What does burgoo mean?
Burgoo is a regional American word for a thick, hearty stew or soup, traditionally made with meat and vegetables and often flavored or thickened with okra. It is particularly associated with Kentucky, where it may be served at family gatherings, picnics, and community events alongside foods such as cornbread. The word belongs primarily to Southern US culinary speech and has an informal, homespun quality, although it is also used in descriptions of restaurant dishes and traditional food. Burgoo is closely related to gumbo, which is the more widely recognized name for a diverse family of soups and stews. The spelling burgoo gives the dish a distinct regional identity, especially in Kentucky, but the two terms can refer to similar preparations. Knowing burgoo therefore offers insight into a well-established Southern food tradition and the regional variation of American English.
nounA thick, hearty stew or soup traditionally made with meat, vegetables, and often okra. The term is especially associated with Kentucky cooking and outdoor gatherings.
- A thick, rustic stew or soup made from meat, vegetables, and commonly okra, traditionally associated with Kentucky and the southern United States.
"The family served burgoo with cornbread at the annual picnic."
"He brought a pot of burgoo to the reunion, alongside cornbread and pickled vegetables."
"The restaurant describes its burgoo as a traditional Kentucky stew slow-cooked with beef and seasonal vegetables."
The plural is regular and is used when referring to multiple servings, pots, or varieties of the stew.
"The two burgoos were served in large bowls at the festival."
Burgoo is essentially gumbo under a distinctly Southern name, especially associated with Kentucky's long tradition of communal cooking.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of burgoo
Burgoo is generally understood as a regional alteration or variant of gumbo. Gumbo itself is commonly traced to a Bantu term associated with okra, through Caribbean and Louisiana culinary traditions. Burgoo developed as a distinct American spelling and became especially associated with Kentucky and the southern United States.
How burgoo is actually used
The word has a regional, informal, and traditionally Southern register. In modern usage, it may refer more broadly to a hearty stew than to a strictly defined recipe.
Easily confused with burgoo
Burgoo is a regional American variant spelling of gumbo, especially used for a traditional meat-and-vegetable stew, while gumbo is the more general and internationally familiar term.