Chicken Booyah Recipe
Defining what makes booyah booyah is tricky, controversial and fun. People will argue until the Holsteins come home about what the proper ingredients are. I have some strong opinions about what gives it its distinctive flavor. Several things: A variety of vegetables, with onions, celery, potatoes, tomatoes, beans and cabbage being necessary -- and peas, corn, etc. being the subject of great debate. Stewing chickens (not fryers). Long simmering. Cooked outdoors. Cooked in vast quantities. I'd say it's a mixture of veggies, the stewing chickens and the long cooking time that are absolutely essential when you're talking REAL booyah flavor. I've tasted smaller, indoor versions that were right-on. I've tasted some with beef, some with rice, some with a punch of lemon juice or Worcestershire sauce, some with skin and bones, some without, etc. I scoff at the white meat only, no fat versions and much prefer the smoky smell/flavor you get from outdoor cooking. Herbs? Not in most booyah recipes I know. Of course, once you get the essentials down, you still need oyster crackers. Can't forget the oyster crackers.
Defining what makes booyah booyah is tricky, controversial and fun. People will argue until the Holsteins come home about what the proper ingredients are. I have some strong opinions about what gives it its distinctive flavor. Several things: A variety of vegetables, with onions, celery, potatoes, tomatoes, beans and cabbage being necessary -- and peas, corn, etc. being the subject of great debate. Stewing chickens (not fryers). Long simmering. Cooked outdoors. Cooked in vast quantities. I'd say it's a mixture of veggies, the stewing chickens and the long cooking time that are absolutely essential when you're talking REAL booyah flavor. I've tasted smaller, indoor versions that were right-on. I've tasted some with beef, some with rice, some with a punch of lemon juice or Worcestershire sauce, some with skin and bones, some without, etc. I scoff at the white meat only, no fat versions and much prefer the smoky smell/flavor you get from outdoor cooking. Herbs? Not in most booyah recipes I know. Of course, once you get the essentials down, you still need oyster crackers. Can't forget the oyster crackers.
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 pound beef stew meat in 1 piece
- 2 pounds onions chopped
- bay leaves
- 1 large stewing chicken (6 lbs), cut up
- 1 bunch celery chopped
- 1 pound carrots chopped
- 1 pound cabbage shredded
- 1/2 pound green beans chopped
- 1 28-oz can chopped tomatoes (or use fresh, if you've got good
- 1/2 pound corn kernels
- 1/2 pound green peas
- 2 pounds red potatoes chopped
- 2 lemons juiced
- salt and pepper to taste, additional
- 2 cubes bouillon (optional), (up to 4)
- Carbohydrate 157.49369164 g
- Cholesterol 736.264 mg
- Fat 211.53082158 g
- Fiber 34.7273398023068 g
- Protein 211.244081557333 g
- Saturated Fat 62.3389196038667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Gallon (2667g)
- Sodium 1352.1990844 mg
- Sugar 122.766351837693 g
- Trans Fat 21.5784143722667 g
- Calories 3360 calories
Step-by-step
- Place beef in very large pot with some of the onion, a few bay leaves, and some salt and pepper. Add enough cold water to fill the pot 1/3 full. Bring to simmer, skim surface as needed and cook 1/2 hour. Add chicken parts, more water (to cover all the meat) and a little more salt. Continue to simmer 1-2 hours.
- Meanwhile, prepare all the vegetables as described.
- When meats are tender, lift them out of the broth. While meat is cooling, add the prepared vegetables, including the remaining onion. Add one type of vegetable at a time, bringing the broth back to a simmer after each addition (my brother-in-law says that if you add all the vegetables too fast, the broth tastes wrong...go figure).
- Remove bones and skin from cooled chicken and beef. Chop the meats and add to the pots after all the veggies have been added. Simmer the soup at least two hours---longer preferred. Water may be added during the cooking process if necessary.
- Season with lemon juice, soy sauce, beef bouillon (if desired) and salt and pepper to taste.
Massive vessel capacity is the primary equipment requirement for authentic booyah, often demanding a large stockpot that holds several gallons of liquid to accommodate pounds of assorted root vegetables, cabbages, and meats. Originating as a communal feast dish across the Upper Midwest, this thick soup relies on communal scaling and extended outdoor cooking setups where temperature management centers around a steady, low boil rather than aggressive bubbling. Stewing chickens are non-negotiable here; unlike young broiler fryers, mature hens possess the dense muscle fibers and high collagen levels necessary to withstand hours of heat without disintegrating while simultaneously fortifying the broth with gelatin.
Staggering the vegetable additions prevents the cooking liquid temperature from dropping too drastically and maintains the textural integrity of delicate items like peas and corn. Simmering the foundational broth for at least two hours after the meats are deboned and returned allows the starches from two pounds of red potatoes and the heavy cabbage volume to naturally thicken the liquid without requiring added flour or roux. Skimming the foam during the initial thirty minutes of simmering beef and chicken ensures a clear final broth despite the heavy load of ingredients.
Adjustments to the base flavor profile frequently incorporate regional variations such as splashes of Worcestershire sauce, dashes of soy sauce, or finishing hits of fresh lemon juice just before service to brighten the heavy stock. Leftovers improve significantly after resting overnight in refrigeration, as the starches continue to hydrate and meld with the savory poultry extracts.
