or until set.
5. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.